Samuel Nicoll Benjamin

Gunner from Bull Run to Spotsylvania, three years under fire!

Samuel Nicoll Benjamin's Medal of Honor covered years of combat rather than one isolated act. A West Point graduate of 1861 and an officer of the 2nd U.S. Artillery, Benjamin served through repeated campaigns from First Bull Run to Spotsylvania.

His citation recognized his particularly distinguished services as an artillery officer between July 1861 and May 1864. Cullum's Register traces a combat record that included major Army of the Potomac campaigns and records that he was severely wounded at Spotsylvania Court House.

Medal of Honor Citation (condensed)

For particularly distinguished services as an artillery officer from the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861 through the Battle of Spotsylvania in May 1864.

Benjamin remained a Regular Army officer after the war. His later service included teaching and staff work at West Point, duty connected with artillery instruction, and departmental assignments. He ultimately held the brevet rank of lieutenant colonel. Born in New York City on 3 January 1839, he died at Governors Island, New York, on 15 May 1886 and was buried in the cemetery of St. Philip's Church in the Highlands at Garrison, New York.