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Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Pistol dueling editors are part of the history of Kentucky's first newspaper
Editor's Note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the city's history — some funny, some sad, others heartbreaking or celebratory, and some just downright strange. Disagreements over articles printed in Kentucky's first newspaper led to two deadly fights, leaving one editor and a civilian dead. When Lexington was founded 250 years ago, settlers decided they needed a newspaper to keep the 300 people in the area informed. Two of the settlers, John and Fielding Bradford, offered to return east to learn the craft and gather supplies for a press. When they returned, they started the Kentucke Gazette, the first newspaper west of the Allegheny Mountains. The paper's main goal was to provide opinions on state politics and global issues to the American frontier community. Over the years, the name changed to the Kentucky Gazette and the publication grew from two pages to six pages a week. Its goal of providing community members with opinions and news remained. In 1827, Thomas Roberts Benning came to Lexington to serve as the editor of the Kentucky Gazette, after working as the editor of the Paris Register in Bourbon County. After Andrew Jackson was elected president, Benning turned his attention to matters at home — farming, education and abolition. Some didn't take too kindly to the opinions he printed in the paper. In 1829, Charles Wickliffe, the 21-year-old son of one of the area's largest slaveholders, Robert Wickliffe, was infuriated by an editorial that painted his father in a bad light. Wickliffe went to the Gazette office to talk to the writer of the editorial. When he saw Benning, an altercation ensued. Benning tried to beat Wickliffe off him with a small stick, but Wickliffe pulled out a pistol. Grabbing Benning's stick and throwing it on the floor, Wickliffe then shot Benning as he was trying to flee through the office's back door. 'Wickliffe then pulled out another pistol and maintained his stand for a moment in an attitude of menace, in Benning's office, and finally pulled out a third pistol and stood some time in front of the office threatening to shoot again,' the Gazette wrote about the incident. 'Mr. Benning did not fall when he received the wound but was soon carried from his office to his residence, and had his wound examined … the ball (had) gone through the intestines and lodged in the walls of the belly in the front and to one side. He lived in extreme agony about twenty-four hours and then died,' the Gazette wrote. Wickliffe was charged with murder, but his defense attorney — one Henry Clay — was able to get him acquitted before a mostly pro-slavery jury sympathetic to the Wickliffe family. Later that same year, a successor to the editor position was named, Wickliffe's best friend James George Trotter. A few months later, Wickliffe again found fault with something written in the paper. According to an account of the duel by J. Winston Coleman, Wickliffe was upset by 'some remarks made in the paper in relation to the death of Benning. This editorial insinuated that young Wickliffe had cowardly murdered the former editor of the Gazette without the latter having a chance to defend himself and hinted strongly at a 'packed and perjured jury' and the undue influence of Henry Clay as senior counsel for the accused.' As a result, Wickliffe challenged Trotter to a duel. On Oct. 9, 1829, the two men met at the Fayette County and Scott County line. The men fired and both missed their mark, with Trotter's ball passing through Wickliffe's pants. Wickliffe immediately demanded a second shot, to which Trotter agreed. After reloading and taking their positions for a second time, Trotter and Wickliffe fired at each other again. This time, Trotter's bullet found its mark. Lowering himself to the ground, Wickliffe was examined and found to be mortally wounded. After being rushed to his father's house at the corner of Jefferson and Second streets, Wickliffe died about three hours later. An inquiry into the duel found that it had been conducted properly and Trotter returned to his position as editor of the Gazette. Although many friends of Wickliffe attacked him, Trotter only answered them in the columns of his paper, writing 'I abhor dueling. I abhor fighting in every shape and form; but I can say to the whole host of scoundrels who … put themselves behind the breastwork of villainy and rascality, that whenever they are disposed to experiment upon my cowardice, they can be accommodated.' It wasn't the last duel for Trotter. According to the Kentucky State Historical Society, 'Trotter seems to have been a ready and willing man of war with the pistol, as well as with the quill, when occasion demanded. We hear of him again in 1833, engaging in a personal encounter with George D. Prentice, editor of the Louisville Journal, upon the streets of Louisville.' The Trotter-Wickliffe duel went down in Kentucky history. Wickliffe, the hot-head who went after newspaper editors was dead. Trotter, after a few more years as the Gazette's editor, was admitted to and died in an asylum 20 years later. Have a question or story idea related to Lexington's 250-year history? Let us know at 250LexKy@
