The 44th NYVI, also known as Ellsworth’s Avengers, was raised by Colonel Stephen W. Stryker (formerly 1^st Lieutenant of Co. B, 11^th NYVI)[ii], under the auspices of the Ellsworth Association to memorialize that gallant officer by forming a regiment of one man from each town in New York State. Eventually the regiment was composed of two companies from Albany and Erie Counties, one from Herkimer County, and a large number of men from across the State.  Mustered into service during August and September of 1861, the 44^th NYVI departed New York on October 21, 1861 with 1,061 men, and was assigned to 3^rd Brigade, 1^st Division, Army of the Potomac at Washington D.C.  Chapin was promoted Major of the 44^th on January 2, 1862. The regiment first “saw the elephant” on May 27, 1862 at Hanover Court House, Virginia with a loss of 86 killed, wounded and missing, including Major Chapin who was severely wounded.[iii]  Major Chapin was commended for his conduct with the 44^th NYVI during the battle at Hanover Court House in the report of Brigadier General John H. Martindale, commanding.[iv]  He was promoted Lt. Colonel of the 44^th NYVI on May 2, 1862 while at home in Buffalo recovering from his wound.[v]  During his furlough in Buffalo, Chapin was approached by a committee of prominent citizens to raise an Erie County infantry regiment in answer to Gov. Morgan’s call for men.[vi] 

On July 14, 1862, Colonel Chapin received authority to recruit the 116^th NYVI in Erie County and mustered into service at Buffalo between August 20 and September 5, 1862.  Chapin was commissioned Colonel September 5, 1862, and on that date nine companies left New York (Company K joined later) and served in the 8th Corps, Middle Department, at Baltimore, MD from September 7, 1862 until ordered south November 2, 1862.  The 116^th sailed for the Gulf, and arrived at Ship Island, MS on December 14, 1862 and moved to New Orleans, LA before the New Year.[vii].

Colonel Chapin took command of the 1^st Brigade of General Augur’s 1^st Division, 19^th Corps of General Bank’s Department of the Gulf on February 9, 1863. Chapin’s Brigade first saw action on May 21, 1863 at Plain Store, LA, along with Colonel Dudley’s Brigade. Plain Store was a small Southern cross-roads location, with two or three houses, but of strategic value, being situated at the intersection of the road running east from Port Hudson with the main road from Baton Rouge.  The cross-roads were located four miles from Port Hudson, the only Confederate stronghold south of Vicksburg.  After the daylong battle of attacks and counterattacks ended with two charges by the 116^th, utterly routing the Confederates, General Augur publicly congratulated Colonel Chapin, declaring that he was mainly indebted to the valor of the 116th NYVI for the victory.  General Augur stated "They have most gallantly driven Miles' Legion, who claim never to have been driven before."[viii] 

General Banks arrived two days after the battle of Plain Stores and began preparations to attack Port Hudson, LA.  An article in Harper’s Weekly regarding the initial assault on Port Hudson reported that Chapin’s Brigade consisted of the 48^th Massachusetts (commanded by Lt. Colonel O’Brien), 49^th Massachusetts (commanded by Colonel Bartlett), 116^th New York (commanded by Major Love), and the 21^st Maine (commanded by Colonel Johnson) supported by two regiments of Colonel Dudley’s Brigade; the 2^nd Louisiana (commanded by Colonel Paine), and the 50^th Massachusetts (commanded by Colonel Messer).  After several hours of heavy Federal cannonading upon the Confederate works, at 3 pm on May 27, 1863, General Augur’s men advanced from the woods across an open area of about a mile in length obstructed by fascines, abattis, and underbrush.  Colonel Chapin’s Brigade rushed forward under heavy grape, shell, and canister fire from the Confederate artillery during which Colonel Chapin, wounded in the knee early in the contest, received a mortal wound from a Minié ball in the head within a few yards of the Rebel breastworks.   After two hours of severe fighting, General Augur recognized the impossibility of taking the works, and withdrew his men back to the woods.  Union casualties during this assault were 64 killed and 316 wounded, including Lt. Colonel O’Brien killed, and Colonel Bartlett, whom was wounded twice, in the ankle and wrist while on horseback (he had lost a leg earlier in the war at Yorktown, VA, during the Peninsula Campaign).[ix] 

Colonel Chapin was brought north and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in his birthplace of Waterloo, New York. Abraham Lincoln is said to have sent Edward’s mourning father Ephraim (a Presbyterian reverend in Waterloo, NY) Chapin’s posthumous commission as Brigadier General, U.S.V. to date May 27, 1863, the day he was killed in action at Port Hudson, LA.[x] Chapin Parkway in Buffalo, NY is named in his honor, as was GAR Post No. 2 in Buffalo.

Photo Sources:

Full standing view - US Army Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks, (RG98S-CWP59.55).

Bust view - www.generalsandbrevets.com/brevets.htm Mikel Uriguen.  

References: