Benjamin Mayberry Prentiss was an American soldier and politician.
Background
He was born on November 23, 1819 at Belleville, Virginia, United States. His parents were Henry Leonidas and Rebecca (Mayberry) Prentiss. He was directly descended from Valentine Prentice who became a member of the First Church in Roxbury, Massachussets, in 1632, and from William Brewster, 1567-1644, of the Mayflower colony. He spent his early childhood in Virginia.
Education
He was educated in the country schools of Virginia and at a private military school.
Career
He accompanied his parents to Missouri and settled in Marion County in 1836, where he manufactured cordage. In the spring of 1841 he removed to Quincy, Illinois, and engaged in business with his father.
In 1844-45 he served as a lieutenant of militia against the Mormons in Hancock County, Illinois, and during the Mexican War he served as a captain in the 1th Illinois Volunteers, which distinguished itself at the battle of Buena Vista in February 1847. He was discharged at Camargo, Mexico, on June 17, 1847, by reason of expiration of service, and returned home, where he studied law.
He was an unsuccessful Republican candidate for Congress in 1860. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was a colonel of Illinois militia, and in April 1861, was placed in command of seven companies of Illinois troops sent to Cairo, Ill. On April 24-25, two river steamers, the C. E. Hillman and the John D. Perry, carrying contraband, were seized by Prentiss' men. This was probably the first seizure of munitions on the Mississippi River and was made four days before orders were received from the War Department authorizing the suspension of the shipments of munitions to ports under rebel control.
Later, Prentiss was mustered into the service of the United States, in command of the 10th Infantry, Illinois Volunteers. In May 1861 he was promoted to brigadier-general and in August was detailed to command all of north and central Missouri. He took part in the battle of Mount Zion and other minor engagements in the state.
Being ordered to the field by General Halleck, he proceeded to Pittsburg Landing, where he arrived on April 1, to organize and take command of the 6th Division, Army of the Tennessee. On the first day of the battle of Shiloh, he distinguished himself by holding a difficult position against great odds, but he finally was captured along with most of his command and held in Talladega, Selma, Madison and Libby prisons until October 1862, when he was exchanged.
After his release, he was appointed a member of the general court martial in the case of Fitz-John Porter. He was made a major-general in November 1862, and ordered to report at Milliken's Bend, to General Grant, who assigned him to command the eastern district of Arkansas.
He resigned his commission in October 1863, and returned to Quincy, where he resumed the practice of law. During his residence at Quincy, he was appointed a federal pension agent by General Grant, an office which he held for eight years. In 1878 he moved to Missouri, spent a short time in Sullivan County, and then engaged in the practice of law at Kirksville. In 1881, he moved to Bethany, Missouri, and was a special agent for the general land office with station at Denver.
In 1888, after the election of President Harrison, he was appointed postmaster at Bethany and received the same appointment later from President McKinley. He held this position until his death at Bethany.
Achievements
Politics
In his late years he was a leader in the Republican Party of Missouri.
Connections
He was married in Marion County, Missouri, in March 1839, to Margaret Sowdowsky, who died at Quincy in 1860. He subsequently married Mary Worthington Whitney who died in 1894. There were six children by the first marriage, and four by the second.