Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/778

722 reorganized the State government. As chairman of the committee of schools and colleges, and as a member of the committee on courts of justice, he took a conspicuous part in the organization of the free school system and the reorganization of the judiciary. During his membership he was one of the victims of the capitol disaster, but escaped with no greater injury than the breaking of an arm. In 1852, Major Bell was married to Ann M., daughter of William Kinney, of Staunton, a prominent lawyer, president of the Central bank of Virginia, and for many years a member of the Virginia house and senate. They have three children living: Richard Phillips, Ann, and Henderson Moffett, Jr.

Edward L. Bennett, of Leesburg, a gallant soldier of the Thirty-fifth battalion of cavalry, was born in Loudoun county, near Leesburg, May 21, 1842, There he was reared and educated, and early in the second year of the Confederacy, on March 20, 1862, enlisted in Company A in the command of Col. E. V. White, as a sergeant. In this command he served under Stonewall Jackson in the arduous but brilliant campaign in the valley, fighting at Front Royal, Winchester, Strasburg, Cross Keys, Port Republic, thence proceeding to the support of Lee and fighting in the Seven Days' battles which drove McClellan's army from the front of Richmond. Subsequently in the same year he fought at Brandy Station, at Cedar Mountain and the second battle of Manassas, where the enemy was again defeated, and then joined in the campaign in Maryland, taking part in the heroic stand made at Sharpsburg against the overwhelming odds of the Federal army. His service continued throughout 1863, including the Pennsylvania campaign, his command leading the advance to Gettysburg, and the battle of Gettysburg. In 1864 he fought in the Wilderness campaign, and in June met Sheridan at Trevilian Station, where he was struck in the right leg by a shell, causing a wound which resulted in the amputation of the limb. This very severe injury brought about his retirement from the service of the Confederate States, though still anxiously devoted to the cause. Returning from hospital to his home he soon embarked in mercantile business in which he was engaged for five years. He then entered upon a long official career, in which he has been honored with important trusts by the people, and has repaid this confidence by faithful and efficient service. For twelve years he served as commissioner of revenue, and since then has served as clerk of the circuit court. Mr. Bennett is still a true comrade to the survivors of the army of Northern Virginia, and maintains a membership in the Clinton Hatcher camp.

William H. Benson, for many years a resident of Chesterfield county, and head of a staunch patriotic Confederate family, was born in Somerset county, Md., February 9, 1811. He followed the trade of a merchant tailor a large part of his life, settled in Kinsale, Westmoreland county, in 1826, removed to Richmond about 1851, and died March 6, 1887. During the war he resided upon his farm, three miles from Richmond, and though too old for military service, aided the Confederate cause in every way that he could. In latter years he described as the happiest day of his life the occasion when he volunteered to feed the entire command of Gen. Custis Lee. To furnish this entertainment he found it necessary to use everything on his farm which could be quickly converted into food, of all of which he made a cheerful offering, and after everything else available was eaten up and the soldiers were about