(NOTE: James Chapman probably never had his portrait taken prior to the Civil War. However, during the 10 month period that the 86th Illinois was in the Nashville, Tennessee area in 1862-63, James, like most of the Union soldiers in the Nashville area, probably took the time to sit for a portrait to send home to the loved ones that he left behind. These portraits were most often printed in the form of what was called a CDV, a paper picture glued to a heavier card stock about the size of a modern day baseball card, and the soldiers didn't just have one or two copies made. Most of the time, they had a dozen or more made, so they could swap pictures with their tentmates, messmates and for their friends, in the 86th and back home.
Henry Clay Baker survived the war and lived well into the 20th century. During his life, Henry probably had his picture taken dozens of times, if not hundreds of times. I would dearly love to see a copy of that CDV added to his Find A Grave site for all with an interest to see. However, at this point, I would be thrilled just to see some more pictures of him added to his Find A Grave Memorial, even ones of him as an old man. Can anyone help me? Thanks, Baxter)

Private JAMES CHAPMAN, Co. A, 86th Illinois

James Chapman was born on July 14, 1842 in Licking County, Ohio, of Joseph Chapman, who was born March 18, 1803 in Ohio, and Joseph's 2nd wife, Elizabeth Fisher, who was born on November 21, 1808 in Virginia. Joseph was the son of Levi Chapman.
Joseph Chapman was married 1st on February 10, 1825 in Muskingum County, Ohio to Mary Darrah, who was born c. 1804, the daughter of Joseph Darrah, who was born c. 1767 and who died in Muskingum County, Ohio on March 1, 1852, and Elizabeth (____________) Darrah, who was born c. 1772 and who died on March 25, 1852. Joseph Darrah was the son of Henry Darrah (c. 1747 - 1806 Greene County, Pennsylvania).
Joseph Chapman and Mary (Darrah) Chapman were the parents of 7 children. They include;
1. Hannah Chapman, born c. September 28, 1824/25 in Muskingum County, Ohio. Hannah was married to J__________ Williams c. 1845, possibly in Fairfield County, Ohio.

2.Wells H. or M. Chapman, born c. March 3, 1827 in Muskingum County, Ohio. Wells was married to Elizabeth Moyer and later moved to Mahaska County, Iowa. Wells died in 1914.

3. Mary Chapman, born May 24, 1830 in Muskingum County, Ohio. Mary was married to J__________ Craiglow.

4. Rebecca Chapman, born c. 1834/35 in Ohio.

5. Levi Chapman, born c. 1836/37 in Ohio.

6. __________ Chapman, born

7. __________ Chapman, born

At the time of the 1830 census, there is a Joseph Chapman found in Springfield Township of Muskingum County, Ohio. This is believed to be our Joseph Chapman. His family consists of;
1 male 20 to 29 (probably Joseph)
1 male 0 to 4 (probably Wells)
1 female 20 to 29 (prpbably Mary)
2 females 0 to 4 (probably Hannah and Mary)

In the 1830's, the Chapmans moved just west into Licking County, Ohio. At the time of the 1840 census, there is a Joseph Chapman found in Lima Township of Licking County, Ohio that fits what we know about our Joseph Chapman. This is almost certainly him;
1 male 30 to 39 (probably Joseph)
1 male 0 to 4 (probablyLevi)
1 female 29 to 20 (possibly Mary)
1 female 10 to 14 (probably Hannah)
1 female 5 to 9 (probably Mary)
1 female 0 to 4 (probably Rebecca)

Mary (Darrah) Chapman died on September 23, 1840 and her mortal remains probably lie today in an unmarked grave in Licking County, Ohio.
Joseph Chapman was then married 2nd in Licking County, Ohio to Elizabeth Fisher on July 27/29, 1841. Five children were born to Joseph Chapman and Elizabeth (Fisher) Chapman, including;
8. James Chapman, born July 14, 1842 in Licking County, Ohio. See his biography below.

9. Sarah A. Chapman, born November 20, 1843 in Licking County, Ohio. Sarah was married to Joseph A. Carr on January 5, 1862. Joseph would also serve in what was to become Co. A of the 86th Illinois beside Sarah's older brother, James Chapman. See Joseph A Carr's Find A Grave Memorial #11866259 for more information about Sarah, Joseph and their family.

