According to his Civil War pension records, John Thompson Chappell was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on 15 Feb 1831, the oldest child1 of William and Margaret. He was baptized on 1 July 1832 at the Old St George Methodist Episcopal Church, where his parents had been married just a few months prior. He made his living as a shoemaker in Bensalem. He married Angeline Scull, the only daughter of James and Harriet Scull, and had three children with her: William Henry, Harriet, and Ella. He may have married around 1854, the year of his oldest child's birth, but so far I haven't found any record of it. After a long, hard life, he died at the U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in Virginia on 6 Feb 1915, nearly 84 years old.
Tragedy Strikes
The Bridesburg section of Philadelphia lies along the Delaware, bounded on one end by the Frankford Creek and (in modern times) by the Betsy Ross Bridge, and stretching up to the Tacony section of the city. It was originally incorporated as a borough in 1848, then annexed to Philadelphia in 1854. It is easy to imagine then that in 1860, there remained some areas of wilderness not yet taken over by the sprawl of the big city. Historical maps show Bridesburg containing quite a bit of industry along the river, and residential areas away from the river, so it's difficult to see where exactly that may have been - perhaps along the Frankford Creek and the railroad that ran alongside, or maybe on nearby Petty Island (or maybe not). It's clear though that there was a place that retained enough wilderness to allow hunting, as John Thompson's pension record makes it clear that that is where his troubles began.In one of the many affidavits that accompany his pension record, John Thompson's lawyer describes what happened. In the Spring of 1860, near Bridesburg, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, "... he was gunning [i.e., hunting] and accidentally slipped, and in falling down an embankment incurred said injury." "Said injury" was a fracture of his left leg, near his ankle. "There was no one present when it occurred - consequently he cannot [corroborate] the occurrence of same by eye-witnesses." Another affadavit states that although there were no witnesses to the accident itself, he was seen shortly afterwards by his brother, William F. Chappell, and his longtime friend and brother of his wife, George Scull.
While a broken leg may not be considered a life-altering tragedy today, it was a much different time in the days leading up to the US Civil War. It's not clear what sort of medical attention John received, but it is clear that this injury would haunt him throughout his life, starting with his brief time in the US Civil War.
US Civil War
John Thompson didn't join the war when it first started. When the war started, John Thompson had two small children at home - a six year old and a four year old - and lingering effects from his injury. So it is perhaps understandable why he didn't join with his brother, during the initial round of recruiting in Philadelphia by General Scott. As the war heated up, though, recruiting continued, with more and more regiments forming and joining the fray. Finally, on 13 August 1862, John Thompson Chappell joined the 119th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and was assigned to Company G as a private.The regiment was first assigned to the defense of Washington, DC, through the end of September 1862. They would then move on to join battles in Fredricksburg, Gettysburg, and several others through 1863 and 1864. John Thompson, however, would not join them - he never left Washington.
Desertion in the US Civil War was common on both sides. It was a brutal war, manned at first by volunteers but eventually by draftees. Union generals estimated that at least one in five men were absent from their regiments. After the war the Union Provost Marshal General estimated one quarter of a million men had been absent from their units at one time or another. Confederate estimates ranged even higher. Though desertion was considered a capital offense - punishable by death - because of the sheer numbers involved soldiers were rarely executed. The Union, for example, executed only 147 soldiers for desertion.
While some soldiers deserted in the face of the enemy - referred to as cowardice - it was far more common for soldiers to desert from camp or at other times. The rigorous military life, poor food, inadequate clothing, deteriorating health, homesickness, and concern for loved ones at home all drove men to desert.
Such was the case with John Thompson. He did not flee in the face of the enemy. Instead, according to his pension record, he "fell to rear sick on march" on 16 September 1862. Undoubtedly, his leg injury hampered him on the hard marches that soldiers endured. It seems likely, in fact, that he fell lame, unable to continue; his pension records continually mention his leg injury and deformity throughout the rest of his life. He may or may not have sought medical treatment, but it is clear that he did not return. He was arrested in Philadelphia in early 1863 and found "guilty" at court martial. He was sentenced to forfeit $10/month for six months, and to be confined at hard labor for the same period.
His pension record isn't entirely clear on what exactly happened after that. It notes that he was "absent by sentence of court martial" from May 1863 through February 1864. But it is also noted that he was admitted to hospital on 3 July 1863 with no mention of his being a prisoner, so it is possible that his sentence was remitted.
Regardless, around March of 1864, John Thompson was transferred to the 123rd Company, 2nd Battalion Veteran Reserve Corps, by reason of inability to march due to dislocation of ankle joint. Originally called the Invalid Corps, the VRC was a military reserve organization created to allow partially disabled or otherwise infirmed soldiers to perform light duty, freeing able-bodied soldiers to serve on the front lines. While those in the 1st Battalion were able to do some marching and handle a musket, the 2nd Battalion was made up of those more severely wounded, perhaps having lost limbs or suffered some deformity. 2nd Battalion personnel were frequently employed as cooks, orderlies, nurses, or guards in public buildings. Unfortunately, John Thompson's pension record doesn't state what duties he may have performed. He was honorably discharged in October, 1864.
After the War
Life after the war cannot have been very good for John Thompson. In 1865, an army surgeon noted that John's disability was "probably permanent" and noted "severe inflammation and deformity after a fracture of the left leg near the ankle." His leg injury is mentioned over and over again in his pension record, as is his trouble walking any distance. The 1870 census states that his profession is as a shoemaker, but later medical reports in his pension file show that failing eyesight prevented him from doing any fine detail work, so it's not clear how much longer after that he was able to continue.John's failing health wasn't his only trouble. In 1865, John Thompson and Angeline had their third child, Ella J. Unfortunately, she died only two years later, of marasmus, or under-nourishment. She was buried in American Mechanics Cemetery (see the entry for William Chappell for more details), in a plot owned by John Thompson's uncle John H Chappell.
In 1870, John Thompson and family appear on two different federal census records, one recorded in June, the other in November. Apparently at sometime between those dates John and his family moved across the city of Philadelphia. The November 1870 census shows that they lived with Angeline's brother, George Scull, perhaps indicative of a poor financial position, or maybe the need for an extra set of hands around the house due to John's worsening health.
Like his younger brother William Frederick's, John's pension record is filled with affidavits and medical reports attesting to his deteriorating health. And though it is much smaller than his brother's, there are a few interesting tidbits within. A few of the affidavit's are from his brother, William Frederick, and also from his wife's brother, George Scull. I thought it was also interesting that his attorney, W. V. Sickel, may have some other connection to the Chappell's: John Thompson had an uncle, George, that owned the Jolly Post Inn in Frankford, sometime in the 1800's. George's wife was Anna Sickel: a relative, maybe, of John Thompson's attorney?
The Children of William Frederick and Emma
John Thompson Chappell and Angeline Scull had three children together:
- William Henry Chappell, born 1855, died 1922, married Sarah Malvina Crouch
- Harriet Chappell, born 1857, died after 1930, married Albert W Crouch
- Ella J Chappell, born 1865, died 1867
