Benjamin Franklin Rittenhouse (December 15, 1839 – March 6, 1915) was a U.S. Army 1st lieutenant during the American Civil War.

Maneuvering the guns by hand up the steep and rocky slope of the hill was a difficult achievement.

More significantly, they could not depress the guns' barrels sufficiently to defend against incoming infantry attacks.

[1] During the intense fighting, Hazlett was mortally wounded and command of the battery passed to Rittenhouse.

Gen. Henry Hunt, the Union chief of artillery, was with Rittenhouse when the Confederate cannonade of July 3 began.