# George Henry Chapman

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{{Short description|American sailor, editor, lawyer, and writer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox military person
| name               = George Henry Chapman
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1832|11|22}}
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1882|06|16|1832|11|22}}
| image              = G H Chapman UA BGen ACW.jpg
| caption            = 
| birth_place        = [Holland, Massachusetts](/source/Holland%2C_Massachusetts), US
| death_place        = near [Indianapolis, Indiana](/source/Indianapolis%2C_Indiana), US
| burial_place       = [Crown Hill Cemetery](/source/Crown_Hill_Cemetery) and Arboretum, Section 6, Lot 12
| burial_label       = 
| burial_coordinates = {{Coord|39.8201243|-86.1746721|type:landmark|display=inline}}
| allegiance         = United States<br/>[Union](/source/Union_(American_Civil_War))
| branch             = United States Navy<br/>[Union Army](/source/Union_Army)
| service_years      = 1847&ndash;1850 (USN)<br/>1861&ndash;1866 (Union Army)
| rank               = [Midshipman](/source/Midshipman) (USN)<br>[Brigadier General](/source/Brigadier_general_(United_States))<br>[Brevet](/source/Brevet_(military)) [Major General](/source/Major_general_(United_States)) (Union Army)
| unit               = 
| commands           = 
| battles            = [Mexican–American War](/source/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War)<br/>[American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War)
| awards             = 
| relations          = 
| other_work         = 
}}

'''George Henry Chapman''' (November 22, 1832 &ndash; June 16, 1882) was an American sailor, newspaper editor, lawyer, and soldier. He served in the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) during the [Mexican–American War](/source/Mexican%E2%80%93American_War) and as a [Union Army](/source/Union_Army) [general](/source/General_officer) during the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War). Later in life he was a judge and a state legislator.<ref name=Eicher170/>

==Early life and career==
Chapman was born in [Holland, Massachusetts](/source/Holland%2C_Massachusetts), in 1832.<ref name="George Henry Chapman, civilwarindiana">{{Cite web|url=http://civilwarindiana.com/biographies/chapman_george_henry.html |title=George Henry Chapman |access-date=December 21, 2008 |work=civilwarindiana.com |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514053714/http://civilwarindiana.com/biographies/chapman_george_henry.html |archive-date=May 14, 2008 }}</ref> At the age of six, Chapman and his family moved to [Indiana](/source/Indiana). His father and uncle published newspapers in [Terre Haute](/source/Terre_Haute%2C_Indiana) and then in [Indianapolis](/source/Indianapolis),<ref name=Warner80>Warner, p. 80.</ref> including ''Indiana State Sentinel'', a pro-democratic newspaper.<ref name="George Henry Chapman, civilwarindiana"/> Chapman later studied at Marion County Seminary.<ref name=Warner80/>

In 1847 Chapman was appointed to the U. S. Navy as a [midshipman](/source/Midshipman). He served on the frigates [USS ''Cumberland''](/source/USS_Cumberland_(1842)) and [USS ''Constitution''](/source/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&ndash;55, he edited and published his own newspaper called the Indiana ''Republican''.<ref name="George Henry Chapman, civilwarindiana"/> He became the assistant clerk to the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) in 1860.<ref name=Warner80>Warner, p. 80.</ref>

==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 [major](/source/Major_(United_States)) in the [3rd Indiana Cavalry](/source/3rd_Indiana_Cavalry). Chapman briefly led the cavalry division of the [Army of the Ohio](/source/Army_of_the_Cumberland) in May of the following year. Transferring to the infantry, he commanded a [brigade](/source/brigade) in the [Army of the Potomac](/source/Army_of_the_Potomac) until June 27, 1862.<ref name=Eicher170>Eicher, p. 170.</ref>

left|thumb|Chapman (seated) and his staff during the American Civil War
Chapman was promoted to [lieutenant colonel](/source/Lieutenant_colonel_(United_States)) on October 25, 1862.<ref name=Eicher170/> He fought at the [Second Battle of Bull Run](/source/Second_Battle_of_Bull_Run) in August, the [Battle of Antietam](/source/Battle_of_Antietam) in September, and the [Battle of Fredericksburg](/source/Battle_of_Fredericksburg) in December.<ref name="George Henry Chapman, civilwarindiana"/> On March 12, 1863, Chapman was promoted to [colonel](/source/Colonel_(United_States)),<ref name=Eicher170/> and that May he participated in the [Battle of Chancellorsville](/source/Battle_of_Chancellorsville).<ref name=Warner80/>

