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When Civil War came, three brothers from Campbell County answered. Only one came home. By Mac Wyckoff For Chapman brothers, war rips family Date published: 12/18/2004
EARLIER IN THE year, many of us heard about the tragic death of a young Wisconsin woman in Iraq. Her two sisters who also served in Iraq came home for the funeral and then were given the option of returning to Iraq or be assigned to duty elsewhere. It was an emotional story of what one family went through during times of war. During the Civil War, the Chapman family of Campbell County also went through emotional turmoil and suffering. Three Chapman brothers were born two years apart starting with John C. Chapman in 1836 followed by James O. Chapman and Patrick Henry Chapman. Their grandfather served in the Continental Army during the Revolution. He was captured in the famous battle of Cowpens in South Carolina. After his release by the British, he was awarded a tract of land in Virginia in Campbell County, where the three Chapman boys were born. Their lives went along normally until May of 1861 when they enlisted in Company D, 42nd Virginia Infantry. They spent part of the the first winter of the war detached with the 1st Tennessee Infantry in western Virginia. They were recognized for "behaving in a good and soldierly manner." Patrick suffered from exposure that cold winter and remained in a hospital for a year. The other brothers spent 1862 fighting with "Stonewall" Jackson in his famous Shenandoah Valley Campaign, the Seven Days Campaign, Cedar Mountain, Harpers Ferry, Antietam and Fredericksburg. During the lull after Fredericksburg, James went AWOL to visit Patrick in a Lynchburg hospital. They returned to the army together and James was immediately arrested. He was sentenced to hard labor at Staunton on public roads with a 12-pound ball attached to his right leg with a 3-foot chain.
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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