Frederick W. Benteen

Frederick William Benteen
Frederick Benteen circa 1865
Born	(1834-08-24)August 24, 1834 Petersburg, Virginia
Died	June 22, 1898(1898-06-22) (aged 63) Atlanta, Georgia
Place of burial	initially Atlanta, Georgia later reinterred in Arlington Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America Union
Service/branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1861–88
Rank	Brevet Brigadier General Major (Regular Army)
Commands held	10th Missouri Cavalry 138th U.S. Colored Volunteers 'H' Company 7th U.S. Cavalry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Wilson's Creek Battle of Pea Ridge Milliken's Bend Battle of Pleasant Hill Siege of Vicksburg Battle of Westport Battle of Mine Creek Battle of Columbus Indian Wars Battle of the Washita Battle of the Little Bighorn Battle of Canyon Creek

American Civil War

Indian Wars

Frederick William Benteen (August 24, 1834 – June 22, 1898) was a military officer during the American Civil War and then during the Indian Campaigns and Great Sioux War against the Lakota and Northern Cheyenne. Benteen is best known for being in command of a battalion (Companies D, H,& K) of the 7th U. S. Cavalry at the Battle of the Little Bighorn in late June, 1876.

While scouting the area, Captain Benteen received an urgent note from his superior officer George Armstrong Custer ordering him to bring up the ammunition packs and join him in Custer's surprise attack on a large Native American encampment. Benteen's failure to promptly comply with Custer's orders is one of the most controversial aspects of the famed battle. The fight resulted in the death of Custer and the complete annihilation of the five companies of cavalrymen which comprised Custer's detachment.

Benteen subsequently served in the U.S. Cavalry another 12 years, being both honored by promotion and disgraced with a conviction for drunkenness by a military tribunal. He retired for health reasons in 1888, and lived a further decade until his death by natural causes at age 63.

Frederick Benteen was born August 24, 1834, in Petersburg, Virginia to Theodore Charles Benteen and his wife Caroline (Hargrove) Benteen. Benteen's ancestors had emigrated to America from the Netherlands in the 18th century, settling in Baltimore. The family had moved to Virginia from Baltimore shortly after the birth of their first child, Henrietta Elizabeth, in October 1831. Frederick Benteen was educated at the Petersburg Classical Institute, where he was first trained in military drill. His family moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1849.