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COLONEL BENJAMIN T. BROCKMAN
Born December
11, 1831 in Greenville District, SC
Died June 8, 1864 in
Richmond, Va.
CAPTAIN JESSE K. BROCKMAN
Born April
23, 1839 in Greenville District, SC
Died May 28, 1864 at
Spotsylvania, Va.
Brothers Benjamin
and Jesse Brockman were natives of Greenville District,
the sons of State Senator Thomas Brockman. They were the
great-grandsons of Benjamin Kilgore, a captain during
the American Revolution. Young Benjamin received a
first class education and some time in the 1850s moved
to Spartanburg, purchases considerable land, and became
a merchant near Reidville. Jesse may have accompanied
him in this enterprise, but in any case was also living
in Spartanburg prior to 1861.
At the beginning of
the war, Benjamin was elected captain and Jesse the
first-lieutenant of Company B, 13th SC
Regiment. Serving first along the coast of South
Carolina, the unit saw action at Gaines Mill, Frasyer’s
Farm, Second Manassas, Sharpsburg, Shepherdstown,
Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. During this time,
Benjamin was promoted to major and then
lieutenant-colonel, and after Colonel Edward, commanding
the 13th Regiment, was wounded at
Chancellorsville, he assumed command of the regiment.
His brother Jesse, in turn, took over Company B.
The brothers led
their respective units at Gettysburg, Falling Waters,
Bristoe, Mine Run, and The Wilderness. Leading the
charge of the 13th at “Bloody Bend” at the
battle of Spotsylvania, Benjamin was wounded and removed
to a hospital in Richmond where his arm was amputated.
Attempting to recover, Benjamin learned that Jesse had
also fallen at the same battle but his wound was too
severe to allow him to be moved. Jesse was left to the
hands of the enemy but was not removed from the
battlefield for three days with little attention. Sent
to a field hospital, he languished for seven days before
finally succumbing to his wounds, leaving behind his
wife and two young sons. Benjamin died two weeks later.
Benjamin’s remains
rest at
Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond and Jesse was
buried at the
Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetery.
submitted by Ron
Crawley, Camp #68
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