| CAPTAIN ABEL HENRY CHAPMAN |
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19th HUSSARS (LATE BENGAL CAVALRY)
Abel Henry Chapman was born on the 10th of May, 1836 at Wanstead, Essex, the
fourth son of Jonathan Chapman, a Quaker, and his wife Agatha. His father’s
profession at the time of Abel’s baptism was stated simply as “Gentleman”.
Abel was nominated as a cadet for the East India Company’s Bengal Cavalry for
the 1855-56 season by HEIC Director Elliot McNaughton, curiously, at the
recommendation of Abel’s father, a devout Quaker, who was then stated to be a
silk merchant. Abel was commissioned a Cornet in the Bengal Cavalry on the 20th
of September, 1856, and left for India the same day by the “overland” route. He
arrived at Fort William at Calcutta on the 1st of November and was ordered to
do duty with the 2nd Bengal Cavalry which was then stationed at Cawnpore. Abel
was granted one month’s leave to visit Behar and Tishoot prior to reporting for
duty at Cawnpore with the 2nd Bengal Cavalry.
This leave was most probably granted to Chapman to allow him to visit family
members already resident in India whom he would not have seen since they had
left England for India.
Abel was promoted to Lieutenant and posted to the 1st Bengal Cavalry on the 9th
of January, 1857. He was destined to serve with his Regiment for only four
months before the Indian Mutiny erupted at the large military cantonment at
Meerut in Northern India. The Mutiny quickly spread to majority of the other
Bengal Army regiments and soon most of Northern India was in open rebellion.
fourth son of Jonathan Chapman, a Quaker, and his wife Agatha. His father’s
profession at the time of Abel’s baptism was stated simply as “Gentleman”.
Abel was nominated as a cadet for the East India Company’s Bengal Cavalry for
the 1855-56 season by HEIC Director Elliot McNaughton, curiously, at the
recommendation of Abel’s father, a devout Quaker, who was then stated to be a
silk merchant. Abel was commissioned a Cornet in the Bengal Cavalry on the 20th
of September, 1856, and left for India the same day by the “overland” route. He
arrived at Fort William at Calcutta on the 1st of November and was ordered to
do duty with the 2nd Bengal Cavalry which was then stationed at Cawnpore. Abel
was granted one month’s leave to visit Behar and Tishoot prior to reporting for
duty at Cawnpore with the 2nd Bengal Cavalry.
This leave was most probably granted to Chapman to allow him to visit family
members already resident in India whom he would not have seen since they had
left England for India.
Abel was promoted to Lieutenant and posted to the 1st Bengal Cavalry on the 9th
of January, 1857. He was destined to serve with his Regiment for only four
months before the Indian Mutiny erupted at the large military cantonment at
Meerut in Northern India. The Mutiny quickly spread to majority of the other
Bengal Army regiments and soon most of Northern India was in open rebellion.
At the time of the uprising at Meerut, the left (headquarters) wing of
the 1st Bengal Cavalry was stationed at Nimach (or Neemuch) with the
right wing stationed at Mhow. The Regiment stayed loyal for over a
month until the right wing mutinied on 1st of July, followed by the
left wing on the 3rd. Most of the European officers and their
families, including Lieutenant Chapman, were able to make their way to
safety, although a few met extremely cruel deaths at the hands of the
mutineers and the mob of rabble that joined in with the rebels in
searching out and massacring European civilians and soldiers alike.
The regimental history for the Calcutta Light Horse, in discussing the
formation of the Bengal Yeomanry Cavalry in Calcutta soon after the
outbreak of the Mutiny at Meerut, contains the statement that:
“The first regular officer appointed to the Corps ( Bengal Yeomanry
Cavalry) was Lieutenant Abel Henry Chapman 1st Bengal Cavalry, a
youthful officer, who was given the rank of Captain. On arrival from
England of Captain (Temporary Major) J.F. Richardson, he was
appointed in command of the Corps, Chapman remaining as second-in-
command.......”
While clearly referring to Chapman, this appears to be a case of
mistaken identity. The Indian Mutiny medal roll for the Bengal
Yeomanry Cavalry gives the name of the Second-in-Command as
Frederick Chapman and not Abel Henry Chapman. In addition, there
is no reference to this alleged appointment in Chapman’s War Services
in his entry in Hart’s Army List.
the 1st Bengal Cavalry was stationed at Nimach (or Neemuch) with the
right wing stationed at Mhow. The Regiment stayed loyal for over a
month until the right wing mutinied on 1st of July, followed by the
left wing on the 3rd. Most of the European officers and their
families, including Lieutenant Chapman, were able to make their way to
safety, although a few met extremely cruel deaths at the hands of the
mutineers and the mob of rabble that joined in with the rebels in
searching out and massacring European civilians and soldiers alike.
