Benjamin Dudley Pritchard (January 29, 1835 – November 26, 1907) was a
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation.
In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...
which captured the fugitive
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the only President of the Confederate States of America, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the Unite ...
,
President of the Confederate States of America
The president of the Confederate States was the head of state and head of government of the unrecognized breakaway Confederate States. The president was the chief executive of the federal government and commander-in-chief of the Confederate A ...
, in the weeks surrounding the close of the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
.
Early life and career
Benjamin Pritchard was born to Lambert and Zulpha (Adams) Pritchard in rural Nelson, Ohio. Pritchard worked in the carpentry and cabinet-making trade until he had earned and saved enough money to enroll at
Hiram College
Hiram College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Hiram, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1850 as the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute by Amos Sutton Hayden and other members of the Disciples of Christ Church. The college is nonse ...
, where his instructor was James A. Garfield (who would later serve as United States President). He studied penmanship under the Spencer Brothers, whose father had invented the Spencerian Script.
Following his work at Hiram College, in 1856, Pritchard went to Allegan, Michigan, where he studied law under the tutelage of Judge W. B. Williams and taught for Allegan Public Schools at a salary of $240 per year. In 1858, he continued his studies at the
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
, graduating and achieving admittance to the bar in 1860. Upon his return to Allegan, he partnered with Judge Williams to established a law practice.
Civil War
In 1862, Pritchard and Judge Williams both enlisted in the Union Army. Pritchard entered the 4th Michigan Cavalry, Company L, as a
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
. Following the
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga, fought on September 18–20, 1863, between the United States Army and Confederate States Army, Confederate forces in the American Civil War, marked the end of a U.S. Army offensive, the Chickamauga Campaign, in southe ...
(September 30 – October 3, 1863), he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel.
On September 1, 1864, while on a short leave, Pritchard traveled to
Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Chagrin Falls is a village in eastern Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,188 as of the 2020 census. The village was established around the eponymous Chagrin Falls on the Chagrin River. A suburb of Cleveland, it is part ...
, where he was married to Mary Bently Kent. They honeymooned in Allegan at Judge Williams's home before Pritchard returned to his regiment. Meanwhile, his new bride was in a train wreck and subsequently had to use a wheelchair, after which she took up the art of painting. Upon Pritchard's discharge, they set up residence at 330 Davis Street in what is now part of Allegan's historic district.
Rise to military fame
At Abbeyville, Georgia, 70 miles south of Macon, it was learned that Davis's fleeing party had crossed the ferry over the
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee River () is a western tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha.Irwinville, 30 miles below Abbeyville and 100 miles south of Macon. Lieutenant Colonel Pritchard, in command of the 4th Michigan Cavalry, marched the regiment rapidly down the river road, and, after a 30-mile ride, reached Irwinville late in the night. There, he learned that he was now in advance of the Davis party.
One of Pritchard's officers, Corp.George Munger (of Allegan, Michigan), soon discovered the Confederate president's encampment. He noticed two women moving rapidly away from the camp as the 4th Michigan approached and thought they looked suspicious, so he stopped them and asked that they remove their cloaks. Upon so doing, it was revealed that the two "women" were Jefferson Davis and his wife, both wearing women's cloaks and shawls trying to escape capture. (The cloak and shawl worn by the Confederate president are now the property of the National Archives.)
Davis later wrote of the event: "I had gone perhaps fifteen yards when a trooper galloped up and ordered me to halt and surrender to which I gave a defiant answer. He leveled his carbine at me but I expected if he fired he would miss. My intention was to put my hand under his foot, tumble him off on the other side, spring into his saddle and escape.". A number of cartoons and mockery songs appeared in the public during the weeks and months that followed, chiding Davis for the attire he was captured in.
P. T. Barnum
Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810 – April 7, 1891) was an American showman, businessman, and politician remembered for promoting celebrated hoaxes and founding with James Anthony Bailey the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. He was ...
even made a giant-sized replica of "Davis in drag."
Pritchard insisted on giving thorough credit to all who played a role in the capture. He worked on the report for 48 straight hours, closing it with a recommendation that the following men receive brevet promotions:
As his reward for making the capture, Colonel Pritchard was brevetted out of service as a brigadier general (and the larger pension that came with that rank) and a $3000 share of the bounty which President Johnson offered for Davis's apprehension (1868 Draft #2186 drawn on Warrant #3749).
