Sometimes, you just can’t believe what you read. A few months back, I had a discussion with someone at one of our local historical festivals, involving who commanded the 58th NCT during the battle of Bentonville. Standing on the square in the town of Burnsville, without any notes, I was quite certain that it was Maj. G. W. F. Harper. My friend was sure he had read it was Lt. Col. Samuel M. Silver. I now understand where my friend got his information.
Samuel Marion Silver was born on December 30, 1833, in present-day Mitchell County. He enlisted in Capt. John Keener’s Company on June 25, 1862. Keener’s company became Company K of the 58th North Carolina Troops on July 29, 1862. Silver rose through the ranks, being elected a lieutenant, and when Keener was promoted, Captain, of Company K.
In 1864, with a high rate of attrition of field officers in the 58th NCT, the position of Major was open. Colonel Palmer, who was no longer assigned to the regiment, but remained its colonel, recommended Captain Silver. One of Silver’s fellow line officers, Captain A. T. Stewart (Company E), believed that the promotion should be his. Stewart would get the promotion, but was killed on August 31, 1864, at the battle of Jonesboro. Silver was promoted to lieutenant colonel on October 29, 1864, and commanded the 58th North Carolina Troops. He served in this position un March 16, 1865, when he submitted his resignation, claiming that he was “sufficiently educated to perform the executive duties of the office” he had, and that the situation of his family in western North Carolina, subjected to “tories and deserters,” necessitated his presence. Interestingly, Silver’s application was rejected. However, he had left the regiment.
In 1901, in response to a query for histories of various regiments, Isaac Bailey, a former Captain of Company B, sent in some notes, mostly about the battle of Chickamauga. Bailey was wounded during the battle of Chickamauga and would eventually retire. He was not present during the battle of Bentonville. Concerning the battle, Bailey wrote: “On 19-21 March at Bentonville, the last battle ever fought by our war-worn soldiers, [the 58th NCT] was a part of General Jos. B, Palmer’s Brigade and commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Silver, fought with accustomed valor. (Clark’s NC Troops)
However, this is not what those who participated in the battle wrote. On March 29, 1865, just a few days after the battle, Brig. Gen. Joseph Palmer praised the 58th NCT, writing that “Capt. G. W. F. Harper, commanding Fifty-eighth North Carolina… handled [his] command with ability and bore [himself] handsomely through the day…” (Official Records, vol. 47, pt. 1:1101) One of the first things you are taught regarding historical research, is to put more credence in what was written at the time, not what was written forty years later by someone who was not there.
Following the War, Samuel Silver moved around. He lived in Mitchell County and McDowell Count; he then went to Texas, and finally settled in Oregon where he died in 1922.
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One of the first things you are taught reguarding historical research,is to put more credence in what was written at the time. Not what was written ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTY NINE YEARS LATER! by someone who was not there. Just commenting on your own words.From April to July, 1864 the regiment was in A.W.Reynold's Brigade, which in August was temporarily commanded by Colonel Wash.M.Hardy, of the sixtieth North Carolinathen with Hood on his march to Nashville and return. Then at the battles of Cassville,Savannah, and the hard- fought battle of Averasboro, N.C. on March 16, 1865.March 19-21 at Bentonville, the last battle ever fought by our war worn soliers, it was part of General Jos.B.Palmer's Brigade and commanded by Lieutenant-ColonelSilver, fought with its accustomed valor. On April 9,1865, the Fifty-eighth and Sixtieth consolidated into one regiment, were commanded by Lieutenant-colonel Thad.Coleman,and belonged to Brantley's Brigade,D.H.Hill's Division. S.D.Lee's Corps, in the Army of the West, then stationed near Smithfield,N.C. . This is their last report (Official Records Union and Confederate Armies, Vol.98, page 1064).Also check 112 Dugger-Hodges Diary Offical Records (Army),ser,1,38,(pt.3):649,656,663,672,39(pt.2):853,45(pt.1):1224. Also see J.G.Barnes to J.E.Barnes Letters 70.Official Records (Army),ser.1,31(pt.3):767,823,32(pt.2):812. Also see Official Records(Army),ser.1,32 (pt.2):587.Silvers resignation-dated March 16,1865 accepted on April 9,1865 the day Robert E.Lee surrenderd.(Facts not Fiction)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the response. I’m not sure about your “ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE YEARS LATER” remark. The point we were trying to get across was that Palmer was writing just a few days after the battle of Bentonville, while Bailey was writing almost forty years after the fact. Furthermore, Bailey was not present at the battle of Bentonville. In all of the sources that you provided, not one states that Lieutenant Colonel Silver was present during the battle of Bentonville, the subject of the entire post. However, Harper was mentioned as being in command of the regiment by his superior just a few days after the battle (Official Records, Vol. 47, pt. 1:1101).
ReplyDeleteSilver did pen his resignation from Smithfield on March 16. According to Confederate regulations, the submission of a letter of resignation does not remove an officer from his office (“No officer will be considered out of service on the tender of his resignation” - Article V, Section 23). However, Article V, Section 28 states that a leave of absence can be granted if the resignation is “unconditional and immediate.” Silver stated just that: his resignation was unconditional. He stated that he did not feel qualified to perform his duties as commanding officer of the 58th North Carolina Troops, and was concerned about his family back in Mitchell County. Since Palmer clearly states who is in charge of the 58th NCT at Bentonville, we can safely assume that Silver was not on the field. We could infer that he was probably granted a leave of absence and had started home, even though there is no proof of that (he stated in his letter that he was concerned about conditions at home).
It is interesting to note (and this was not brought up in the original post), that Silver’s resignation was originally rejected. Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart wrote that “The first reason assigned should have been [tested] by the Examining Board. The second is no reason. “ Stewart is saying that when Silver went before the examining board, they found him competent for the position assigned to him by his promotion, and his reason of incompetency would thus not stand. Stewart’s second remark needs no explanation. (Gen. Johnston also disapproves the resignation.) Just how the acceptance date of April 9 is arrived at is unknown. It does not appear in Silver’s compiled service record. Maybe there is something in the adjutant general’s papers that would clarify this. There are no remarks from the adjutant general’s office on Silver’s letter. The resignation letter would have continued up the ladder to his desk.
One further note: had Silver’s resignation been accepted, he would, by law, been immediately forced to enter the Confederate army as a private.
Thanks again for the note and the chance to clarify a few things. However, in the future, please include your name on your post. We are not in the habit of responding to anonymous replies.
As stated before in (the official records union and confederate armies vol-98 page 1064 clearly states commanded by lieutenant colonel silvers this is their last report
ReplyDeleteFriend – there is no such thing as “Official Records Union and Confederate Armies, Vol.98, page 1064.” While there is a “volume 98” in the Official Records, it would technically be Series 1, Volume 47, Part 1, page 1064. This page contains no mention to Lt. Col. Samuel Silver. It does list the 58th North Carolina Troops Consolidated, under the command of Lt. Col. Thaddeus Coleman. This is their last “report,” which is dated at some point after April 9, 1865.
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