George Henry Chapman
Encyclopedia
George Henry Chapman was an American
sailor, newspaper editor, lawyer, and soldier. He served in the United States Navy
during the Mexican-American War
and as a Union Army
general during the American Civil War
. Later in life he was a judge and a state legislator.
in 1832. At the age of six, Chapman and his family moved to Indiana
. His father and uncle published newspapers in Terre Haute
and then in Indianapolis
, including Indiana State Sentinel, a pro-democratic newspaper. Chapman later studied at Marion County Seminary.
In 1847 Chapman was appointed to the U. S. Navy as a midshipman. He served on the frigates USS Cumberland
and USS Constitution
until 1850, when he resigned following the death of his uncle. He then had a short-lived career in the mercantile business, and afterward he studied law. Chapman was admitted to the bar in 1857. From 1854–55, he edited and published his own newspaper called the Indiana Republican. He became the assistant clerk to the U.S. House of Representatives
in 1860.
in the 3rd Indiana Cavalry. Briefly Chapman lead the cavalry division of the Army of the Ohio
in May of the following year. Transferring to the infantry, he commanded a brigade
in the Army of the Potomac
until June 27, 1862.
Chapman was promoted to lieutenant colonel
on October 25, 1862. He fought at the Second Battle of Bull Run
in August, the Battle of Antietam
in September, and the Battle of Fredericksburg
in December. On March 12, 1863, Chapman was promoted to colonel
, and that May he participated in the Battle of Chancellorsville
.
Returning to the cavalry service, Chapman led his regiment during the Battle of Gettysburg
in July 1863. Here his command was part of Col. Thomas C. Devin's brigade, and was noted as the first Union soldiers to engage Confederate
forces approaching Gettysburg via the Cashtown road. Shortly after the battle, Chapman was given brigade command in the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac until March 1864.
Chapman participated in the Valley Campaigns of 1864
against Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early
's forces, lasting from May to October. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general
on July 21. Chapman led a cavalry brigade in the Union Army of the Shenandoah
from August 6 until September 19, when he was wounded during the Third Battle of Winchester
. Recovered by the following month, Chapman resumed leading a cavalry brigade in the Shenandoah Valley.
Beginning on January 5, 1865, Chapman led a cavalry division
of the Army of the Shenandoah. After the Battle of Waynesboro
on March 2, he was ordered to remain in the Shenandoah Valley while the rest of the Union forces headed for Petersburg, Virginia
. Chapman had with him now three small regiments and a few artillery pieces to hold the Valley. Near the end of the war he was brevetted to major general
in the Union Army on March 13, in recognition of his performance at Winchester in September 1864. Beginning on April 19, 1865, he was given command of the cavalry division assigned to Washington, D.C.
for five years. He also served as receiver for two financially challenged railroads during the 1870s. He then served as a state legislator in the Indiana Senate
, after being elected to the Senate in 1880. In June 1882 he died near Indianapolis
, Indiana
, and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery
located in Indianapolis.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sailor, newspaper editor, lawyer, and soldier. He served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during the Mexican-American War
Mexican–American War
The Mexican–American War, also known as the First American Intervention, the Mexican War, or the U.S.–Mexican War, was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S...
and as a Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
general during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Later in life he was a judge and a state legislator.
Early life and career
Chapman was born in Holland, MassachusettsHolland, Massachusetts
-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Holland is bounded on the east by Sturbridge; on the south by Union, Connecticut; on the west by Wales; and on the north by Brimfield. Holland is equidistant...
in 1832. At the age of six, Chapman and his family moved to Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. His father and uncle published newspapers in Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
and then in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, including Indiana State Sentinel, a pro-democratic newspaper. Chapman later studied at Marion County Seminary.