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fort Benning official redesignation ceremony recognizes Sgt. Fred Benning
FORT BENNING, Ga. () — Earlier this year, Fort Moore became Fort Benning post is now named after Sgt. Fred G. Benning, a WWI veteran and Distinguished Service Cross recipient. A renaming ceremony was held on post Wednesday. The ceremony was much smaller than the one hosted two years ago when Fort Benning became Fort Moore, named after Hal and Julia Moore. During the ceremony, Fort Benning Commander Colin Tuley talked about Sgt. Benning as a soldier. Sgt. Benning's granddaughter also spoke about the man she knew as a child. 'I didn't know the impact of what my grandpa did serving in the Great War,' said Sue Conger-Williams, Sgt. Benning's granddaughter. Conger-Williams found out Fort Benning was taking her grandfather's name at the same time as the rest of the country, when the Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum in March. But the Fred Benning she knew as her grandfather never talked much about his time in the Army. He was better known as a baker, family man and the former mayor of the small town of Neligh, Nebraska. 'Just kind of listening to the story, you know, come to life has been just it's truly a blessing,' Conger-Williams said. In 1917, the Fort Benning's new namesake joined the Army at the age of 17, serving with the 16th Infantry Regiment in France. He earned the Distinguished Service Cross after taking over his platoon in a dire situation and leading 20 men through enemy fire during the Muese-Argon Offensive. Sgt. Benning left the Army in 1919, following to the end of the war and returned to his home state of Nebraska. According to Fort Benning officials, Sgt. Benning never spent time at the Georgia installation. 'When you talk about putting yourself in the shoes of an 18-year-old under fire watching a company commander killed, watching a platoon leader killed, watching two NCOs wounded so severely [that] falling upon you is, 'Oh, someone's got to lead these other 20 men,' … that is so inspiring,' said Maj. Gen. Colin Tuley, commanding general at Fort Benning. He said Benning's heroism during World War I embodies the kind of spirit Fort Benning aims to instill in its soldiers. During the ceremony, the Fort Moore colors were cased for the last time and the Fort Benning colors uncased. Although the installation no longer bears the Moore name, its commanding general says they will still be celebrated and remembered on post. 'If you look over on the left-hand side, we still carry the legacy of General Hal and Julia Moore. That doesn't come down, okay?' said Tuley. 'They're both part of this of this community. They're both part of this installation. And that doesn't change.' A portrait of the Moore's hangs across one of Sgt. Benning in McGinnis-Wickham Hall on post at Fort Benning. The redesignation ended with an unveiling of a new Fort Benning sign. It will take more time to replace other signage on- and around- post to reflect the change. U.S. Army officials say the redesignation cost will be an estimated $653,000. Comparatively, in 2023, when the post took on the Moore name, that redesignation cost approximately $830,000. The Benning name was originally removed from the installation due to its connection to the confederacy. RELEATED: Fort Benning: Who was Sergeant Fred Benning? Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fort Benning returns to old name — with a new namesake
FORT BENNING — The Army officially restored the name Fort Benning to its storied training post in Georgia, only this time to honor an 18-year-old corporal who fought in World War I rather than a Confederate general. A ceremony to make the name change official was held Wednesday at the base just outside Columbus. Roughly 70,000 soldiers, civilian workers and military family members are stationed at Fort Benning, which trains infantry troops and tank crews and is home to the elite Army Ranger School. It's the second time in less than two years that Fort Benning commanders have been tasked with swapping out the post's name on everything from signs marking gates, streets, police cars and buildings to official stationery and websites. That will cost around $653,000, according to Fort Benning officials. The last name change in 2023 redesignated the post as Fort Moore as part of a move started by Congress in 2020 and completed during President Joe Biden's administration to remove names that honored Confederate leaders, including from nine Army posts. The 18-year-old World War I corporal behind Fort Benning's renaming The name of Henry L. Benning, a former Georgia Supreme Court justice who vocally supported secession and served as a Confederate brigadier general in the Civil War, had adorned the base since it opened as Camp Benning in 1918. Federal law now prohibits naming military bases for Confederates. The Pentagon under President Donald Trump has found a workaround for reverting bases back to what they were formerly called, by finding new soldiers to honor with the same last name. