The Library houses the Congressional Medal of Honor that was awarded to William Bensinger, who received the honor for his part in the Andrew's Raid, during the Civil War on April 12, 1862.

Mr. Bensinger was a native of McComb and is buried in the village cemetery.  The Medal was presented to the library by Mary Francis Bensinger, great-granddaughter of William Bensinger.  

She is the daughter of Fred Bensinger, William's grandson. 

Bensinger and a fellow McComb native John Reed Porter, who also is buried in McComb cemetery, were decorated by Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton on March 25, 1862, for their part in the 22-man raid behind
enemy lines during the war between the states.

 

These medals of Honor, the highest military honor given in the United States, were awarded to William Bensinger.  The Medal of Honor was redesigned in 1904, and Bensinger was presented with the newer version in 1916, two years before his death.  Left to right is the 1916 medal and the 1862 medal. 

Known as the Andrew's Raiders, their mission was to sever enemy lines of transportation in an important segment of southern territory between Atlanta and Chattanooga.

The men took over a northbound train, setting bridges afire and cutting telegraph lines as they went north. Being pursued by the southerners they finally had to abandon the train a little over halfway to Chattanooga. They took to the woods and were eventually captured by the southerners. 

Eight of the 22 men were hanged by the Confederacy with the two McComb soldiers being sent to a southern prison. Porter later escaped, and Bensinger was an exchange prisoner. Mr. Bensinger died in 1918 and Mr. Porter in 1923.

The Congressional Medal is on Display at the McComb Library along with Confederate currency, locket and sword. 

The currency was brought back to Ohio by Bensinger.  The locket includes Bensinger's photograph and may have been given to a loved one while he was away. Bensinger used this sword as a soldier in the 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he served from 1861 until he volunteered for the mission as one of the Andrews' Raiders.