His Blood Is My Blood

Before the War of Northern Aggression, Benjamin Dyer Merchant was working in his father’s mercantile business in Dumfries, Virginia. He stood at 5’7″, two (2) inches shorter than me. He had dark hair, a dark complexion, and dark eyes; I’ve been told we look a lot alike, even though we’re so many generations apart.

B.D. was only 23, a year younger than myself, when he enlisted to fight for Virginia. He enlisted for 12 months’ service on April 23rd, 1861 at Brentsville. And, on May 28th, 1861 at Fairfax Court House he was mustered into Co. A, 4th Virginia Cavalry, Wickham’s Brigade, Fitzhugh Lee’s Division as 2nd Sergeant. His horse was valued at $160 and his equipment at $20.

He enlisted again for two (2) years’ service on March 7th, 1862 at Round Top, Virginia. On April 25th he was elected junior second lieutenant, and three (3) days later he was promoted to second lieutenant. On October 11th, 1863, two (2) days before the Bristoe Campaign, he was promoted to first lieutenant.

On December 29th, 1863, B.D. was wounded in Antioch, Virginia and taken as as prisoner of war. He was confined at Old Capitol Prison, Washington DC, transferred to Fort McHenry, Maryland, to Point Lookout, and then admitted into Hammond General Hospital and sent to Fort Delaware later on.

On August 20th, 1864, he was sent to Morris Island, South Carolina, at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Here he became one of the Immortal 600. B.D. and his brothers in arms were used as human shields and intentionally starved for 45 days in an attempt to stop the Confederate gunners at Fort Sumter. Miraculously, none of them were injured by the Confederate fire, even with shells landing between their tents.

They were confined at Fort Pulaski on November 10th, 1864. They spent the winter there, 13 of them dying of dysentery and scurvy. The survivors were sent back to Fort Delaware, where 25 more succumbed to illness. There they remained until after the War.

Lt. Benjamin Dyer Merchant took the Oath of Allegiance on June 12th, 1865, swearing allegiance to the same government that used him and his brothers as human shields. I don’t know if he ever forgave them, I don’t know if he was one to hold grudges. And while I don’t carry his family name, I do know that his blood is my blood and I don’t forget and I don’t forgive.