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last month ordered the change back to Fort Benning to honor Fred Benning, who was awarded the nation's second-highest honor for battlefield bravery as an 18-year-old corporal in 1918 and later was promoted to sergeant — a fact uncovered after Hegseth issued the memo. Sue Conger-Williams, Benning's granddaughter, recalled summers in Nebraska fishing with her grandfather and digging for earthworms while he watched for cars, but said she never learned much about his time in the Army. 'I am grateful for this glimpse into history, and I see some similarities, though, between Fred Benning the soldier and Fred Benning my grandpa,' Conger-Williams said. 'These are integrity, hard work and a commitment to service.' Fred Benning received his Distinguished Service Cross after returning home to Nebraska, where he started a bakery and served as mayor of the small town of Neligh. He died in 1974. Conger-Williams sat up front at the ceremony with Benning's great-granddaughter and 10-month-old great-great-granddaughter as soldiers, veterans and locals milled around behind them. Maj. Gen. Colin Tuley, the fort's commanding general, said people at Fort Benning knew little about Fred Benning, which sent historians poring over old records to piece together his legacy. During Wednesday's ceremony, Tuley noted that Benning took charge of his machine-gun platoon in October 1918 in France, leading 20 survivors through heavy fire, after their commander was killed. 'What sets him apart was his unwavering dedication to his soldiers, his understanding of the soldiers' needs," said Tuley. During its short time as Fort Moore, the Georgia post became the first in the Army named for a couple: the late Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and his wife, Julia Moore. Hal Moore served in Vietnam as commander of a cavalry battalion based at Fort Benning and was also a Distinguished Service Cross recipient. Julia Moore successfully lobbied the Pentagon to adopt a policy that military families would be notified of war casualties in person rather than by telegram. "Whatever a name may be on an installation board, the Moores are an interwoven part of this installation and that will never go away," said Tuley. In his March 3 memo ordering the return to the name Fort Benning, Hegseth directed the Army to find a new way to honor the Moores 'in a manner that celebrates their significant contributions to the local community and the Army.' The Army hasn't said how much the switch back to Fort Benning will cost. An Army commission in 2022 estimated the change to Fort Moore would cost at least $4.9 million. Fort Benning is the second U.S. military base to have its 2023 name change reversed. The nation's largest Army installation was rechristened Fort Bragg in North Carolina last month, following a brief two years as Fort Liberty.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fort Benning, briefly Fort Moore, is Fort Benning again – but honors another Benning, military says
Fort Benning leaders and family members of Fred Benning pose for photos next to the new Fort Benning sign that was unveiled during a ceremony Wednesday. Screenshot from Fort Benning livestream Fort Benning's name has officially been restored after a two-year stint as Fort Moore that was part of a national move away from Confederate namesakes. But the Pentagon says the Army post near Columbus is now named for a different Benning – World War I veteran Fred Benning of Nebraska, an Army corporal who enlisted when he was 17 and served in the First Infantry Division. Originally, Confederate Brig. Gen. Henry L. Benning, who fought to preserve slavery, was the Benning being honored. New signage was unveiled Wednesday during a renaming ceremony at the base, which is one of the country's largest installations. Fred Benning's granddaughter was there, sharing memories of her grandfather. