The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1862-10-30
GEN. PRENrlss AT BRYAN HALL.

IN that Hall has "a speaker received such
natterIng reception as that which was
accorded to General Ben. Prentiss last
night. As early as six oselock ladies
began to flock iuto tho H.ll, aud by sew.
en- o'clock gallery aud main hall we're a
sea Of human faces.
Dr. Brainard, an uncompromisiug War
Democrat, was called upon to preside
over the meeting, which he did with his
accustomed grace and dignity. lie in.
troduced General Prentiss to the audi
ence, which received him with round
after round Of applause. The Hall was
alive with the futter Of handkerchiefs
and the clapping Of hands. We make a
few extracts from his speech
My friends, feel free to night; | am
at home in Illinois. [Cheers ] have
been six and half months confined in
S"u'hern Dungeons, as believe, by the
eturts Of demagogues North aud South
Applause. Permit me, my friends, to
place myself and these officers, tonight,
upon the record concerning our cap
.ivity.
1t was represented, as have learned
since my arrival here, aud Us was report
ed previously in prison, that we were
taken at the battle Of Shiloh, on the
morning of the 9Th of April last. The
true history of shat battle is yet to be
written. On the morning Of the 9th
day Of April last, the Sixth Division,
which had the honor to command, was
10 line Of battle full a quarter Of mile
in advance Of my camp, before the hour
OF SIX o'clock-perhaps at half past Eve.
We were driven from that position to
the front ofour camp, at which time, un-
fortunately for Us, sowc other regiment
not from Illinois, not from Iowa, not
from Missouri-left tba, field and per-
United the enemy to flank Us on the
right We we're then Compelled to retire
short distance, perh:ps three or FIVE
hundred yards to the rear, taking o posi-
:Ion upon the left of General Wallace and
right Of General lluribut, thereby be-
coming the centre Of our army on that
day, and at precisely half past nine O.
clock, having been uuder fire from half.
past tive 0 clock till that time, and having
witnessed hundreds of my men "bite the
DUST" il may use the term, in de.
tendiLg our Government, (Cheers) we
took our position and We held it, thank
heaven, until quarter after six iu the
evening. Grea. applause
Lers let me say, what nave not said
10 public before, bu, what claim tie
night Of saying, calling upon my Maker
to witness thst | tell the truth, tina; it is
my c. inion that none but the galan,
wouudcd who lay around Us, and the
prisoucrs, who are represented here to I
night, were left a: that hour on that hard I
fought field. We remained until half
past i've before VIC novel from the line.
At that hour, or just before, that brave
and noble soldier, Gen. " allace, fell | |
had been coufcrring with him only few
minutes before he went down in the
fight. We had determi,.el to hold our
position we determined to sustain our
Government; We determined there TO
save the army of Gen. Grant think
We did It. My officers think we did it
| care not What others may think. Loud
applause.
We were taken from the battlefield
and tha, body OF men, among whom, la
dies, were perhaps some of your brothers,
wounded, sore, bleeding. were marched
twenty-five miles .hr' ugh aud over the
wort and rOughest road that ever men
were Compelled to march no. having
eaten any thing since the break Of day on
that ever to be remembered Sabbath, the
sixth Of April. When we had dragged
ourselves over theat muddy and rugged
twenty-five miles, we were compelled to
tase cattle cars at Curinth and hurried
away through . raging storm, huddled
together like q flock of sheep Had it
not been that the men had in their pos
session somc knives, with which to cut
holes through those box cars to admit
air. they would have suffocatrd
We we're taken to Memphis, arriving
there on Tuesday, and there We were met
by an immense crowd Of people cheering
for the victory of the rebel army. The
men were not :td that uight. We were
taken to the City Hall. l must be brief.
In that hall were the poor soldiers, who
in vain had asked for food, snd begged
for water. crowded together, 1900 Of US
in one building. half starved Remem-
Der it was Tuesday night, and nothing
to eat since Sunday morning.
At Taiiadega our fare was execrable. |
We were confined in one room, rad ra
tions of 80 much corn bread, aud think
it was a quarter of pound Of musty ba
con. That was I'll that composed our
rations. Some of the officers complained
of being sick. I became III myself
had always been fond of c. fee, and sent
a messenger, a lieutenant, l think, who
was on the guard, to one Of the botels
in this hospitable place to obtain two gal
Ions Of Rio coffee, | sent by that lieu,
tenant twenty dollar bill to pay for it,
if necessary, but not expecting that this
generous, hospitable people would receive
any pay as had told him to tell them
it was for sick officers. But, gentlemen,
I have a copy at my hotel of receip,
brought to me by him: Received of
Gen b. NJ. Prentiss, ten dollars, for two
gallons of Rio coffee" Roars Of laugh
ter. That was my first initiation into
the swiudiing practices in the South.
We were soon taken from Tallsdega
and sent over to Selma. There we we're
placed under command of Col. Kent
There it was VIC began to feel the severi-
ty of our punishment, not allowed to gaze
out of a window or recline in it, unable
to place our feet on the wall without
butternut soldier placing bsyones
IL a,,, n,I Ahrosfoninn "a ahnni