George Henry Chapman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Henry Chapman
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George Henry Chapman
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| Born | November 22, 1832 Holland, Massachusetts |
| Died | June 16, 1882 (aged 49) near Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Place of burial |
Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana
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| Allegiance |  United States of AmericaUnion |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy United States of America (Union Army) |
| Years of service | 1847–1850 (USN) 1861–1866 (Union Army) |
| Rank | Midshipman (USN) Brigadier General Brevet Major General (Union Army) |
| Battles/wars | Mexican–American War American Civil War |
George Henry Chapman (born November 22, 1832 – died June 16, 1882) was an American who had many important jobs. He was a sailor, a newspaper editor, a lawyer, and a soldier. He served in the United States Navy during the Mexican–American War. Later, he became a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. After the war, he worked as a judge and a lawmaker in his state.
Early Life and Career
George Henry Chapman was born in Holland, Massachusetts, in 1832. When he was six years old, his family moved to Indiana. His father and uncle worked in the newspaper business. They published newspapers in Terre Haute and then in Indianapolis. One of their papers was the Indiana State Sentinel, which supported the Democratic political party. George later went to school at Marion County Seminary.
In 1847, when he was about 15, Chapman joined the U.S. Navy as a midshipman. This was a rank for young officers in training. He served on two large ships, the USS Cumberland and the USS Constitution. He stayed in the Navy until 1850. He left after his uncle passed away.
After leaving the Navy, Chapman tried working in business for a short time. Then, he decided to study law. He became a lawyer in 1857. From 1854 to 1855, he also ran his own newspaper called the Indiana Republican. In 1860, he became an assistant clerk for the United States House of Representatives. This meant he helped with official paperwork for the U.S. government.
Civil War Service
When the American Civil War began in 1861, George Chapman left his job in Washington. He wanted to help the Union Army. On November 2, he became a major in the 3rd Indiana Cavalry. This was a unit of soldiers who rode horses. In May of the next year, he briefly led the cavalry division of the Army of the Ohio.
Later, he moved to the infantry, which means soldiers who fight on foot. He led a group of soldiers called a brigade in the Army of the Potomac. He commanded this group until June 27, 1862.
Chapman was promoted to lieutenant colonel on October 25, 1862. He fought in several important battles that year. These included 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 became a colonel. That May, he took part in the Battle of Chancellorsville.
After some time, Chapman returned to the cavalry. He led his regiment during the famous Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863. His soldiers were part of a brigade led by Colonel Thomas C. Devin. Chapman's troops were among the first Union soldiers to meet the Confederate forces near Gettysburg. Soon after this battle, Chapman was given command of a cavalry brigade in the Army of the Potomac. He held this command until March 1864.
Chapman also fought in the Valley Campaigns of 1864. These battles were against Confederate General Jubal Early's forces. The campaigns lasted from May to October. Chapman was promoted to the rank of brigadier general on July 21, 1864. He led a cavalry brigade in the Union Army of the Shenandoah. On September 19, he was wounded during the Third Battle of Winchester.
He recovered by the next month and went back to leading a cavalry brigade in the Shenandoah Valley. Starting on January 5, 1865, Chapman led a cavalry division of the Army of the Shenandoah. After the Battle of Waynesboro, Virginia, on March 2, he was told to stay in the Shenandoah Valley. The rest of the Union forces went to Petersburg, Virginia. Chapman had only a few small regiments and some cannons to defend the Valley.
On April 19, 1865, he was given command of the cavalry division for Washington, D.C.. For his brave actions at Winchester in September 1864, President Andrew Johnson honored Chapman. On January 13, 1866, he was given the honorary rank of brevet major general of volunteers. This rank was made official on March 12, 1866.
Life After the War
After the Civil War ended, Chapman spent two months serving on military court boards. His time in the military finished when he resigned on January 7, 1866.
He then became a judge for the Criminal Court of Marion County, Indiana, for five years. He also helped manage two railroads that were having money problems in the 1870s. In 1880, he was elected to the Indiana Senate, where he served as a state lawmaker. George Henry Chapman passed away in June 1882 near Indianapolis. He was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.
See also
- List of American Civil War generals (Union)
