The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-03-16
GEN. PRENTlSS.
A Hero Of Shiloh Relates Some Incl
dents.-What DIR. Gregg did,
A Chicago Reporter.

A Chicago Reporter.
Last Friday evening Gen. b. M. Prem
tiss delivered his famous lecture on the
battle of Shiloh before large and ems
thusias:ic audience at Moline, under the
auspices of Graham Post of the G. A. r.
in that city. A large number of Rock
Island veterans went up on the street
cars to hear him, and were so impressed
with the lecture that warm invitation
was rendered to the general TO deliver the
lecture in this city in the near future Gen.
Prentiss has other engagements which
will prevent him from accepting the ins
yltatiOn for some time. He has been
away from home six weeks and AS soon
as he has filled engagements at Monmouth
and kirkwood, whittier he goes from this
city he will go home for rest of f0ug
days, after which he will start out again
to lecture at other places. But he prom>
ised that in the last week of April, or the
first week in May, he will be glad to tell
Old soldiers and others of the battle of
Shiloh as he saw it and took part in it,
Saturday morning Gen. Prentss came
down from Moline and went to the Rock
Island house. A reporter learning Of his
presence in the city Immediately sought
him. During the introduction the repOr>
ter glanced at the man who was famous,
throughout the United States, for his par.
ticipation in the late unpleasantness and
for his relation of the movements of one
Of its greatest battles. He saw man,
about five feet and nine inches in height,
evidently at one time Of powerful physi>
cal frame, and still having an elastic step
and easy carriage. He wears SLOUGH
hat well pushed back from his forehead,
which is broad and full His eyes are d
kindly blue and appear as though they
could look softly, or even melt to tears at
the woes of veteran, or glance sharply
and stornly as some exciting narrative is
told or at some wrong to fellow being.
He wears beard closely trimmed.
The first subject of conversation was as
to old army friends of his command in
this vicinity, and he Immediately launched
out into volley of praises with DR.. p.
Gregg as his subject. DR.. Gregg was a
captain in the 5Slh Illinois infantry, un~
der his command, and was captured with
Gen. Prcntiss at Shiloh After being im>
PrisOned for about three months he was
paroled to go to Washington to negotiate
for the release Of his fellow prisoners,
'and," said the general, ''IIc did what
not one man in ten thousand
would have done. The rest OF
US were taken to Madison, Ga, and
before long we were suffering for money
to buy food. Our wants were made
known to President Lincoln, and he said
we could have months pay if there was
any way Of conveying it to US. Dr..
Gregg heard of our needs, and getting the
money went down to Madison and served
out the remainder of the time until We
were exchanged, Just to alleviate our dis
tress. He took the desperate chances OF
lying IN southern prison to help hi:
fellow comrades. We were exchanged
about three months later
Speaking of the Fitz John Porter case,
in answer to suggestion, Gen. PrentisS
said that he was member of that cour
martial but he was under an Obligation a
secrecy, and until that obligation was re-
moved he coul1 not give the proceedings
but he would say that he would be ;
very unhappy man if be believed for ;
moment that he had been wrongfully
convicted In connection with this Gen
Prentiss told of sharp trick which wa
played upon him by Chicago reporter
He was in Chicago just after the appear
ance of Gen. Grants article and he wa,
Immediately besiegcd by the reporters tC
get his opinion on the article. lie
answered them by saying, Gentlemen
lecture on this subject tomorrow night
and it would hardly be fair to give any
lecture before hand" But they were mo-
to be put eff so easily, and finally al
Inter Ocean reporter got an old soldier tC
make the acquaintance of the general
and they sat down and talked over The
battles of the war. Shiloh, of course, re
ceived particular attention, and the cen
fury article was discussed All of thi
time. and without the knowledge of tht
general. the Inter Ocean reporter was
short distance away and had the whole
conversation down and in the paper tn,
next morning.
Gen. Prentiss first went into the army
at Quincy. H., in 1861, as captain Ii
about two days he was made Colonel o
the 10th Illinois, and then in five days
was elected brigadier general. He was thu
first general commissioned in Illinois
He aftcrward commanded the sixth dlvis
ion of the army of the Tennessee, unde
Gen. Grant, and served through the wa
with high honor.
Seized in Iowa.
That prohibition law in Iowa. is cans