Silverdale Confederate Cemetery

There are others whose names may not be as familiar to modern residents, but who have fascinating stories. Shadrick Searcy is one buried here, who started the war as a body servant to two brothers named Searcy from Talbotton, Georgia. Both joined the 46th Georgia Infantry and Shadrick went with them. William was killed at Kennesaw and James was killed at Franklin. Shadrick stayed with the Army of Tennessee until the surrender in Greensboro, North Carolina, in April of 1865. He settled in Chattanooga and received a Tennessee State Confederate Pension until his death in 1936. Another is Sgt. Edward J. Wentworth of the 19th Michigan Infantry, Union army, who was on his way to a  military prison but was off loaded from a train in Chattanooga because he was so weak and near death. The staff at Academy Hospital tried in vain to save him, and he died in April of 1863. He was buried at peace with his former enemies.  Generally, you won't find Union Soldiers buried in Confederate cemeteries. The Chattanooga Confederate Cemetery is not only a resting place for some of the finest men who ever graced our city, but it is also a treasure trove of our history. Those who would minimize the importance of the life stories resting there should remember the words of George Santayana (1863-1952), U. S. philosopher and poet: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."