05/24/2026
Let’s remember PVT Baker tomorrow at 10am!
With May being National Military Appreciation month and Memorial Day being Monday, May 26th we would like to take this time to share some of the Warrensburg/Thurman area Roll of Honor members. Members on this list are those who have passed during active military service, this is one of 2 list we read during the Memorial Day Ceremony. Currently the list is being revised to include those who died in service from pre ww1 conflicts and to gather more history on each member.
Today we remember US Army Private Silas Baker. Born in Thurman, 1834. The husband of his late wife, Robey and his wife at time of enlistment Lydia and father of 4 to Charles, Rufus, Arminda and William. Silas enlisted on September 1st, 1864. Attached to H Company, 142nd Infantry Regiment of the New York State Volunteers, Silas would of seen combat throughout the Carolinas Campaigns. On January 15th, 1865 he was killed in combat duringng the second battle of Fort Fisher, North Carolina. The battle of Fort Fisher was a pivotal victory for the Union as Fort Fisher was the lasts open port in the Confederate States of America. Many people consider this the Normandy invasion of the Civil War. From a few different sources we have found Private Baker was nominated for the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle of Fort Fisher.
From the accounts we have found Pvt. Baker was buried on the battlefield at Ft. Fisher but has a memorial at Baker Cemetery on High Street in Thurman.
Be sure to come out to honor and remember Pvt. Baker and the other 1.2 million Service Members who have given there lives for this great nation Monday, May 26 for the Town of Warrensburg NY Memorial Day Parade, parade starts at 9am.
If anyone has any stories they would like share to continue the story of Pvt. Baker please comment or message us.
For more information on the battle of Ft. Fisher visit:
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/fort-fisher
For more information on the 142 IR of NY visit:
https://museum.dmna.ny.gov/unit-hist