june september kentucky politician attorney confederate brigadier general brother law abraham_lincoln son kentucky governor helm born kentucky attended went study law harvard_university served state legislator state attorney kentucky served assistant inspector general kentucky state guard helm offered position union_army brother law president abraham_lincoln position declined helm felt honor serve initially colonel later promoted brigadier general helm commanded 1st commonly known died battlefield battle helm married half sister early life son lawyer politician born kentucky june winter age helm enrolled remained months left 16th birthday accept appointment west_point day helm graduated near 20th birthday ranked 9th class cadets second lieutenant 2nd served cavalry school pennsylvania texas resigned commission year diagnosed helm studied law harvard_university graduating practicing law father elected state attorney 3rd district kentucky helm married half sister appointed assistant inspector general active organizing kentucky remained officially neutral american civil war brother law president abraham_lincoln offered position union_army helm declined offer returned kentucky raise 1st kentucky cavalry regiment military career helm commissioned colonel october served brigadier general kentucky helm 1st kentucky ordered south promoted brigadier general march weeks later received new assignment raise division major general helm brigade guard confederate flanks sent protect arkansas ironclad warship construction mississippi serving january given command commonly known helm brigade assigned participated campaigns near end spring ordered helm deploy brigade mississippi participate general unsuccessful attempt break siege helm called unpleasant trying campaign career battle death fall 1st formed general tennessee september divisions ordered forward helm brigade division drove left general division intended strike near center line delayed heavy fire union soldiers leaving left flank repeated attempts vain helm managed reach yards federal line hour order given advance fully lost remainder helm men clashed union line 15th shot helm chest bleeding remained saddle moments ground carried battlefield helm concluded wounds fatal helm life hours knowing health deteriorating asked won battle assured carried day victory victory victory september helm succumbed wounds following death abraham_lincoln wife went private mourning white house niece recalled knew single tear shed dead enemy bring bitter abuse husband widowed granted safe passage white_house december official report general stated gallantry character letter said husband commanded men orphan brigade like thorough soldier loved loved died head patriot hero
Benjamin Hardin Helm