Descendants of Silas Chandler Speak Out (Part 2)

A few weeks ago I shared an email I received from a descendant of Silas Chandler, who is one of the most popular “black Confederates.”  I’ve been in contact with two descendants and am planning a telephone conversation, which I hope will lead to an announcement of some ideas I have to help bring a more complete story of this individual to the general public.  Yesterday I received an email from yet another descendant:

I am a direct descendent of Silas Chandler from California. Over the years, I have heard many versions of Silas’ story, from family, on the web, and from Confederate historical societies. Thank you to Ms. Sampson for shedding some light on the subject from a reliable, direct source.

I remember when my great, great, great grandfather Silas was awarded the Iron Cross posthumously, and some members of my family attended the ceremony. While I’ve always had mixed feelings about it, it has ultimately become [a] source of pride for me, not offense. I may never be exactly sure how it went down, but I know that I have Silas to thank for my freedom. Believe me, I have no love fort he Confederacy or its symbols… I’m just also no big fan of the Yankees, and have no illusions about why the Civil War was fought.

I also know that some of the greatest men in history end up being “honored” by their enemies. This would not be the first time that history has been rewritten to make folks look more sympathetic or benevolent (see the movie “Glory” and the mounds of misinformation that it contains).

Anyone that thinks that Silas joined the Confederate army out of some “love” for his master is naive at best, and stupid/racist at worst. That being said, there were many slaves that were dragged into the field to fight against their own self-interest. This happened in the Civil War, and in the Wars for centuries and millennia before.

Honestly, I just hope this discussion unearths as much truth as possible. Thank you again to the Chandler family for helping to set the record straight. I look forward to learning more

Andrew Foster Williams
Oakland, CA

I am featuring this comment for a couple of reasons.  Most importantly, it reflects a memory of the war that is much more complex than anything the Sons of Confederate Veterans or United Daughters of the Confederacy would have you believe about the legacy of the Civil War within the African-American community.  Both organizations reduce their narratives down to loyalty to master and cause and they do this by commemorating slaves as soldiers.  Their preferred narrative has nothing to do with understanding the story of black men in the army or helping families uncover their histories; rather, it is an attempt to dissociate the Confederate war effort from slavery as well as the Lost Cause myth that slavery was benign.  Unfortunately, both organizations have been successful in convincing black families to take part.

What I appreciate about Mr. Williams’s response is the extent to which his narrative fails to support or vindicate either a Lost Cause or Emancipationist view of the war.  It sits uncomfortably in the middle.  On the one hand Mr. Williams has little patience for stories of a loyal Silas Chandler, but he is also suspicious of the assumptions that reduce the United States to the moral cause of emancipation.

Mr. Williams’s comment may also tell us something about why African Americans have been absent from public commemorations of the Civil War and why they may stay away during the Civil War Sesquicentennial.  After all, much of our public remembrance and memory of the war is wrapped up in neat dichotomies of North v. South and Union v. Confederate.  Where does Mr. Williams’s memory of the war fit into all of this?  It’s not wonder that many African Americans are suspicious of Civil War Memory.

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9 comments… add one
  • linda jackson Jul 11, 2011 @ 5:23

    my grandfather name was jim Chanlder. Was born in westpoint mississippi.Iknow he had a brother name Andrew,sister name Mary. Iwould like to know more?please contact me at 1314-664-4697

    • meldric jones Oct 12, 2011 @ 6:47

      my grandfather was Marion Chandler (1894-1978) from West Point Ms.Jim,Johnny,MC,and Willie Chandler were his children

      • Kevin Levin Oct 12, 2011 @ 8:03

        Nice to hear from you, Mr. Jones.

  • Kevin Levin Mar 22, 2010 @ 8:04

    It is very interesting, but please understand that for the sake of privacy I am not going to be discussing that.

  • Bubba Mar 21, 2010 @ 2:01

    Another interesting view of the “Civil War”

  • Myra Chandler Sampson Mar 20, 2010 @ 23:21

    Hello Andrew,
    I desperately wanted to connect with this section of the family. Hopefully that we can connect through Kevin.
    Myra Chandler

  • James Bartek Mar 20, 2010 @ 22:03

    Now see here! I like my history and historical memory kept neat and tidy, and this just ruins everything. 😉

    I agree that Mr. Williams presents a much more complex view of the legacy of the Civil War within the African-American community than do the UDC or SCV – but as those groups have only attempted to understand black involvement in furtherance of their own agendas, rather than on its own merits, that's not difficult to do. I would bet that Mr. Williams' ambivalence on the matter is not at all uncommon, but who knows. Just another reason why a study of African-American memory (memories?) and the Civil War would be a worthwhile task.

    • myrachandlersampson Mar 21, 2010 @ 13:55

      He must realize that had the Confederates won the Civil War, it is possible that he and I would be a slave today

      • Kevin Levin Mar 21, 2010 @ 14:49

        Myra,

        I guess what I find so interesting about Andrew's comment is that it helps to explain the next 100 years of race relations following the Civil War w/o having to consider such counterfactuals. Your point clarifies the stated goals of the Confederacy while Andrew's comment sheds light on the difficulty of coming to terms with the deep history of racism in America. Thanks for the comment.

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