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo renaming the base last month, saying at the time in a short video statement that 'now Fort Benning is back too.' The move followed the return of Fort Bragg's name in North Carolina, in that case going with Pfc. Roland L. Bragg, a World War II veteran, as the new namesake instead of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg. The updated names had been the work of a commission on renaming bases honoring Confederates created by Congress, and that commission was part of a defense authorization bill that had enough support in 2020 to override President Donald Trump's veto during his first term. Georgia's Fort Gordon near Augusta was also renamed Fort Eisenhower in 2023 after General of the Army and U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower as part of that push. The original name had honored John B. Gordon, a major general in the Confederate army who went on to serve as Georgia governor and U.S. senator. In 2023, Fort Benning had been renamed Fort Moore in honor of Lt. Gen. Hal and Julia Moore. During the Vietnam War, while Hal Moore was deployed, Julia worked to change the way the U.S. military handled death notifications. At the time, they were delivered by cabbies carrying a telegram. The couple is buried at the post's military cemetery. 'Both Hal and Julia Moore remarkably served our country and raised the standard of excellence in the United States Army for servicemen and civilian spouses alike. I am proud that a military base in Georgia was chosen to bear their name, even briefly,' state Sen. Ed Harbison, a Columbus Democrat and military veteran, said shortly after the renaming was announced. Others were more critical of the change. 'The American people understand the legacy connected to the original name, and Secretary Hegseth's disingenuous attempt to associate it to a separate soldier is transparent and distasteful,' Margaret Huang, president and CEO Southern Poverty Law Center, said in response to the news last month. Maj. Gen. Colin Tuley, who is the commanding general of the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, said in public remarks Wednesday that Fred Benning's life will serve as an inspiration for the thousands of soldiers who train there every year. Fred Benning was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for 'extraordinary heroism in action' in 1918 south of Exermont, France. He took command after his platoon commander was killed and two senior non-commissioned officers were injured. When he returned home, he operated a bakery and later served as mayor of Neligh, Nebraska. 'As we rededicate this post in his honor, may we all strive to embody the very same tenets he exemplified: unwavering dedication to people, inspirational leadership, a relentless pursuit of transformation,' Tuley said. '(His) story reminds us that true heroism is not just defined by rank. It is about that unwavering courage, that selfless service and an enduring commitment to something greater than ourselves.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fort Benning: Who was Sergeant Fred Benning?
FORT BENNING, Ga. () — In March, it was announced that Fort Moore would become Fort Benning once again. This time, it is named after Sgt. Fred G. Benning. Before it was called Fort Moore, Fort Benning's namesake was Henry Benning, a confederate officer and Columbus native. Now, the U.S. Army Installation is named for Sgt. Fred G. Benning, a World War I veteran, Distinguished Service Cross recipient, baker and the former mayor of Neligh, Nebraska. Few images of Benning are available, but the City of Neligh provided a photo of Benning during his mayoral tenure from 1948 to 1952. Initial releases from the Department of Defense listed Benning as a corporal, but U.S. Army officials at Fort Benning officials say later research revealed he was promoted before leaving the Army in 1919. Benning was 17 years old when he enlisted in the Army in 1917, becoming a 'doughboy.' He was only slightly older when he deployed to France with a machine gun company in what is now known as the 1st Infantry Division. After Benning's platoon commander was killed, the young soldier took control and led 20 men through enemy fire near Exermont, France, in one of the final attacks of WWI. His actions earned him the Distinguished Service Cross as corporal in 1918. Benning left the Army after the war and returned to Nebraska where he married Florence Reiter and opened a bakery with his brother Henry, which he ran for 46 years. During that time, Benning became the commander for American Legion Post #172 and the Mayor of Neligh, home to roughly 1,500 today. Although Benning received attention when he accidentally shot someone during a 1949 city council meeting, he was well-liked in the community and won reelection in 1950. Neligh's current mayor spoke with the Associated Press about Benning's appointment as the new namesake of Fort Benning. 'I think it's great. There are a lot of people who come and go in our community, and sometimes you don't know what their history is,' Neligh Mayor Joe Hartz told the AP. In a phone call with WRBL, he said the Neligh community is preparing to recognize Benning's appointment as the namesake of Fort Benning with a ceremony this summer. City Clerk Dana Klabenes said she has been receiving calls since the new name for the U.S. Army installation was announced in early March. Benning died in 1974, he is survived by his granddaughter Sue Conger-Williams and now, the U.S. Army installation which bears his name. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
