From: Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. I p 119

Benton

Thomas Hart Benton (1782--1858) was a Tennessee and Missouri politician. One of the foremost proponents of Manifest Destiny, he represented Missouri in the United States Senate 1821--51.

Benton, a former center-wheel catamaran snag boat, was converted to an ironclad river gunboat by James B. Eads, St. Louis, Mo., in 1861 and commissioned 24 February 1862, Lieutenant J. Bishop in command.

Benton served as flagship of the Mississippi Squadron (1862--63). She took part in the capture of Island Number 10 (15 March--7 April 1862) attack on Fort Pillow. Tenn. (10 May) ; Battle of Memphis, Tenn. (6 June) ; bombardment of Vicksburg, Miss., and escape of CSS Arkansas (15--16 June) ; Yazoo River Expeditions (16--28 August ad 23--28 December), during the second of which her commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander W. Owin, was mortally wounded, one man killed, and 10 wounded ; running of the Vicksburg batteries (16 April 1868) ; bombardment of the Grand Gulf, Miss., batteries (29 April) ; capture of Fort DeRussy, Ark. (9 May) ; attacks on the Vicksburg batteries (18--22 and 27 May, 3 and 20 June) ; Red River Expedition (12 March--16 May 1864) ; and capture of CSS Missouri at Alexandria, La. (3 June 1865). Decommissioned 20 July 1865 at Mound City, Ill., Benton was sold 29 November 1865.