Benjamin Harrison V (April 5, 1726 – April 24, 1791) was an American planter and revolutionary leader from Charles City County, Virginia. He earned his higher education at the College of William and Mary, and he was perhaps the first figure in the Harrison family to gain national attention. Harrison was a representative for Surry County, Virginia, (1756–1758) and Charles City County (1766–1776) to the House of Burgesses. He was a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777 and, during the Second Continental Congress, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
John Adams in his diary recalled Harrison as having said that he was so eager to participate in the Continental Congress "he would have come on foot." Adams also commented that "Harrison's contributions and many pleasantries steadied rough sessions." Harrison served frequently as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole in the Continental Congress, presided over the final debates on an independence resolution offered by Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee, and presided as well over the final debates and amendments to the Declaration itself.
On June 28, 1776, Jefferson's draft including initial alterations of a Declaration of Independence was reported to Congress by the Committee of Five charged with the initial drafting; Congress then "laid it on the table". The Congress resolved on July 1 that the Declaration be considered by Harrison's Committee of the Whole. Having further amended the Declaration on July 2 and 3, the Committee adopted the Declaration in final form on Thursday, July 4; Harrison duly reported this to the Congress, and delivered to Congress a final reading of the Declaration. The Declaration was then unanimously agreed upon and Congress resolved to have the Declaration engrossed and signed by those present, which signing took place on August 2, 1776.
Harrison was also a member of the Committee of Secret Correspondence for the Congress, and was Chairman of the Board of War during the Revolution. He, along with a number of other delagates, went to Cambridge with George Washington to plan the future of the American army. During the war, American turncoat Benedict Arnold raided Harrison's Berkeley Plantation, burning the Harrison family portraits and antiques, and a large portion of the Plantation itself. Benjamin and his family escaped just before the raid, and were repaid for the damages after the British were defeated at Yorktown.
Harrison served as the fifth Governor of Virginia from 1781 to 1784. He then again ran for the state legislature, but he was defeated by John Tyler, Sr., the father of the future president John Tyler. Harrison was elected from a neighboring district, however, and he served (including as speaker of the House when it adopted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom) until his death.
In 1788, Harrison was a member of the Virginia convention which ratified the Federal Constitution, though he, along with Patrick Henry and other men of prominence, opposed it—largely because of the absence of a bill of rights.
Read more about Benjamin Harrison V: Family
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“I remember the scenes of battle in which we stood together. I remember especially that broad and deep grave at the foot of the Resaca hill where we left those gallant comrades who fell in that desperate charge. I remember, through it all, the gallantry, devotion and steadfastness, the high-set patriotism you always exhibited.”
—Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)
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—Charles Larkworthy. Denison Clift. Capt. Benjamin Briggs (Arthur Margetson)
“The treatment of the incident of the assault upon the sailors of the Baltimore is so conciliatory and friendly that I am of the opinion that there is a good prospect that the differences growing out of that serious affair can now be adjusted upon terms satisfactory to this Government by the usual methods and without special powers from Congress.”
—Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901)