His Story
Henry W. Bennett (1838-1861), Middlebury class of 1864 was the first soldier from the College to enlist and die in the American Civil War. Before dying of typhoid fever on June 26, 1861 in Fortress Monroe, Virginia, he was a flag bearer for the Union Army.
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Bennett had a huge impact on the enlistment rate from the College and broader town of Middlebury. In 1861, there was a mere 2% turnout for enlistment from the College and only 5% from the town. However, inspired by Bennett’s devotion to his country and initial leap of faith, these statistics changed. By war’s end, 30% of the college had enlisted and 26% of the town.
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During his wake, Reverend Mr. Dayton of the college also spoke of the high promise of Mr. Bennett’s future but that when “the capital of his country was menaced, and the American flag insulted and disgraced by traitors, he felt it his duty to leave the endearments of home and fight for his country.”
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Interestingly, while 30% of the college ended up enrolling by war's end, within Bennett's class of '64, 50% enrolled. This clearly demonstrates the profound impact his devotion the his country had on his peers. ​
Our Mission
Legacy
Bennett maintained conviction in enlisting to serve his country, at a time when few from both the college and the town had the same devotion.
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He was the first Middlebury student to enlist and ultimately die during the war. This emboldened other students to join the army and fight for their country and end slavery, evident in the increased enlistment numbers from his class, college, and town.
Currently, there is very little public information about Henry Bennett, outside of old, digitized school newspapers and archives. By creating a digitized piece of public memory, Henry W. Bennett's legacy lives on through this platform, ensuring his courage and dedication are never forgotten.
