Silas Gorrell enlisted in the Unions Seventh Regiment Company H Infantry as a private on August 21,1862 mustered out on June 9, 1865 (from National Civil War records) Harford Co. Maryland.

Silas 24, along with Skipworth C. Gorrell 42, (his uncle) and Lawson Gorrell 21, (younger brother) left Harford County, Maryland for Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Md. where they enlisted, trained and served in the same unit.

The 7th Regiments first service was guarding the City of Baltimore in anticipation of an attack by Gen. Stuart’s cavalry.

Sept. 8, 1862 at the beginning of Gen. Lee’s invasion of Maryland, they became a part of the famous Maryland Brigade composed of the 1st, 4th, 6th and 7th infantries and Alexander’s battery (Horace Anderson was in Alexander’s) and were ordered to march from Druid Hill Park in Baltimore to Antietam, Md. The battle began on Sep 17, 1862 and they arrived there on the 18th as Gen. Lee was withdrawing his troops.

They were ordered to advance to Williamsport and support Pennsylvanian troops who were involved in a skirmish.

Records show that in Dec 1863 he was sick and wounded and was sent to Douglas USA General Hospital Wash., D.C. There are no detailed records regarding being wounded, however the last skirmish was at Haymarket in October 1863.

Silas was sent to Haddington Hospital from May 1864 till April 1865. In 1864 he is listed in the HOSPITAL REGISTER, a union newspaper distributed among all military hospitals, Vol. 3 No. 10 dated Saturday October 29, 1864, Haddington U.S.A. General Hospital, Sixty fifth and Vine St. Philadelphia. Pa. It lists surgeons and staff where Silas Gorrell was listed as the Chief Carpenter.

Haddington Hospital is located at the old Bull’s Head Tavern at Sixty fifth and Vine Sts. Philadelphia. The building is still standing and was opened in November 2nd 1862 and had 200 to 400 beds. (from Philadelphia in the Civil War published 1913)

At the end of the war in June of 1865, a hospital surgeon at Satterlee USA General Hospital Phil. Pa., diagnosed him as suffering with chronic diarrhea and he was discharged in compliance w/directions. He did receive a Civil War Pension.

During the war Silas and Elizabeth Ann Walker applied for marriage license in Ellicott Mills, Md. and married on April 26, 1863.