Benona Sprague

When the Union Army called for volunteers to lead what many believed was a near-suicidal assault, Corporal Benona Sprague did not hesitate. He stepped forward as part of the famous "Forlorn Hope" storming party at Vicksburg, willingly facing overwhelming enemy fire in one of the American Civil War's most dangerous missions. His courage during that assault earned him the Medal of Honor and secured his place among the bravest soldiers of the Union Army.

Benona Sprague was born on 22 August 1844 in Michigan. Following the outbreak of the American Civil War, he enlisted in Company F, 116th Illinois Infantry Regiment, joining thousands of volunteers who answered the Union's call to preserve the United States. During his military service, he fought in several major campaigns across the Western Theater, including the Vicksburg Campaign, before later attaining the rank of Sergeant.

Sprague's defining act of heroism came on 22 May 1863 during the Second Assault on Vicksburg, Mississippi. Union commanders organized a volunteer storming party tasked with advancing across open ground, carrying ladders and bridging materials to breach the Confederate fortifications. The assignment became known as the "Forlorn Hope" because the chances of survival were exceptionally low. Facing intense rifle and artillery fire, Sprague advanced with the assault force toward the heavily defended Confederate works. Despite the devastating enemy fire and heavy casualties suffered by the storming party, he displayed exceptional courage while carrying out the mission.

For his gallantry during the assault on Vicksburg, Sprague was awarded the Medal of Honor. His official citation simply records: "Gallantry in the charge of the volunteer storming party." Although the action took place in 1863, his Medal of Honor was officially awarded on 10 July 1894 as part of the later recognition given to many survivors of the Vicksburg storming party.

Sprague continued serving with the 116th Illinois Infantry until the end of the Civil War. The regiment participated in many of the Union Army's most significant campaigns, including Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, the March to the Sea, and the Carolinas Campaign before being mustered out in June 1865. His wartime service later qualified him for the Civil War Campaign Medal when it was established by the War Department in 1907 to recognize qualifying Union Army veterans.

After returning to civilian life, Sprague remained one of the many Civil War veterans whose service helped preserve the Union during one of the nation's defining conflicts. Although he lived a quiet life after the war, his Medal of Honor ensured that his courage at Vicksburg would never be forgotten.

Sergeant Benona Sprague died on 9 April 1908 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. His legacy lives on through his Medal of Honor, which commemorates his extraordinary bravery during one of the Civil War's most perilous assaults. More than a century later, his willingness to volunteer for the "Forlorn Hope" remains a powerful example of courage, self-sacrifice, and devotion to duty.