Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1882-01-20
THE BATTLE OF SHILOH.
Gen. B. NJ. PrentisS' Address Before
Ex-Army and Navy Offices.
Light Thrown on a Debated Question
A General Engagement Not Expect
ed-The Hour at Which He Surren-
dered $50 O'clock.

CINCINNATI, January 12.-Gen. B. NJ
Prentiss, who was captured at the bat.
tie OF Shiloh. responded tonight at the
banquet of the Army and Navy Society
at the Burnett House, to the toast
shiloh
1t was 1915 o'clock tonight before
Gen. B. NJ. Prentiss' turn to speak ar
rived. There were five speeches before
his. Gen. Force introduced him hap.
PLY, and the hundred banqueters rose.
shouted and waved handkerchlets and
the band struck up and played few
bars.
The General said he assalled no sol
dier. He was at Shiloh. but had been
led to believe if some of the accounts of
that event were true. he had never been
there.
The general spoke without manu-
script. He never writes speech.
He said his men were IN line OF battle
that morning in advance of their camp.
but 81 did not dream that we were 90.
ing to have a general attack. We were
not prepared that morning to receive
an attack Details were made out on
Saturday to strengthen his pickets.
Col. Moore was Sent to the front and re-
ceiyed the first fire of the enemy. When
an aide from Gen. Sherman came O ad.
monish him Of danger his whole line was
already engaged. At about $50 or 9 in
the morning he retreated and took
position not more than quarter of
mile behind his camp. This was not
later than 9 o'clock in the morning.
Gen. Grant rode along the line and said:
Yon have got good position, hold it."
prayed God to help me hold it, and I
did hold it.
These words were tremendously
cheered, and the speech proceeded with
Tor eloquence.
At about half-past o'clock Gen. Nc
Pherson came and said to me, What
shall we do?' ! answered, What can
we do better than we are doing-hold.
ing our ground?'
He said that no other living man than
zen, Hickenlooper could have drawn
A&A1 2nSO OLA OllSCls
The general told how Gen w. H. l..
Wallace came to him late in the after.
;e1noon, and how he and Wallace
oined hands and pledged themselves to
stand together till the sun went down,
,ut the sun seemed lodged in the tree
ops, and he went to support mis- left
md was killed. The battle was not
me OF arms. but of regiments, of COM
,anles and of individual soldiers.
The speech was somewhat disconnect-
a, but 1t was magnetic, and fixed at
ention profoundly and elected the
most riotous applause. He said he
ovea to do honor to his commanders
nd he loved the flag of his country
nd 1t was Just this 1--we that had kent
nm silent so long. He spent consider.
BILE tlmel enumerating regiments that
with him that dav, and
AID that from 9 o'clock in the morning
III 5:3O IN the afternoon, the hour Of .
ne surrender OF the three regiments :
1T him, his command was under fire :
'ithout moments intermisslon. He
nd Judge De Bolt, of Missouri. took
is watch at the moment of the surren.
er and looked at it, and it lacked one
mute of $50 o'clock. The General
sscrlbed how, as prisoners, he and his
were exhibited as
BATCH oE YANKEE PRISONERS
eshly captured. q
In the close Of his speech. at l o'clock
e General made the prophecy that
issouri would be redeemed within the
,xt four years, which was received
lth tremendous applause.
Gen. Prentiss did not censure any of
fellow-oficers, as it was expected he
bud, and he held his audience for
ore than three quarters of an hour y
ter midnight with rambling and,
times, brilliant eloquence that
body anticipated. 1t was in the hap.
EST possible mood. Severa. of the fac}