Silas Gamaliel Pratt (August 4, 1846 – October 30, 1916) was an American composer, who often published under the pseudonym V. B.

As a child he moved to Plainfield, IL, and as a young man he worked in Chicago for music dealers H. M. Higgins and Lyon & Healy, and gained enough proficiency on the piano to give public recitals.

He studied with Theodor Kullak, Franz Bendel, Richard Wüerst, Friedrich Kiel, and Heinrich Dorn.

During this time he suffered a wrist injury, which prevented his becoming a professional concert pianist.

Upon his return to the United States in 1871, he settled again in Chicago, immersing himself in the musical life there.

He founded (and promptly quit) Chicago's Apollo Club in 1872 with George B. Upton,[4][5] and became organist of the Church of the Messiah.

Pratt composed a great number of piano miniatures; these were usually published under the pseudonym V. B. Aubert.

Writings by Pratt include a book entitled Lincoln in story: the life of the martyr-president told in authenticated anecdotes, published by Appleton in 1901.