In 1847 Chapman was appointed to the U. S. Navy as a midshipman. He served on the frigates USS Cumberland
USS Cumberland (1842)
The first USS Cumberland was a 50-gun sailing frigate of the United States Navy. She was the first ship sunk by the ironclad CSS Virginia....
and USS Constitution
USS Constitution
USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named by President George Washington after the Constitution of the United States of America, she is the world's oldest floating commissioned naval vessel...
until 1850, when he resigned following the death of his uncle. He then had a short-lived career in the mercantile business, and afterward he studied law. Chapman was admitted to the bar in 1857. From 1854–55, he edited and published his own newspaper called the Indiana Republican. He became the assistant clerk to the U.S. House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1860.
Civil War service
At the beginning of the American Civil War in 1861, he resigned his clerk position to volunteer in the Union Army. On November 2 he was commissioned a majorMajor (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
in the 3rd Indiana Cavalry. Briefly Chapman lead the cavalry division of the Army of the Ohio
Army of the Cumberland
The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio.-History:...
in May of the following year. Transferring to the infantry, he commanded a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
in the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
until June 27, 1862.
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
on October 25, 1862. He fought at the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
in August, the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
in September, and the Battle of Fredericksburg
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
in December. On March 12, 1863, Chapman was promoted to colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
, and that May he participated in the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
.
Returning to the cavalry service, Chapman led his regiment during the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
in July 1863. Here his command was part of Col. Thomas C. Devin's brigade, and was noted as the first Union soldiers to engage Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
forces approaching Gettysburg via the Cashtown road. Shortly after the battle, Chapman was given brigade command in the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac until March 1864.
Chapman participated in the Valley Campaigns of 1864
Valley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
against Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early
Jubal Anderson Early
Jubal Anderson Early was a lawyer and Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served under Stonewall Jackson and then Robert E. Lee for almost the entire war, rising from regimental command to lieutenant general and the command of an infantry corps in the Army of Northern Virginia...
's forces, lasting from May to October. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
on July 21. Chapman led a cavalry brigade in the Union Army of the Shenandoah
Army of the Shenandoah (Union)
The Army of the Shenandoah was a Union army during the American Civil War. First organized in 1861 and then disbanded, it is best known for its recreation in 1864 under Philip Sheridan...
from August 6 until September 19, when he was wounded during the Third Battle of Winchester
Battle of Opequon
The Battle of Opequon, more commonly known as the Third Battle of Winchester, was fought in Winchester, Virginia, on September 19, 1864, during the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War....
. Recovered by the following month, Chapman resumed leading a cavalry brigade in the Shenandoah Valley.
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Army of the Shenandoah. After the Battle of Waynesboro
Battle of Waynesboro
The Battle of Waynesboro was fought on March 2, 1865, in Augusta County, Virginia, during the American Civil War. It was the final battle for Confederate Lt. Gen. Jubal Early, whose force was destroyed.-Background:...
on March 2, he was ordered to remain in the Shenandoah Valley while the rest of the Union forces headed for Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
. Chapman had with him now three small regiments and a few artillery pieces to hold the Valley. Near the end of the war he was brevetted to major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
in the Union Army on March 13, in recognition of his performance at Winchester in September 1864. Beginning on April 19, 1865, he was given command of the cavalry division assigned to Washington, D.C.
Postbellum
After the war, Chapman spent two months serving on court-martial boards. His military career ended with his resignation on January 7, 1866. He then served as a judge of the Criminal Court of Marion County, IndianaMarion County, Indiana
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. Census 2010 recorded a population of 903,393, making it the largest county in the state and 55th most populated county in the country, greater than the population of six states. The county seat is Indianapolis, the state capital and...
for five years. He also served as receiver for two financially challenged railroads during the 1870s. He then served as a state legislator in the Indiana Senate
Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms without term limits...
, after being elected to the Senate in 1880. In June 1882 he died near Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery
Crown Hill Cemetery, located at 700 West 38th Street in Indianapolis, is the third largest non-governmental cemetery in the United States at . It contains of paved road, over 150 species of trees and plants, over 185,000 graves, and services roughly 1,500 burials per year. It sits on the highest...
located in Indianapolis.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals