Benona Sprague

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Corporal

Benona Sprague
Cheney's Grove, Illinois
Buried
Riverside Cemetery, Saybrook, Illinois
AllegianceUnited States (Union)
Service/branchArmy
Years of service1861-1865
RankSergeant
Unit116th Illinois Infantry Regiment
Battles/warsSiege of Vicksburg, American Civil War
AwardsMedal of Honor
Children2

Benona Sprague (15 February 1833 – 19 June 1908) was a corporal in the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the American Civil War. On May 22, 1863, during the Siege of Vicksburg, he led a volunteer storming party against Confederate fortifications. He was issued the Medal of Honor on 10 July 1894.[1][2]

Personal life

Sprague was born in

Cheney's Grove, Illinois, and is buried in Riverside Cemetery in Saybrook, Illinois.[1][3][4]

Military service

Sprague served with Company F of the US Army's 116th Illinois Infantry and Company A of the Illinois 1st Light Artillery, entering service at Cheney's Grove. The highest rank he achieved was sergeant. On May 22, 1863, during the Siege of Vicksburg in Mississippi, he led a volunteer storming party of approximately 150 men against Confederate fortifications, of which approximately half were alive at the end of the war. As a survivor of the charge, he was one of four soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the action.[3][5][6][7]

References

  1. ^ a b "Benona Sprague (1833-1908) - Find A Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  2. ^ "Civil War (M - Z Index) of the Medal of Honor Recipients for the United States Army". www.army.mil. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  3. ^ a b "Benona Sprague - Recipient -". valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  4. ^ "Cpl. Benoni Sprague, Medal of Honor". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  5. ^ "Benona Sprague | U.S. Civil War | U.S. Army | Medal of Honor Recipient". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  6. ^ "Medal of Honor Recipients, 1863-2013". Fold3. p. 226. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2021-03-26.
  7. ^ "Benona Sprague: Person, pictures and information - Fold3.com". Fold3. Retrieved 2021-03-26.