By Dominic Konareski
Voice Writer
The West Haven Veterans Museum has a new addition to their Civil War section. In late July, the museum announced that they had acquired a map detailing the Battle of Gettysburg, where two New Haven Grays officers lost their lives in battle.
The officers, Lt. Col. Henry Merwin and Capt. Jedidiah Chapman, Jr., have their death location marked on the map. Members of the New Haven Grays fought at the Battle of Gettysburg as part of the 27th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. Overall, when the Grays entered the battle, the regiment only had an estimated 75-160 men across the remaining companies as most of the regiment had been captured a month earlier at Chancellorsville.
The 27th was led by Lt. Colonel Henry Merwin, who was one of the two key Grays casualties in what overall included 10 killed and 23 wounded for a near 50% casualty rate.
At the beginning of the Civil War, the United States Army consisted of some 16,000 soldiers, with the majority of them stationed west of the Mississippi River. After the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter on April 12th, 1861, it became clear to President Lincoln that the Union Army would need more men. The immediate post-attack on Fort Sumter would see President Lincoln call for 75,000 volunteer soldiers to help fight the Confederate Army off.
Henry Merwin, a New Haven born businessman, left his home and family in response to the country’s call to arms. Merwin immediately volunteered for three months’ service, enlisting on April 22, 1861, with the rank of sergeant. After serving the three months and returning home in early August of 1861, he would later rejoin the effort in October of 1862. After rejoining, Merwin briefly became a prisoner of war, captured at Chancellorsville, and was held in Richmond before being set free with a prisoner exchange 20 days later. Merwin immediately rejoined the Union fight, where he would then lose his life on the second day of the Gettysburg battlefield on July 2, 1863.
Today, a small monument stands in the place where Merwin fell and ultimately lost his life.
Jedediah Chapman, Jr., was also born in New Haven, and served his voluntary three months in 1861. Chapman would enlist again in August of 1862, to the 27th Connecticut.
Unlike many of his New Haven Grays brothers, he did not participate in the battle of Chancellorsville, in which only saw two full companies escape disaster. Chapman didn’t go into the Chancellorsville battle due to illness, but despite missing the battle he still had respect from the fellow Grays after having an honorable battle earlier at Fredericksburg.
Chapman was placed in command of third company once he returned from sick leave. The company was made up of a small group of survivors from the other eight after the heavy losses and captures were sustained at Chancellorsville. This position would see Chapman winning a commission as Captain dating to May 13, 1863, but the news of the ranking change would never reach him in time before his death at Gettysburg.
The marker stating “HERE FELL – JED. CHAPMAN – CAPT. CO. H – 27TH CONN. VOLS.” stands in the spot of his death.
The Veterans Museum map displays in deep detail the battlefield, along with the markers of both Merwin and Chapman.
West Haven Veterans Museum and Learning Center is open Thursday-through-Saturday and is free to enter, with donations accepted. It is located at 30 Hood Terrace Road.