Returning to the cavalry service, Chapman led his regiment during the [Battle of Gettysburg](/source/Battle_of_Gettysburg) in July 1863. Here his command was part of Col. [Thomas C. Devin](/source/Thomas_C._Devin)'s brigade, and was noted as the first Union soldiers to engage [Confederate](/source/Confederate_States_of_America) forces approaching Gettysburg via the Cashtown road.<ref>George Henry Chapman, civilwarindiana.com; Warner, p. 80.</ref> Shortly after the battle, Chapman was given brigade command in the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac until March 1864.<ref name=Eicher170/>

Chapman participated in the [Valley Campaigns of 1864](/source/Valley_Campaigns_of_1864) against Confederate [Lt. Gen.](/source/Lt._General_(CSA)) [Jubal Early](/source/Jubal_Anderson_Early)'s forces, lasting from May to October.<ref name=Warner80/> He was promoted to the rank of [brigadier general](/source/Brigadier_general_(United_States)) on July 21, 1864, to rank from that date.<ref>President [Abraham Lincoln](/source/Abraham_Lincoln) sent the nomination for the appointment to the United States Senate on December 12, 1864, and the Senate confirmed the appointment on February 14, 1865. Eicher, 2001, p. 719.</ref> Chapman led a cavalry brigade in the Union [Army of the Shenandoah](/source/Army_of_the_Shenandoah_(Union)) from August 6 until September 19, when he was wounded during the [Third Battle of Winchester](/source/Battle_of_Opequon). Recovered by the following month, Chapman resumed leading a cavalry brigade in the Shenandoah Valley.<ref name=Eicher170/>

Beginning on January 5, 1865, Chapman led a cavalry [division](/source/Division_(military)) of the Army of the Shenandoah.<ref>Eicher, p. 170. 3rd Division, Cavalry Corps, January 5&ndash;30, 1865; 2nd Division, Cavalry Corps, January 30&ndash;April 19, 1865.</ref> After the [Battle of Waynesboro, Virginia](/source/Battle_of_Waynesboro%2C_Virginia), on March 2, he was ordered to remain in the Shenandoah Valley while the rest of the Union forces headed for [Petersburg, Virginia](/source/Petersburg%2C_Virginia). Chapman had with him now three small regiments and a few artillery pieces to hold the Valley.<ref name=Warner80/> Beginning on April 19, 1865, he was given command of the cavalry division assigned to [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.%2C_in_the_American_Civil_War)<ref name=Eicher170/> In recognition of his performance at Winchester in September 1864, on January 13, 1866, [President](/source/President_of_the_United_States) [Andrew Johnson](/source/Andrew_Johnson) nominated Chapman for appointment to the grade of [brevet](/source/Brevet_(military)) [major general](/source/Major_general_(United_States)) of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.<ref>Eicher, 2011, p. 711.</ref>

==Postbellum==
thumb|right|Chapman's grave at Crown Hill Cemetery

After the war, Chapman spent two months serving on court-martial boards. His military career ended with his resignation on January 7, 1866.<ref name="George Henry Chapman, civilwarindiana"/><ref>Eicher, 2001, p. 719.</ref> He then served as a judge of the Criminal Court of [Marion County, Indiana](/source/Marion_County%2C_Indiana), for five years. He also served as receiver for two financially challenged railroads during the 1870s.<ref name=Warner80/> He then served as a state legislator in the [Indiana Senate](/source/Indiana_Senate), after being elected to the Senate in 1880.<ref name=Eicher170/><ref>Warner, p. 81</ref> In June 1882 he died near Indianapolis and was buried at [Crown Hill Cemetery](/source/Crown_Hill_Cemetery) located in Indianapolis (Section 6, Lot 12).<ref name=Warner80/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|American Civil War}}
*[List of American Civil War generals (Union)](/source/List_of_American_Civil_War_generals_(Union))
{{Clear}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite book |title=Civil War High Commands |last=Eicher |first=John H. |author2=David J. Eicher |author2-link=David J. Eicher |year=2001 |publisher=[Stanford University Press](/source/Stanford_University_Press) |isbn=0-8047-3641-3}}
*{{cite book |title=Generals in Blue: The Lives of the Union Commanders |url=https://archive.org/details/generalsinblueli0000warn |url-access=registration |last=Warner |first=Ezra J. |year=1964 |publisher=[Louisiana State University Press](/source/Louisiana_State_University_Press) |isbn=0-8071-0822-7}}

==External links==
*{{commons category-inline}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chapman, George Henry}}
Category:1832 births
Category:1882 deaths
Category:Burials at Crown Hill Cemetery
Category:People of Indiana in the American Civil War
Category:Union army generals
Category:United States Navy officers
Category:People from Holland, Massachusetts
Category:Military personnel from Massachusetts

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [George Henry Chapman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Henry_Chapman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Henry_Chapman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.