10. Francis "Fanny" Chapman, born c. 1844/45 in Ohio.

11. Emily/Emeline Chapman, born c. 1846/47 in Ohio.

12. Louisa Chapman, born c. 1850/51 in Licking County, Ohio.

The Chapmans are known to have resided near Lima, Ohio and it was there that James Chapman spent his early years, learning how to farm beside his father and older half brothers and sisters. In the 1840's, the Chapmans moved juts south into Fairfield County, Ohio. At the time of the 1850 census, the Chapmans are found in Hocking, Fairfield County, Ohio;
Joseph Chapman M 47 Ohio
Elizabeth Chapman F 41 Virginia
Hannah Chapman F 25 Virginia
Wells H Chapman M 23 Ohio
Mary Chapman F 20 Ohio
Rebecca Chapman F 15 Ohio
Levi Chapman M 13 Ohio
James Chapman M 10 Ohio
Sarah Chapman F 7 Ohio
Francis Chapman F 5 Ohio
Emila Chapman F 3 Ohio

In the 1850's, Joseph and Elizabeth made a big move west to Illinois, where they settled in Palestine Township in Woodford County near Secor, Illinois. At the time of the 1860 census, Joseph and Elizabeth are found residing in Palestine Township with Joseph's youngest son from his 1st marriage, Levi, then 21 years of age, along with Joseph and Elizabeth's five children. However Joseph's age and Elizabeth's age are a number of years off;
Joseph Chapman M 51 Ohio (Should be c. 57)
Elizabeth Chapman F 40 Va (Should be c. 51)
Levi Chapman M 21 Ohio
James Chapman M 17 Ohio
Sarah Chapman F 16 Ohio
Fanny Chapman F 14 Ohio
Emeline Chapman F 12 Ohio
Louisa Chapman F 9 Ohio

I am not certain what became of Joseph and Elizabeth after this. However at the time of the 1870 census, James and Eliza appear to have moved to Missouri, where they reside in Marion Township, Jasper County, Missouri;
Joseph Chapman M 69 Ohio
Elizbeth Chapman F 59 Virginia
James Chapman M 26 Ohio
Ida Chapman F 17 Ohio
Samuel Huff M 30 Indiana
Emma Huff F 21 Ohio
John T Huff M 6 Illinois
Vinnie Huff M 0 Missouri

(Note; Interestingly there is a Elizabeth Ida (Chapman) Bradley buried near James Chapman and his mother, Elizabeth (Fisher) Chapman in Riverview Cemetery in Aurora, Indiana in Dearborn County.)

Joseph Chapman died sometime before 1880, but where this occurred and where his mortal remains lie will probably remain a mystery. Nothing more is known of Joseph Chapman.

At the time of the 1880 census, Elizabeth (Fisher) Chapman, now widowed, and her son, James Chapman are found in Center Township, Dearborn County, Indiana;
Elizabeth Chapman Self F 69 Virginia
James Chapman Son M 34 Ohio

Elizabeth (Fisher) Chapman died on January 9, 1897 and her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Riverview Cemetery in Aurora, Indiana in Dearborn County.

Now to continue with the biography of James Chapman;
On August 7, 1862, James Chapman volunteered in Palestine Township to serve in a company which was being raised in the Eureka and El Paso, Illinois area in Woodford County by William S. Magarity, who had been the first man elected to serve as Woodford County Sheriff in the 1840's. He stated he was 20 years of age when he enlisted, his place of birth as Columbus Center, Licking County, Ohio and his place of residence as Palestine Township, Woodford County, Illinois. Four days later, James' brother-in-law, Joseph A. Carr, volunteered to serve in the same company.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name CHAPMAN, JAMES
Rank PVT Company A Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence PALESTINE, WOODFORD CO, IL Age 20 Height 5' 7 Hair AUBURN
Eyes HAZEL Complexion DARK Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity COLUMBUS CENTER, LICKING CO, OH

Service Record
Joined When AUG 7, 1862 Joined Where PALESTINE, IL
Joined By Whom CPT MAGARITY Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out JUN 15, 1865
Muster Out Where SPRINGFIELD, IL Muster Out By Whom CPT MONTGOMERY
Remarks PAROLLED PRISONER