After the war
Following the war, the now-famous national hero returned to Allegan, where he resumed his law partnership with Judge Williams, continuing the practice until 1868. He and Mary had a daughter—Bertha Edna—on September 24, 1869, and a son—Harry—on August 5, 1873. Pritchard supported several churches, but he and his family made Allegan First Congregational Church their place of worship.
Pritchard turned down the nomination for
Governor of Michigan
The governor of Michigan is the head of government of the U.S. state of Michigan. The current governor is Gretchen Whitmer, a member of the Democratic Party, who was inaugurated on January 1, 2019, as the state's 49th governor. She was re-ele ...
in 1884, deferring to and supporting the incumbent, David Jerome of
Saginaw
Saginaw () is a city in Saginaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 44,202 at the 2020 census. Located along the Saginaw River, Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of ...
. He was strongly encouraged to run for
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
, but declined in favor of continuing his term on the Allegan School Board, which position he held for many years as the only elected local post he was willing to serve from. He did, however, serve two terms of office as the State Treasurer of Michigan from 1880 to 1884.
As School Board Director, Pritchard had three new elementary schools built and annexed to North Ward school, which had stood as an autonomous district, and organized Allegan's first high school, which graduated its first class in 1876 (dubbed the ''Centennial Class'' due to its coincidence with the Nation's 100th birthday). The school had a staff of two, both of whom taught, and one of whom simultaneously served as the schools superintendent and principal.
In 1870, Pritchard organized the First National Bank of Allegan and served as its president until 1905. He then relinquished his shares in that bank and founded the First State Bank, which was the first bank in the county to be anointed as a state depository. It was also the first ''savings bank,'' offering 4% interest to depositors, and the first bank to install safety deposit boxes.
Death and burial
His family reports that he began experiencing consistent chest pains around November 12, 1907. On Sunday, November 24, his family physician examined him, finding nothing wrong with Pritchard. He went to work the following day, as usual, but was stricken with acute
angina pectoris
Angina, also known as angina pectoris, is chest pain or pressure, usually caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium). It is most commonly a symptom of coronary artery disease.
Angina is typically the result of part ...
at home that evening. His physician was called in and
morphine
Morphine, formerly also called morphia, is an opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin produced by drying the latex of opium poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as an analgesic (pain medication). There are ...
was administered, but it took two hours for the pain to subside. He didn't report to work Tuesday, November 26,—the first day he had taken off in forty years. At about 5:30 p.m., he told his daughter that he was feeling fine and suggested she go rest. Before she could leave the room, he gasped, and his life was over. Since none outside his immediate family had been given an indication of his illness, the news of his apparently sudden death sent a shockwave across the state as the loss of one of its greatest heroes was mourned.
Pritchard was interred in Oakwood Cemetery (Allegan) on November 29, 1907, the
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (United States Navy, U.S. Navy), and the United States Marine Corps, Marines who served in the American Ci ...
, the Rev. William Lucas of the local Episcopal Church, and the Rev. A. V. Brashear of the local Presbyterian Church officiating. Over 600 attended the service.
State-published biography
From
Ancestry
Roger Pritchard, immigrated from England to
Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, between New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven and Bridgeport, Connecticut, Bridgeport. The population was 50,558 at the 2020 United States Census. The city includes the Vill ...
in 1653; married Elizabeth Prudden
:Benjamin Pritchard (1657-1743); married Rebecca Jones
::Jones Benjamin Pritchard (1716-1782); married Martha Lambert (1721-1804)
:::Benjamin Pritchard (1756-?); served 7 years in
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
; married Ann Vaughn (1768-1807)
::::Lambert Pritchard (1802-1875); married Zulpha Adams (1812-1898)
:::::''Benjamin Dudley Pritchard'' (1835-1907); married Mary Bentley Kent (1840-1889)
Legacy
The ownership of Pritchard's Allegan house, containing some of his furniture and belongings, eventually passed to his descendant Rob Proctor and his wife Denni. Rob, Denni and the house were featured in an episode of '' If Walls Could Talk''. Rob and Denni moved away with their children, Katie and Brian, and the house left Pritchard hands for the first time.