Civil War Veteran
Co B 7th Iowa Infantry
Enlisted July 8, 1861.
Mustered July 24, 1861.
Wounded severely in leg Oct. 4, 1862, Corinth, Miss.
Discharged for disability Feb. 19, 1863, St. Louis, Mo.
His brother Alvin H Morton was killed in action Nov 7 1861 at the Battle of Belmont Mo.
Service of the 7th Iowa Infantry up until his discharge included the battles of Belmont,MO (Nov 1 1861), Ft Donelson,TN (Feb 1862), Shiloh,TN (Apr 6-7 1862), Siege of Corinth,MS(May 1862), battle of Corinth,MS (Oct 3-5 1862).

Benjamin came to deliver the message that William Tannahill, his friend and comrade had died shortly after being released from Libby Prison. He said it was one of the hardest things he had ever done. While visiting with the Tannahill family he met Jane Elder Tannahill, William's daughter. It was not long before they were married on Dec. 7, 1865 in Bradford, Iowa.

Benjamin was in 1865 elected Recorder of Chickasaw County, Iowa and served for 3 terms. In 1885 he was elected as Register of Deeds of Phillips County, Kansas and was reelected again in 1887. He and Jennie were active in the Presbyterian Church and in the GAR and WRC while they lived in Phillipsburg. At his death from pneumonia on March 3, 1890, the funeral was held at the Presbyterian Church "was one of the largest ever witnessed in Phillipsburg" and burial was at Iowa Union Cemetery. Iowa Union Cemetery was first established on a plot of ground on Benjamin's farm.

Summary of 7th Iowa participation in Battle of Corinth:
On morning of the Oct 3 1862 the 7th was ordered to march from Camp Montgomery via Corinth in the direction of Chewalla. They left camp with 327 enlisted men and 26 officers; however Co K was detached guarding the railroad 5 miles east of Corinth. Line of battle was formed one mile west of Corinth with 7th on the left of the union brigade directly in front of the Confederate artillery battery. The unit fought holding their position until out of ammunition. Fell back, resupplied with ammunition fought again until out of ammunition. They fell back again to support a Union artillery battery with more ammunition supplied. Then night fell and battle temporarily suspended. In the morning at 1 AM the unit was moved to a line north of Corinth. At 3:30 the Confederates started shelling the City of Corinth. At 10 AM the 7th was ordered to deploy at the front of the line as skirmishers but saw Confederates crossing the railroad tracks. Fell back in former position defending the Union artillery battery and fought off two Confederate charges. The Seventh ran out of ammunition again (each man was given 60 rounds) but was quickly resupplied by the efficient quartermaster Lt Forsha. The unit remained in that position for the rest of the day and bivouacked on the battlefield that night. On the morning of the 5th the unit went in pursuit of the retreating Confederates until ordered to return to Corinth that evening. The 7th lost 122 men killed and wounded of the 353 men who went into Battle of Corinth Oct 3-5.(Info from "The Union Army" published 1908.)