I have tried very hard to stay out of this discussion about Silas Chandler because I have become more and more fatigued by the inability of the Lost Causer crowd to accept what the historical record says about the relationship between Silas Chandler and his master and the Confederacy. Their denial of the findings from the PBS story began long before the episode of History Detectives began.
Carl W. Roden stated ”I will see it tonight and offer a review….and no doubt our favorite Denier bloggers are waiting for the same. In a fair world Mr. Levin and Mr. Hall should get another disappointment, but as we have seen and know all too well life ain’t fair.”
and
John Stones had this to say: ”The FOX interview ended with an indicator as to where it will be going – I’ll be watching but not expecting the truth. I’m sure it had to pass Levin’s smell test!”
Once the program did air, the Lost Causers were less than please and began to dig up all the tired old excuses and claims.
John Stones’ self-fulfilled prophesy comes true: ”This PBS “special” is the piece of garbage I was expecting it would be!”While Susan Frise Hathaway lamented “and WHO CARES whether he volunteered or not? A large percentage of American soldiers did not volunteer. Are they not still soldiers?
This is the tired old excuse that since some Vietnam Vets were drafted and did not volunteer and Silas Chandler did not volunteer that still makes them both soldiers. However the mountain of evidence from the Confederacy makes a very clear distinction that slaves, that which Silas was, were not soldiers.
One other post also caught my eye and it was from Royal Daidem (Ann DeWitt) and it actually proposes a fairly descent idea concerning what we see in this picture…
What will the follow-up story be about Andrew Chandler and Silas Chandler after the PBS History Detectives episode “Chandler Tintype?” As shared yesterday, PBS History Detectives concluded that Silas Chandler was a slave and body servant who “served” the Confederate States Army. I have a recommendation. Take a look at this photo which is courtesy of Toledo Blade (toledoblade.com). The photograph shows Chandler Battaile and Bobby Chandler both holding the tintype of Andrew Chandler and Silas Chandler. PBS can now do a piece on how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s dream is being fulfilled. Dr. King said, “I have a dream that one day the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.”Why not highlight how the Chandler Tintype has brought these two men, a descendant of a slaveholder and a descendant of a slave, together? You know. Focus on the positive in the story; and bring people together in peace and harmony. I sure will!
But I doubt MLK’s dream can be fully obtained until one accepts the truth about Silas’ identity and his relation to his master, Andrew, and the Confederacy.
Wish I could see some of those comments. Sadly, the have banned me.
I thank your comment is greatI I tried to promote friendship — If not now–When?
Bobbie Chandler
bobbiechandler@comcast.net
Mr. Chandler:
I think many of us would be glad to know any thoughts you might have and want to share about this process, the show, and Silas Chandler.
Thanks.
I would agree with Andy Mr. Chandler…any insight you have on the History Detctives show or anything about Silas we might not know or understand would be great to hear about.
“The uniform jacket, musket, sword and canteen used by Silas are treasured possessions of his descendants.”
UDC magazine, Volumes 56-57, p.29
http://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&tbo=1&q=silas+sword+%22bobbie+chandler%22
Sword? Musket? What goes heah?
BorderRuffian, I think you may have something there! Since Silas carried a sword then he must have been an officer! Now the Lost Causers can say that the Confederate Army was the first to allow Blacks to be officers! This is about as much circumstantial evidence as you have to promote the idea that thousands of Blacks served as soldiers in the Confederate Army so why not?
As a descendent of 6 direct Confederate soldiers, I feel compelled to reply to some of these comments. Did Silas Chandler fight as a soldier? I have no idea. Everyone that knew has been dead for a long time. Did Andrew Chandler love Silas Chandler like a brother? You could bet your bottom dollar on this one. Had Silas been wounded, I guarantee you that Andrew would have done the same as Silas did. My Confederate anscestors owned no slaves whatsoever. In fact, the region of NC that they lived in had very few slaves, but many “free men of color”. Some of these did participate in the war, with the South. In what capacity may never be known. I do know that many of them attended Confederate reunions, and there are stories and photos passed on by my ancestors that substantiate those facts. Did my ancestors fight to defend slavery? No way. they fought to defend their homeland from invaders. Did sodme fight to defend slavery. They sure did, but it was only a small portion of the people. Did most Yankees fight to free the slaves? No they did not. Some did, but it was like wise a small portion of the soldiers. You better believe I’m proud of my Confederate ancestors. They would have been proud of Silas Chandler too.
“Did Andrew Chandler love Silas Chandler like a brother? You could bet your bottom dollar on this one”
Do you have some evidence to back up this statement? If so, please pass it along, otherwise you cannot conclude that with the information we have on the two men.
“My Confederate anscestors owned no slaves whatsoever”
That is an amazing statement…because every person with southern ancestors say the same thing for the most part…I wonder who owned those 4 million slaves?
“In what capacity may never be known. I do know that many of them attended Confederate reunions, and there are stories and photos passed on by my ancestors that substantiate those facts”
Just because they show up in reunion photos does not mean they were soldiers…most likely they represent the “faithful slave” narative that was being groomed during the post war years.
Thanks for taking the time to comment.