When Magarity had about 100 volunteers, he took his company across the Illinois River to Peoria, Illinois where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. On August 27, 1862, 96 men of the Woodford County company were mustered into service as Co. A of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Magarity was elected Captain of Co. A.
On September 7, 1862, the men of the 85th & 86th Regiments of Illinois Volunteer Infantry marched out of Camp Lyon through the streets of Peoria to the railroad station where they boarded trains bound for Camp Joe Holt, in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which was located on the Ohio River across from Louisville, Kentucky. About the 1st of October of 1862, the men of the 85th & 86th were assigned to the 36th Brigade, which was being commanded by General Daniel McCook, then Colonel of the 52nd Ohio, also part of the 36th Brigade, and they were sent into Kentucky in pursuit of Confederate troops in Kentucky.
On Oct. 8, 1862, McCook's Brigade caught up with those Confederate troops and were briefly engaged withe them in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the coming years. After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederates withdrew from the State of Kentucky and the men of McCook's Briagde marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they would spend the winter of 1862/63.
During the next year and a half, Private James Chapman would serve faithfully in Co. A. During this time, James was witness to and a participant in some of the bloodiest fighting of the Western Theatre of the war, including the Battles of Chickamauga, Georgia; Resaca, Georgia; Rome, Georgia; and Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia. As the men of Co. A lay in the trenches on the morning of June 27, 1864 across from Cheatham Hill on Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, little did they know that when the sun set on that day, Co. A would look drastically different. As the men made preparations for the assault on the Confederate fortifications on Cheatham Hill that morning, Co. A fielded 39 officers and men fit for duty. Thirty minutes after the assault began the men of McCook's Brigade fell back unable to breach the Confederate fortifications. During those 30 minutes, McCook's Brigade suffered over 30% casualties, over 500 men. The 86th Illinois suffered just over 100 casualties, but it was Co. A, the Eureka/El Paso, Illinois company which suffered the most. Co. A lost 11 men killed, 9 men wounded and 6 men were captured, some of whom were also severely wounded. Co. A had suffered 66% casualties. Three of those wounded or captured would die before the war was over. Among the captured was Private James Chapman.
Private Chapman is believed to have eventually been sent to the infamous prison camp at Andersonville, Georgia. Where ever he was sent, he would spend the remainder of the war as a Prisoner of War as a "Guest" of the Confederacy. After the war came to a close, Private James Chapman was released from prison and sent north. He was finally mustered out of the service on June 15, 1865 at Springfield, Illinois. He is believed at that time to have returned briefly to Woodford County, Illinois, but he is not believed to have remained there long.
After returning from the service, some believe that James moved back east to Licking County, Ohio, where his mother was believed to have been residing. However, I believe the Chapman's moved to Missouri, where Joseph Chapman may have died. Then sometime between 1870 and 1880, James and his mother moved to Dearborn County, Indiana.
At this time, it is believed that James Chapman did not marry until 1897. On August 29, 1879, Private James Chapman began collecting an Invalid Pension for his service in the Union Army. At the time of the 1880 census, Elizabeth (Fisher) Chapman, now widowed, and her son, James Chapman are found in Center Township, Dearborn County, Indiana;
Elizabeth Chapman Self F 69 Virginia
James Chapman Son M 34 Ohio

In 1887, the surviving members of the 86th Illinois organized and held their first reunion in Peoria on the 25th Anniversary of their being mustered into service, August 27th, 1887. For the next 35 years, the surviving members of the 86th held reunions in Peoria on that anniversary. They also made every attempt to locate every surviving member of the regiment. The surviving members eventually located Private James Chapman living in Goshen, Indiana in Elkhart County in the 1890's. James' mother passed away on January 9, 1897 and her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Riverview Cemetery in Aurora, Indiana in Dearborn County.
About 1896/97, James, who was c. 55 at the time, was married to Mary M. ____________, who was c. 20 at the time. At the time of the 1900 census, James Chapman is found in the town of Cochran, Center Township, Dearborn County, Indiana. He has been married for 3 years and his father and mother are listed as having been born in Ohio and Virginia, respectively;
James Chapman Head M 58 Ohio
Mary M Chapman Wife F 23 Indiana
Sadie White Ward F 5 Indiana

Private James Chapman passed away on August 2, 1901. His earthly remains were laid near his mother's in the Riverview Cemetery in Aurora. Though he stayed in contact with his pards back in Peoria, Private James Chapman never attended an 86th Illinois Reunion.

by Baxter B. Fite and Pete Nocks

(Baxter and Pete would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Chapman family, who might be able to add anything to the biography of Private James Chapman and the Chapman family. Baxter and Pete would also love to get copies of any photographs of Private Chapman which may still exist, especially any showing him in uniform from his days in the 86th, for his Find A Grave site and for the local Historical Societies.)

Baxter Fite: [email protected]