Frederick Benteen

Frederick William Benteen
Frederick Benteen circa 1865
Born(1834-08-24)August 24, 1834
Petersburg, Virginia, US
DiedJune 22, 1898(1898-06-22) (aged 63)
Atlanta, Georgia, US
Place of burial
initially Atlanta, Georgia
reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States United States of America
Union
Service/branchUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1861–1888
Rank Colonel (Union Army)
Major (Regular Army)
Brigadier General (Brevet)
Commands held10th Missouri Cavalry
138th U.S. Colored Infantry
'H' Company, 7th U.S. Cavalry
Battles/wars

Frederick William Benteen (August 24, 1834 – June 22, 1898) was a military officer who first fought during the American Civil War. He was appointed to commanding ranks 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.

After scouting the area of the left flank as ordered, Captain Benteen received a note from his superior officer George Armstrong Custer ordering him to quickly 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, but Benteen's relief of Major Marcus Reno's battalion may have saved them from annihilation.

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 from natural causes at age 63.