{⋆★⋆} BG Helm, Benjamin H.

Benjamin Hardin Helm

Born: June 2, 1831
Brig. General Helm.jpg


Birth Place: Bardstown, Kentucky

Father: John Larue Helm 1802 – 1867
(Buried: Helm Family Cemetery, Elizabethtown, Kentucky)​

Mother: Lucinda Barbour Hardin 1809 – 1885
(Buried: Helm Family Cemetery, Elizabethtown, Kentucky)​

Wife: Emilie Todd 1836 – 1930
(Buried: Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky)​

Brother - in - law: President Abraham Lincoln

Children:

Katherine Helm 1857 – 1937​
(Buried: Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky)​
Elodie Todd Helm Lewis 1859 – 1953​
(Buried: Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky)​
Benjamin Hardin Helm Jr. 1862 – 1946​
(Buried: Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky)​

Education:

1851: Graduated from West Point Military Academy (9th in class)​
1853: Graduated from Harvard University law school​

Occupation before War:

1851 – 1852: Brevet 2nd Lt. 2nd United States Army Dragoons​
1851 – 1852: At Cavalry School of Practice​
1852: 2nd Lt. United States Army Dragoons​
1852: Frontier Duty at Fort Lincoln, Texas​
1852: Resigned from United States Army on October 9th
1854 – 1858: Attorney in Elizabethtown, Kentucky​
1855 – 1856: Kentucky State Representative​
1856 – 1858: Commonwealth Attorney 3rd District of Kentucky​
1858 – 1861: Attorney in Louisville, Kentucky​
Assistant Inspector General for Kentucky State Guard​

Civil War Career:

1861 – 1862: Colonel of 1st Kentucky Confederate Cavalry​
1862 – 1863: Brigadier General of Confederate Infantry​
1862 – 1863: Commander of the Orphan Brigade​
1862: Served as guard during the Battle of Shiloh, Tennessee​
1862: His horse fell with him and right leg broken at Baton Rouge
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1862: Confederate Post Commander at Chattanooga, Tennessee​
1863: Participated in the Tullahoma, Tennessee Campaign​
1863: Participated in the Chickamuga Campaign​
1863: Mortally wounded in right side at the Battle of Chickamuga​

Died: September 21, 1863

Place of Death: Chickamuga, Georgia

Age at time of Death: 32 years old

Cause of Death: Bullet thru his side

Last Words: “Victory! Victory! Victory!”

Burial Place: Helm Family Cemetery, Elizabethtown, Kentucky

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This is one of my handouts for my Selma, Montgomery, Cahaba and Marion, Alabama Tour
Norman


Mary TODD Lincoln’s Family Information




Father was Robert Smith Todd an officer in the War of 1812 and member of KY Legislature and born in 1791. He died in 1849 of cholera.



Mother was Eliza Ann Parker born 1794 and marred Robert Todd in 1812. She died in 1825.



Mary was the fourth of seven children: Elizabeth (Todd) Edwards, Fanny (Todd) Wallace, Levi O. Todd, *Mary (Todd) Lincoln*, Robert P Todd, Ann (Todd) Smith, Dr. George Roger Clark Todd



Half Siblings: Children of Robert and Elizabeth (Humphreys) Todd - Robert S Todd, Margaret (Todd) Kellogg, Samuel B Todd, David H Todd, Martha (Todd) White, Emilie (Todd) Helm, Aleck Todd, Elodie “Dedee” (Todd) Dawson, Kitty (Todd) Herr



Dr. George Rogers Clark, Aleck, David and Samuel Todd all served in the CSA Army. Aleck served in the 1st​ KY Cavalry and was killed at Baton Rouge, Samuel served in 24th​ LA Inf was killed at Shiloh, David served an officer in the 21st​ LA Inf and was wounded at Vicksburg. Emilie (Todd) Helm’s husband was CSA General Ben H Helm and he was killed at Chickamauga. Martha (Todd) White and Elodie (Todd) Dawson lived in Selma.



Kitty’s husband was an aide to Gen Ben H Helm. Margaret’s husband claimed to be an associate of Clement Vallandingham and served as a US commissary captain and may have been a Southern spy.



