Capt. Silas Hunter Corn

Personal
born:	June 3, 1840	place:	Millersburg, Ohio
father:	David Corn	born:	April 5, 1801	place:	Laurelton, West Virginia	died:		place:
mother:	Elizabeth Hunter	born:	July 25, 1800	place:	Westmoreland, Pennsylvania	died:		place:
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	place:	Grant County, West Virginia
wife born:	August 12, 1840	place:	Maysville, West Virginia	died:	September 12, 1911	place:
child:	Wilbur S.	born:	April 29, 1868	place:	Morgantown, West Virginia	died:	February 2, 1937	place:
child:	Lena V.	born:	May 11, 1872	place:	Cameron, Missouri	died:	1949	place:
child:	Mabel G.	born:	September 11, 1875	place:	Cameron, Missouri	died:	1959	place:
died:	July 14, 1929	place:	Cameron, Missouri	cause of death:
burial:	Graceland Cemetery	place:	Cameron, Missouri

Military Career
3-year service:	September 23, 1861	Private	Company B	place:
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			place:	Battle of Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg, Mississippi
imprisoned:	December 29, 1862 thru March 23, 1863			place:	Vicksburg and Jackson, Mississippi
imprisoned:	March 23, 1862			place:	Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia
exchanged:	May 8, 1863			place:	City Point, Virginia
rejoined regiment:	July 4, 1863			place:	rejoined regiment at Vicksburg, Mississippi on date of that city's fall to Union
promoted:	May 21, 1864	Captain	Company B
discharged:	October 31, 1864	mustered out with regiment		place:

Additional Details

Most information and photos, below, provided by Silas Corn's great-grandson, James Corn.

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.

The above picture is a copy of a print made from a daguerreotype, date unknown. Silas H. Corn is seated 2^nd from left and had been elected Orderly Sergeant or 1^st Sergeant. This places the original between Sept. 1861 when Silas received his stripes and Feb. 1862 when he was promoted to 2^nd 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, 1^st LT. (Bloomfield, OH); Robert W. Liggett, 2^nd 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.

Display of sash.

View of display board made to present photos and description of Silas Corn's military equipment and service.

Gravestone of Silas H. Corn located in Graceland Cemetery, near Cameron, Missouri
* image courtesy of and with permission from David Fry at FindAGrave.com