21st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry

***** Company K *****

Captain Canfield
Capt Mahony (1829-1901)

Sgt Inman (1835-1864)
Sgt Loomis (1835-1862)
Sgt McIntyre (1826-1864)
Corp Harns (1841-1861)
Corp Myers (1842-1920)
Corp Myers (1841-1862)

Drummer Boy
Pvt Canfield (1849-1921)

Pvt Bushnell (1844-1863)
Pvt Clymer (1846-1864)
Pvt Fair (1841-1863)
Pvt Fisher (1817-1862)
Pvt Forest (1836-1864)
Pvt Harris (1821-1862)
Pvt Hathway (1829-1864)
Pvt Hathway (1846-1914)
Pvt McCone (1842-1896)
Pvt Mosley (1842-1862)
Pvt Myers (1838-1864)
Pvt Myers (1836-1864)
Pvt O'Brien (1824-1864)
Pvt Valence (1821-1864)
Pvt Zimmerman (1840-1863)

When the formation of Company K started in 1861, the people of Webster Township, Wood County, Ohio, were dubious when an Army officer, of dubious morals, undertook to recruit volunteers for the Civil War. They finally asked Silas to organize Company K of 21st OVI.

Silas Sprague Canfield, Captain of Company K, 21st OVI, was mustered into the Union Army on September 19, 1861, at Findley, Ohio.

Captain Canfield was captured September 20, 1863, at the Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia. He was confined in the following Confederate Military Prisons: Libby, Danville, Macon, Charleston, SC and Camp Sorghum near Columbus, SC. He was paroled and released on December 10, 1864 at Charleston, SC.

He was honorably discharged at Columbus, OH on April 1, 1865 by reason of the close of the war.

After the war, Silas wrote "History of the 21st Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion" published by Vrooman, Anderson & Bateman 1893 Toledo.

Silas never mentioned, that his son, George Spencer Canfield, age thirteen (when he joined), was a drummer boy in the 21st Ohio, also, Company K. It must have been hard for a father to be at war with his young son beside him. George was discharged at age sixteen, on Surgeons Certification of disability.

Family lore has it that, when a boy, Silas was taken by his father, Jared, to see General Lafayette on Lafayette's last visit to America.

Silas and Matilda, married either 1847 or 1848, moved their family to Norwalk, Ohio in 1850 or 1851. They later moved to Milan, Ohio. At one time, Silas was the Superintendent of the Milan schools. He taught in Wood Co., Ohio both before and after the Civil War. Silas served on the Wood Co., Ohio, Board of Examiners for Public School Teachers. He had hoped to study medicine and read many medical books. He set bones successfully, including his son Roswell's leg that was broken while playing in his Uncle Allen Canfield's saw mill.

Silas was a Christian man, simple in his faith. He was impressed with the Quakers among whom he had taught school in New York state. Silent grace was usual at his table. He doubted that any church with a system of bishops belonged in a democratic country.