Benjamin Prentiss
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Mayberry Prentiss (November 23, 1819 – February 8, 1901) was an American
soldier and politician. He fought in the Mexican-American War and on the Union
side of the American Civil War
, rising to the rank of major general
.
. He was a direct descendant of Valentine Prentice, who immigrated from England
in 1631. His early childhood was spent in Virginia until his family joined the migration and moved near Hannibal, Missouri
. They then moved to Quincy, Illinois
, where Prentiss made his home until 1879. He then moved to Missouri
.
In his early life, Prentiss was a rope-maker and served as an auctioneer. On March 29, 1838, he married Margaret Ann Lodousky; they had seven children before she died in 1860. In 1862, he married Mary Worthington Whitney, who bore him five more children.
in 1860. At the beginning of the American Civil War
he defended railroad lines in Missouri
until ordered to command a division under Ulysses S. Grant
. His division was the first one attacked at Shiloh
and suffered greatly during the opening hours of that battle. Prentiss reformed his command and put up a spirited fight in the "Hornet's Nest".
He was captured at the Hornet's Nest along with 2,200 other Union
soldiers. He surrendered his sword to Lt. Colonel Francis M. Walker of the 19th Tennessee Infantry
. After the battle he was considered a hero, having held off the Confederate States Army
long enough to allow General Grant to organize a counterattack and win the battle. Grant would later play down Prentiss' role in the victory, possibly because of mutual dislike between the two generals. However, Grant said in his memoirs "Prentiss' command was gone as a division, many of its members having been killed, wounded or captured; but it had rendered valiant services before its final dispersal, and had contributed a good share to the defense of Shiloh".
After being released as part of a prisoner exchange, Prentiss was promoted to major general
and served on the court-martial board that convicted
Fitz John Porter
. His dissenting voice in the final vote damaged his political clout. Prentiss was sent to Arkansas
and won the Battle of Helena
on July 4, 1863. In 1864, he resigned to tend to his family. Historian Ezra J. Warner speculated that Prentiss felt that he was being shelved after having proved his abilities at Shiloh and Helena.
. He was later appointed as postmaster
of Bethany, Missouri
, by President
Benjamin Harrison
and was re-appointed by President William McKinley
. He was a leader in the Republican Party
of Missouri
.
He died in Bethany and is buried there in Miriam Cemetery, Harrison County, Missouri
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier and politician. He fought in the Mexican-American War and on the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
side of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, rising to the rank of major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
.
Early life, marriages and family
Prentiss was born in Belleville, VirginiaBelleville, Virginia
Belleville is an unincorporated community in the independent city of Suffolk, Virginia, United States. It is located at the junction of Interstate 664, U.S. Route 17, and State Route 164....
. He was a direct descendant of Valentine Prentice, who immigrated from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1631. His early childhood was spent in Virginia until his family joined the migration and moved near Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
. They then moved to Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, Illinois
Quincy, known as Illinois' "Gem City," is a river city along the Mississippi River and the county seat of Adams County. As of the 2010 census the city held a population of 40,633. The city anchors its own micropolitan area and is the economic and regional hub of West-central Illinois, catering a...
, where Prentiss made his home until 1879. He then moved to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
In his early life, Prentiss was a rope-maker and served as an auctioneer. On March 29, 1838, he married Margaret Ann Lodousky; they had seven children before she died in 1860. In 1862, he married Mary Worthington Whitney, who bore him five more children.
Civil War
Prentiss ran unsuccessfully for United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1860. At the beginning of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he defended railroad lines in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
until ordered to command a division under Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
. His division was the first one attacked at Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
and suffered greatly during the opening hours of that battle. Prentiss reformed his command and put up a spirited fight in the "Hornet's Nest".
He was captured at the Hornet's Nest along with 2,200 other Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
soldiers. He surrendered his sword to Lt. Colonel Francis M. Walker of the 19th Tennessee Infantry
19th Tennessee Infantry Regiment
The 19th Tennessee Infantry Regiment, or Nineteenth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment, was an infantry regiment in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The 19th Tennessee fought in every major battle and campaign of the Army of Tennessee except the Battle of Perryville....
. After the battle he was considered a hero, having held off the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
long enough to allow General Grant to organize a counterattack and win the battle. Grant would later play down Prentiss' role in the victory, possibly because of mutual dislike between the two generals. However, Grant said in his memoirs "Prentiss' command was gone as a division, many of its members having been killed, wounded or captured; but it had rendered valiant services before its final dispersal, and had contributed a good share to the defense of Shiloh".
After being released as part of a prisoner exchange, Prentiss was promoted to major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
and served on the court-martial board that convicted
Court-martial of Fitz John Porter
The court-martial of Fitz John Porter was a major event of the American Civil War. Major General Fitz John Porter was found guilty of disobeying a lawful order, and misconduct in front of the enemy and removed from command based on internal political machinations of the Union...
Fitz John Porter
Fitz John Porter
Fitz John Porter was a career United States Army officer and a Union General during the American Civil War...
. His dissenting voice in the final vote damaged his political clout. Prentiss was sent to Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
and won the Battle of Helena
Battle of Helena
The Battle of Helena was a land battle of the American Civil War fought on July 4, 1863, at Helena, Arkansas. Overshadowed by the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg, the Battle of Helena secured eastern Arkansas for the Union.- Union forces :...
on July 4, 1863. In 1864, he resigned to tend to his family. Historian Ezra J. Warner speculated that Prentiss felt that he was being shelved after having proved his abilities at Shiloh and Helena.
Post-Civil War career
After the Civil War, Prentiss became a lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. He was later appointed as postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
of Bethany, Missouri
Bethany, Missouri
Bethany is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, Missouri, United States. The population was 3,087 at the 2000 census.-Bethany Falls Limestone:...
, by President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison
Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
and was re-appointed by President William McKinley
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
. He was a leader in the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
of Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
He died in Bethany and is buried there in Miriam Cemetery, Harrison County, Missouri
Harrison County, Missouri
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,850 people, 3,658 households, and 2,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 4,316 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals
Further reading
- Fowler, John D. Mountaineers in Gray: The Nineteenth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry Regiment, C.S.A. Nashville: University of Tennessee Press, 2004. ISBN 1-57233-314-6.