Selected entries from Dedee (Todd) Dawson’s correspondence with husband NHR Dawson -an officer in the CSA Army:


“Every since I can remember, I have been looked upon and called the old maid of the family and Mother seemed to think I was to be depended on to take care of her when all the rest of her handsomer daughters left her.”



“I see from the today’s paper Mrs. Lincoln *(her half-sister)* is indignant at my brother David’s being in the Confederate service. He could do nothing which could make me prouder of him than he is doing now - fighting for his country.”



“I do not think of peace and know well Mr Lincoln is not man enough to dare to make it. He is but a tool in the hands of his party. How nobly he could redeem himself if he had the courage.”
 
Bump for Chickamauga.
Leading his Kentucky Brigade in Breckinridge's flank assault on September 20th, Helm and half his brigade struck the union main line, while the rest of the division turned the Union flank. Helm was struck by a sharpshooter from the 15th Kentucky Union Regiment. He was brought to the rear, asking the surgeons if the Confederates had won; on being told that the Confederates had carried the field, he muttered "Victory, Victory, Victory". These would be his last words, as he would succumb to his wounds on the 21st.
 
Soon after the battle of Baton Rouge [8/5/62] Breckinridge's troops occupied & secured Port Hudson on the Miss River. While here Helm's horse was shot & fell on his leg putting him out of action for a while
 
That stint He did at Fort Lincoln in Texas before the war in the "old army" was not named for his Brother-in-Law. Fort Lincoln was not named for Abraham Lincoln. but a George Lincoln who was killed in the Mexican War.
 
This is one of my handouts for my Selma, Montgomery, Cahaba and Marion, Alabama Tour
Norman


Mary TODD Lincoln’s Family Information




Father was Robert Smith Todd an officer in the War of 1812 and member of KY Legislature and born in 1791. He died in 1849 of cholera.



Mother was Eliza Ann Parker born 1794 and marred Robert Todd in 1812. She died in 1825.



Mary was the fourth of seven children: Elizabeth (Todd) Edwards, Fanny (Todd) Wallace, Levi O. Todd, *Mary (Todd) Lincoln*, Robert P Todd, Ann (Todd) Smith, Dr. George Roger Clark Todd



Half Siblings: Children of Robert and Elizabeth (Humphreys) Todd - Robert S Todd, Margaret (Todd) Kellogg, Samuel B Todd, David H Todd, Martha (Todd) White, Emilie (Todd) Helm, Aleck Todd, Elodie “Dedee” (Todd) Dawson, Kitty (Todd) Herr



Dr. George Rogers Clark, Aleck, David and Samuel Todd all served in the CSA Army. Aleck served in the 1st​ KY Cavalry and was killed at Baton Rouge, Samuel served in 24th​ LA Inf was killed at Shiloh, David served an officer in the 21st​ LA Inf and was wounded at Vicksburg. Emilie (Todd) Helm’s husband was CSA General Ben H Helm and he was killed at Chickamauga. Martha (Todd) White and Elodie (Todd) Dawson lived in Selma.



Kitty’s husband was an aide to Gen Ben H Helm. Margaret’s husband claimed to be an associate of Clement Vallandingham and served as a US commissary captain and may have been a Southern spy.



Selected entries from Dedee (Todd) Dawson’s correspondence with husband NHR Dawson -an officer in the CSA Army:


“Every since I can remember, I have been looked upon and called the old maid of the family and Mother seemed to think I was to be depended on to take care of her when all the rest of her handsomer daughters left her.”



“I see from the today’s paper Mrs. Lincoln *(her half-sister)* is indignant at my brother David’s being in the Confederate service. He could do nothing which could make me prouder of him than he is doing now - fighting for his country.”



“I do not think of peace and know well Mr Lincoln is not man enough to dare to make it. He is but a tool in the hands of his party. How nobly he could redeem himself if he had the courage.”
Until I read Norman Dasinger Jr's post I was not aware that a brother-in-law by the name of Herr was an aide to General Helm.Herr was married to Mrs.Helm's sister, Kitty.
 
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Apart from being President Lincoln's brother-in-law, Helm and Lincoln were close and dear friends. Helm was known as the 'gentle general'.

Apparently, Lincoln was greatly affected by the news of Helm's death at Chickamauga, crying when he heard it and becoming deeply sorrowed.
 
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