Stolen Plantation Silver

[Tom Hughes]

While thousands of Union soldiers were infiltrating the Vicksburg, MS area during the historic 1863 siege, it is well documented that the soldiers were known to pillage local farms and plantations. The pillaging usually resulted in the confiscation of chickens, livestock, sugar, flour, and other staples.
Occasionally, some silver items and other valuables were known to be taken from the locals.
This pillaging has been a common practice during warfare for probably as long as there have been wars.

While I was hunting a Union encampment in the Vicksburg area last year, I was fortunate enough to unearth a silver utensil handle. Silver is always good to find, but this item, I suspect, was taken from a local plantation and lost in the camp.
The silversmith name was still very visible on the back of the handle - E. Profilet.
This utensil was the work of the famous Natchez, MS silversmith, Louis Emile Gustave Profilet.
In itself, this silver piece had a unique place in the history of the antebellum south. Being found in the Union encampment, just added an extra dimension to that history.
Born in 1801, Emile Profilet came to Natchez, MS from France in 1820. He developed his skill in silversmithing in Natchez, where there were more millions per capita than anywhere else in the country at that time. In other words, he had a great market for his silver.
I suspect a Union soldier helped himself to some silver from one of the many local plantations in the area.
Another interesting aspect to the civil war and the activities of the men who fought it.

 

[Tom Hughes]

I meant to say "millionaires" instead of "millions" in the article.

 

[alan polk]

Wow!! Awesome piece of history you have recovered there and are preserving!! Thanks for posting!!

 

[alan polk]

Do you know if any of the antebellum homes in Natchez have his silverware on display today?

 

[Carronade]

Nice find! Would be great if it could be traced to its owner, wouldn't be surprised if one of our knowledgeable friends here pops up with "such-and-such plantation had a set of Profilet silver".

I would distinguish between foraging for supplies, which was generally considered legitimate, and theft of valuables or personal/family items like silverware.

 

[unionblue]

Nice find! Would be great if it could be traced to its owner, wouldn't be surprised if one of our knowledgeable friends here pops up with "such-and-such plantation had a set of Profilet silver".

I would distinguish between foraging for supplies, which was generally considered legitimate, and theft of valuables or personal/family items like silverware.

Guess it depends on which end of the gun barrel one is on.

 

[alan polk]

I would distinguish between foraging for supplies, which was generally considered legitimate, and theft of valuables or personal/family items like silverware.

Yeah, I suppose hardtack is easier served and tastes better if consumed with silverware

 

[Tom Hughes]

Do you know if any of the antebellum homes in Natchez have his silverware on display today?

I'm sure there are. But I don't know of any specific homes off-hand.
I did, however, see his silverware at a Mississippi history exhibit at the museum earlier this year.

 

[Tom Hughes]

Nice find! Would be great if it could be traced to its owner, wouldn't be surprised if one of our knowledgeable friends here pops up with "such-and-such plantation had a set of Profilet silver".

I would distinguish between foraging for supplies, which was generally considered legitimate, and theft of valuables or personal/family items like silverware.

I see your point. Although, stealing food and livestock was no better than stealing valuables to those affected for what I've been able to read.

 

[alan polk]

In Grant's Memoirs he attributes the failure of the May 19 and 22 assaults to the the shortage of silverware among his troops. You didn't know that? (Okay, okay, just kidding! I just couldn't help myself though.)

 

[UCVRelics]

Great Find. I always love finding silver or gold

 

[Patrick H]

My wife and I have a coin silver serving spoon that we promised would always stay with our circa 1850 house. The previous owners recovered it from the cellar when they dug the dirt floor deeper prior to pouring a concrete floor. I can never prove it, but I am certain the original home owners buried their silver during the civil war to protect it from theft. For whatever reason, this particular piece was not recovered until the 1970s.

Pardon the soft focus.

 

[Tom Hughes]

My wife and I have a coin silver serving spoon that we promised would always stay with our circa 1850 house. The previous owners recovered it from the cellar when they dug the dirt floor deeper prior to pouring a concrete floor. I can never prove it, but I am certain the original home owners buried their silver during the civil war to protect it from theft. For whatever reason, this particular piece was not recovered until the 1970s.

Pardon the soft focus.

View attachment 314094

Nice!

 

[Championhilz]

Advertisement for E. Profilet from the Natchez Weekly Courier, September 13, 1848

 

[Tom Hughes]

Advertisement for E. Profilet from the Natchez Weekly Courier, September 13, 1848

View attachment 314096

Great ad! Thanks for sharing this.

 

[Patrick H]

With regard to my post #12, stop and wrap your head around the quandary of a Boonville, Missouri civilian during the summer of 1864. The enrolled Missouri militias (Federal affiliation) were often poorly led, but they and the Provost Martials were running things pretty much to their own corrupt ends. Civilians suffered greatly at their corrupt actions. On the other hand, General Order Number 11 had driven many of the border guerrillas and their support network into central Missouri counties. Bill Anderson and George Todd were almost totally off the hook by this point in their savage careers. They thought Quantrill wasn't violent enough for their purposes, so they deposed his command. Anderson INFAMOUSLY led his boys into my town to meet with General Price. They showed up with human scalps decorating their bridles! Can any of you imagine witnessing such a thing? Can any of you imagine which allegiance you might profess? I think I'd bar my doors, blow out my lamps, and be VERY quiet in my house whenever I heard horse shoes clopping down the street.

If you were a successful private citizen in my town during those dark days, it would not matter too much which armed force was in town. You'd probably get robbed blind.

 

[Tom Hughes]

Nice find! Would be great if it could be traced to its owner, wouldn't be surprised if one of our knowledgeable friends here pops up with "such-and-such plantation had a set of Profilet silver".

I would distinguish between foraging for supplies, which was generally considered legitimate, and theft of valuables or personal/family items like silverware.

Theft is theft

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Missed this for a month! Relics always seem like found History. They're fascinating, minnie balls to silver. Who shot it, used something, owned something?

Yes, Fredericksburg got hit hard too. There's a war time photo somewhere of soldiers outside the door of a house's shot-up facade. Swear to goodness it looks like they're carrying a bed out of there. A bed! What would they want with a bed? It's not very portable.

The other side of it shows up sometimes, like the Confederate soldier at Gettysburg who sheltered in someone's house and left a thank you note? Just read another account where a Confederate officer wordlessly handed a book off to a Union officer ( can't remember why they were in proximity ). It had been taken from a home- officer actually ensured it got all the way back to the owner. I think it was a professor's, from either the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg or Pennsylvania College.

 

[MissMads]

This is so interesting! As a Profilet, I stumbled upon your find while looking into ancestors. But I may have to burst your bubble. Louis Emile was a famous silversmith, yes. He came from France to Natchez. His son of the same name became a doctor, serving in the Civil War. While a story of stolen silver is more impressive, I'd look where Dr Profilet served. He may have brought his silver spoon with him

 

[Tom Hughes]

This is so interesting! As a Profilet, I stumbled upon your find while looking into ancestors. But I may have to burst your bubble. Louis Emile was a famous silversmith, yes. He came from France to Natchez. His son of the same name became a doctor, serving in the Civil War. While a story of stolen silver is more impressive, I'd look where Dr Profilet served. He may have brought his silver spoon with him

Thanks for responding to this thread. Nice to meet you over this story. I found the Profilet spoon in a Union camp. But hey, you never know! What state are you from? Are you in Mississippi?