Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-11-29
Speech of Gen. Ben. Prentiss in Chicago.

Inc CMcaS0 IF2ONnc OF OctODer ga gives
the speech of this brave officer, made in that
city on the previous evening, in presence Of
an immense audience. He was most enthusi-
astically received. DR.. Brainard, War Dem
ocrat presided. The General came forward
amid very whirlwind of applause. Hats
were tossed aloft, handkerchiefs waved by
the ladies, and cheer after cheer given for the
gallant hero. We make the following ex-
tracts from it, omitting some portions of his
experience as prisoners South, which are ia
miliar to our readers:
My friends, l feel free tonight; I am at
home in Illinois. [Chcers l have been six
and half months confined in Southern dun
geons, as l believe by the efforts of dema-
gogues North and South. Applause. Per
NIT me, my friends, to place myself and these
officers, tonight, upon the record concerning
our captivity.
Thank Heaven! there are to-day two good.
true, loyal Union men in Montgomery. They
reside there, but / dare not tell their names
in Chicago to.night in travelling over Illi-
nos dare not call their names, for there are
traitors here that will soon let them be known
as Union men in Montgomery, Alabama.
Cries of "truc," "tric," and applause.
uOSC tWO lucl seLI iHc WOIu~ OcUCIui
Prentiss, your sick and wounded soldiers,
who were wounded at Shiloh, are suffering
and dying in the hospitals here for want of
attention" obtained permission, through
Colonel Gctldcs of Iowa, to visit these men.
We entered the hospital together. AS we
came to the door, it was announced to the
men that their General was coming TO pay
them visit, and oh! If ever behcld sight
upon earth that made me feel sad, it was
when entered that hospital. There lay
over one hundred of those brave suffering sol
diers--some dying with various diseases, and
many Of them, although it was two months
and half since they were wounded at Shi-
lolh, yet wore upon their backs the foul and
bloody shirts they had brought from the field
never having been furnished change.
went among them and took them by the hand.
They cried-1 cried, Colonel Gcddes cried,
| and | could curse the man that would not
cry. Checrs.] l found that hospital swarm
ing with vcrmin ] f""::;a, f""::;, my Soldiers lying
tl.erc on rallets of hay, between boards set up
on the edge, with none to take care of them
save those of their own number who had par
tally recovered. turned upon my heel af-
ter conversing with them and said, Boys
will do something for you." l went to the
city, and then found two men from Chica-
go-maried men. They dare not tell me
they were Union men, but knew they were.
l went into the hotel. AS passed through
the la'l looked to the top Of the stairs, and
there were two ladies crying. knew them !;
approached them and told them the condition
of our soldiers. and they generously gave mo
two hundred and fifty dollars to relieve those
unfortunate men, God bless them! I'M
mense cheers. One of those men took the
cars with me- and we came fifty miles togeth.
or. lie talked secesh and talked Union all
the time, but during the conversation he re-
marked gently, General, how arc YOU Oft for
funds p Il have not red cent" was the
answer. He slipped into my hand twenty
five dollars, which divided with my fellow
officers. [Renewed cheers. Many of these
men in that hospital died, hut let me say in
behalf of those ladies', that afternoon they Wis
tied them, taking with them scissors, clothing
They trimmed their hair, they furnished them
with clean clothing and bedding, washed
their soiled and wounded limbs and took as
tender care of them as if they had been their
own children. Tonight large majority Of
these soldiers are living, and thank Heaven,
are on their way home. Applause.
Go little further with me in the prison
history. Go to Macon, and there you will
find 1900 or 1900 private soldiers, all con-
fined in one great crowd, among them Lieu
tenants and other officers. may be permit
ted to mention Lieutenant Cotton of Michi-
gan, and the Rev. Mr.. Dean, Lieutenant Of
one of the Ohio regiments. These officers
concluded it was their duty to escape. They
made tho endeavor were caught and brought
back, chained together by log chain around
their necks, padlocked at that. They were
marched through tho streets, driven to prison
and kept there for several weeks in that con.
dition. Tender-footed Union men, what do
you think Of that? Can you still apologize
for them aud say, Compromise with these
peoplew [Applause.] Let me tell you, the
Southern men don't want to compromise You
desire to give these people what they despise
They say, d-fantly, they won't come back,
aud you can't make them come back. say
we can. Let us dot. Great cheers.
Go with me to Madison prison. Colonel
Goddes says we Jared worse than any others
say there is no difference among them.
Laughter. At Madison hundred and IF.
teen Of US were placed in one room. Forum.
ately for us that that man. Captain Gregg,
who sits by me here. and whom | respect and
love, had been sent to Washington. He drew
for us two months pay, sending portion to
our families and portion to us. We reed
the money gladly. Hc would not take bis
parole. but returned to his captivity to suffer
with us. God bless Captain Gregg! lap
plause and cries of " Let us see him I" :: Let
us see him!" Captain Gregg being led for
ward by General Prentiss, was received with