Originally aired on October 10, 1997 - In part 163 of our Civil War series, Virginia Tech history professor James Robertson tells the poignant story of Clifton and William Prentiss, who meet on a Fredericksburg battlefield after 8 years of separation and 4 years of war.
#163 – A Brother’s War
The American conflict of the 1860s has often been called a brother’s war, and for good reason. Hostilities between North and South went deeper than state boundaries. Many times the war split family ties by pitting father against son, sibling against sibling, in almost every instance tragedy was the legacy. A family in Baltimore is a case in point.
Two brothers Clifton and William Prentiss became estranged in 1857 over the slavery question. They parted ways in anger. Civil war came. Twenty-five year old Clifton Prentiss joined the 6th Maryland Union regiment. William, three years younger enlisted in the 2nd Maryland Confederate regiment. The schism between the two seemed permanent.
For four years war swept the land. William fought wherever the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia campaigned. Clifton saw action with the Federal Army of the Potomac. Early on the morning of April 2, 1865, General U. S. Grant launched a massive attack on Robert E. Lee’s lines at Petersburg.
In that grand assault was the 6th Maryland unit. Its major, Clifton Prentiss, led a group over the Confederate works and in pursuit of retreating Southerners. Prentiss was encouraging his men forward when a bullet struck him in the chest and tore away most of his sternum.
Two soldiers bore the officer to an improvised field hospital nearby. Other members of the regiment moved over the battleground to separate the wounded from the dead. They came upon a Confederate soldier with a horribly mangled leg. Federals sought to make the man comfortable.
To their surprise the Johnny Reb asked if the 6th Maryland was anywhere close by. “
We belong to that regiment,” one Federal answered.
The Confederate said, “I have a brother in that regiment.”
“Who is he?” asked another Union soldier.
“Captain Clifton Prentiss,” the Confederate answered. “I am William Prentiss of the 2nd Maryland Confederate.”
One of the Federals explained why, “Captain Prentiss is our Major now and he is lying over yonder wounded.”
With pain from the shattered leg almost blinding him, William Prentiss managed to say, “I would like to see him.”
A Union soldier ran to where the Union brother lay on the ground. He told him of William’s presence and of his desire. The Union Major shook his head and replied, “I want to see no man who fired at my country’s flag.”
The colonel of the 6th Maryland Union became aware of the situation. He ordered the wounded Confederate brought over and placed on a blanket beside the injured Federal. Clifton Prentiss glared at his younger brother. William Prentiss looked at him through a haze of pain, and then smiled.
A look of affection, a simple touch of human nature, smothered the hurt and wiped away all anger. Two hands reached for one another and with tears streaming down their faces an eight year separation and four years of war vanished on a torn piece of ground at Petersburg. A loving reconciliation occurred.
The reunion was short-lived. Union surgeons amputated William’s leg, but the wound would not heal. William lingered for weeks until his death on June 20, 1865. Clifton Prentiss also suffered for week after week from the gaping lesion in his chest. He died two months after William’s passing.
It would be comforting to say that Clifton and William Prentiss lie side by side today. They do not. Yet for a brief moment in the hatred of battle a smile established contact, hands touched, and tears said what words could not. Wrapped together in brotherly love the two men gained a better understanding of life and death.