16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Soldier's Profile
Silas Hunter Corn
Captain, Company "B"
| Personal |
| birthdate: | June 3, 1840 |
place: parents farm near... | Millersburg,
Ohio |
| father: | David
Corn |
birthdate: April 5, 1801 | Laurelton,
West
Virginia |
| mother: | Elizabeth
Hunter |
birthdate: July 25, 1800 | Westmoreland,
Pennsylvania |
| pre-war occupation: | Student |
place: Vermillion Institute | Ashland,
Ohio |
| post-war occupation: | Attorney,
Hardware, Implement Business |
place: | Cameron,
Missouri |
| married: | August
5, 1867 |
to: Annie Catherine
Babb |
Grant County, West Virginia |
|
birthdate (wife): | August
12, 1840 |
Maysville, West Virginia |
died: | September
12, 1911 |
| children: |
Wilbur S. Corn | born:
April 29, 1868 | Morgantown, West
Virginia |
died: | February
2, 1937 |
|
Lena V. Corn | born:
May 11, 1872 | Cameron, Missouri |
died: | 1949 |
|
Mabel G. Corn | born:
September 11, 1875 | Cameron,
Missouri |
died: | 1959 |
| died: |
July 14, 1929 |
place: buried in Graceland Cemetery | Cameron,
Missouri |
cause of death: |
. |
| Military Career |
| enlisted 3-year service: |
September 23, 1861 |
Private | Company B |
| appointed: |
September 26, 1861 |
1st Sergeant |
Company B |
| promoted: |
February 19, 1862 |
2nd Lieutenant |
Company B |
| promoted: |
August 6, 1862 |
1st Lieutenant |
Company B |
| captured: |
December 29, 1862 |
Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg, Mississippi |
|
| imprisoned: |
December 29, 1862 thru March 23, 1863 |
Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi |
|
| imprisoned: |
March 23, 1862 |
Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia |
|
| exchanged: |
May 8, 1863 |
City Point, Virginia |
|
| rejoined: |
July 4, 1863 |
rejoined regiment at Vicksburg, Mississippi on date of that city's fall
to Union |
|
| promoted: |
May 21, 1864 |
Captain |
Company B |
| mustered out: |
October 31, 1864 |
. |
Additional Details
Civil War History of Silas Hunter Corn:
|
June 3, 1840 |
Born on his parent's farm three miles west of Millersburg, OH. |
| September 23, 1861 |
Enlisted as Private, Co. B, 16th Ohio Volunteers, Millersburg, OH.
Sent to Camp Tiffen, Wooster, OH,
for basic training. |
| September 26, 1861 |
Appointed 1st Sgt. |
| November, 1861 |
Companies transferred to Camp Dennison near Cincinnati, OH, to await outfitting
with arms and training in their use. |
| December, 1861 thru September, 1862 |
Battles of Mill Springs and Cumberland Gap, KY, and
Tazewell, TN. |
| February 19, 1862 |
Promoted to 2nd. Lt. |
| August
6, 1862 |
Promoted to 1st. Lt. |
| December 29, 1862 |
Captured at battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg, MS. |
| January
thru February, 1863 |
Imprisoned at Vicksburg and Jackson, MS. |
| March
23, 1863 |
Transferred to Libby Prison, Richmond, VA. |
| May 8, 1863 |
Exchanged at Camp Chase, OH. |
| May 21, 1863 |
Presented commemorative sword by citizens of
Millersburg, OH, while home on leave. |
| June, 1863 |
Camp
Chase, participated in putting down the "Holmes County Rebellion". |
| July
4, 1863 |
Rejoined regiment, Vicksburg, MS. The
Confederates surrendered on this date after the city had been under siege for 46
days. |
| July, 1863 |
Jackson, MS. |
| April, 1864 |
Alexandria, LA. |
| May, 1864 |
Mansura,
LA. - Red River Expedition. |
| May 21, 1864 |
Promoted to
Captain. |
| October 4, 1864 |
Mustered out (3-year enlistment). |
| ca. 1900 |
Military pension. |
| July 14, 1929 |
Died, buried in Graceland Cemetery, Cameron, MO. |
| Silas' brother, William David Corn, was in the 90-day army
prior to Silas' enlistment. W.D., as he was known, wasn't eligible to
enlist in the regular army as he was blind in one eye. |
 |
| This picture is a copy of a print made from a daguerreotype, date unknown. Silas H.
Corn is seated 2nd from left and had been elected Orderly Sergeant or 1st Sergeant.
This places the original between Sept. 1861 when Silas received his
stripes and Feb. 1862 when he was promoted to 2nd Lt.
Front row, seated: left to right; Unknown, (a note on the back of the photo “he did not
return”), Silas Hunter Corn, Orderly Sergeant, Millersburg, Ohio, Unknown, Unknown.
Standing Left: Unknown.
Standing Right: Thomas Miller, (married Letitia Corn, Silas’ sister after the war)
According to S.H. Corn’s Memoirs, 15 boys enlisted from his neighborhood (3 miles
west of Millersburg). Of those, 7 served the full 3 year enlistment, 6
died of disease, 3 wounded, 1 killed in battle (William Chaney), 1 died of
wounds, 1 later drafted, died of wounds (Ephraim Cellars, Silas’ cousin).
Officers were: John F. DeCourcey, Colonel; George Bailey, Lt. Colonel; William
Spangler, Capt. (a blacksmith who was the recruiter in Millersburg);
Joseph Edgar, 1st LT. (Bloomfield, OH); Robert W. Liggett, 2nd Lt.
This group was transported by train to Camp Tiffin, Wooster, OH for basic training.
|
 |
| This photo is the reverse side of the portrait of Silas Corn shown at the top of this page. |
|
| Photo of sword in scabbard with inscription: "Presented to Lieut. S. H. Corn
for Gallant Conduct by the Citizens of Millersburgh, O.". This sword
was presented to Silas in May or June, 1863, upon return to his hometown after
being exchanged as a prisoner of the Confederacy and shortly before he returned
to duty with the 16th OVI in time for the July, 1864, surrender of Vicksburg,
Mississippi, to the Union. |
| Click here to view the full text of the ceremony which presented the
sword shown above and below to Silas H. Corn and his response |
|
|
Full view of sword in scabbard.
|
|
Sword shown on display with military belt and sash.
|
|
Sword shown on display with military belt and sash.
|
|
Display of sash.
|
|
| View of display board made to present photos and description of Silas Corn's military equipment and service. |
All information and photos above provided by Silas Corn's great-grandson, James Corn.
Thanks Jim!
