Brig. General Benjamin Harrison
Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana
Marker Inscription
Brig. General Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901) Entered the Union Army as 2nd Lt. of the 70th Indiana Regiment. He insisted on turning raw recruits into disciplined soldiers. He later was United States Senator from Indiana and the twenty-third President of the United States.
Erected by Indiana Civil War Centennial Commission
The Story
Benjamin Harrison entered the Union Army as a second lieutenant of the 70th Indiana Regiment, insisting on drilling raw recruits into disciplined soldiers and rising to brigadier general during the Civil War. He went on to serve as a United States Senator from Indiana and, in 1889, became the twenty-third President of the United States. This marker honors his wartime service and public career.
Why it matters
Harrison's path from Civil War officer to the White House reflects how military service in the Union cause launched a generation of American political leaders.
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