The regimental history for the Calcutta Light Horse, in discussing the
formation of the Bengal Yeomanry Cavalry in Calcutta soon after the
outbreak of the Mutiny at Meerut, contains the statement that:
“The first regular officer appointed to the Corps ( Bengal Yeomanry
Cavalry) was Lieutenant Abel Henry Chapman 1st Bengal Cavalry, a
youthful officer, who was given the rank of Captain. On arrival from
England of Captain (Temporary Major) J.F. Richardson, he was
appointed in command of the Corps, Chapman remaining as second-in-
command.......”
While clearly referring to Chapman, this appears to be a case of
mistaken identity. The Indian Mutiny medal roll for the Bengal
Yeomanry Cavalry gives the name of the Second-in-Command as
Frederick Chapman and not Abel Henry Chapman. In addition, there
is no reference to this alleged appointment in Chapman’s War Services
in his entry in Hart’s Army List.
Lieutenant Chapman’s service records appear incomplete and contain no reference to his service during the Mutiny. After the
entry for his posting to the 1st Bengal Cavalry in January of 1857, there is no further entry until July of 1858. Thus, other
records must be consulted to determine his entitlement to the Indian Mutiny medal and his actual services during the Mutiny.
Lieutenant Chapman’s entry in the 1859 Bengal Army List gives his actual war services as:
“Lieutenants Dent and Chapman served with the Malwa field force in 1857 at the capture of Dhar and Battles at Mundesore in
November 1857, and with H.M. 14th Dragoons with the Central India field force at the capture of Chundeyree, action of the
Betwa, capture of the town and fort of Jhansie, action at Coonch, and capture of Culpee 1858, medal.”
As a result of his services, Abel Chapman received the Indian Mutiny medal with clasp for Central India named to him in 1st Bengal
Light Cavalry.
Following the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, the Bengal Cavalry was reorganized into five regiments of European cavalry. The
1st European Light Cavalry was officered primarily by the surviving officers of the 1st and 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry, both
regiments having mutinied in 1857. Lieutenant Chapman served with the Right Wing which was stationed at Allahabad.
In 1861, with the HEIC regiments having previously been transferred to the Crown, it was determined to cease maintaining any
European forces for only local service in India. On May 6th, the officers and men of the 1st European Light Cavalry were asked
to volunteer for general service (i.e., service outside India), which they did almost to a man. On the 17th of August 1861, the
regiment was re-designated the 19th Hussars and moved to Lucknow.
Lieutenant Abel Henry Chapman was gazetted as one of the original officers of the new 19th Hussars, also receiving appointment
as Adjutant of the Regiment. On the 28th of November, 1863, the Regiment moved to Meerut where it stayed until 1867 when it
then moved to Benares. Abel Chapman was promoted Captain on the 1st of April, 1869. In 1870 the 19th Hussars received orders
to return to England, arriving at Dover.
entry for his posting to the 1st Bengal Cavalry in January of 1857, there is no further entry until July of 1858. Thus, other
records must be consulted to determine his entitlement to the Indian Mutiny medal and his actual services during the Mutiny.
Lieutenant Chapman’s entry in the 1859 Bengal Army List gives his actual war services as:
“Lieutenants Dent and Chapman served with the Malwa field force in 1857 at the capture of Dhar and Battles at Mundesore in
November 1857, and with H.M. 14th Dragoons with the Central India field force at the capture of Chundeyree, action of the
Betwa, capture of the town and fort of Jhansie, action at Coonch, and capture of Culpee 1858, medal.”
As a result of his services, Abel Chapman received the Indian Mutiny medal with clasp for Central India named to him in 1st Bengal
Light Cavalry.
Following the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, the Bengal Cavalry was reorganized into five regiments of European cavalry. The
1st European Light Cavalry was officered primarily by the surviving officers of the 1st and 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry, both
regiments having mutinied in 1857. Lieutenant Chapman served with the Right Wing which was stationed at Allahabad.
In 1861, with the HEIC regiments having previously been transferred to the Crown, it was determined to cease maintaining any
European forces for only local service in India. On May 6th, the officers and men of the 1st European Light Cavalry were asked
to volunteer for general service (i.e., service outside India), which they did almost to a man. On the 17th of August 1861, the
regiment was re-designated the 19th Hussars and moved to Lucknow.
Lieutenant Abel Henry Chapman was gazetted as one of the original officers of the new 19th Hussars, also receiving appointment
as Adjutant of the Regiment. On the 28th of November, 1863, the Regiment moved to Meerut where it stayed until 1867 when it
then moved to Benares. Abel Chapman was promoted Captain on the 1st of April, 1869. In 1870 the 19th Hussars received orders
to return to England, arriving at Dover.
Captain Chapman retired from the 19th
Hussars on the 7th of January, 1874. Upon
his retirement, Abel joined an engineering and
manufacturing firm owned by William Clarke
in Gateshead. At the time, the company had
approximately 200 employees. Chapman
became a partner with Clarke in 1875 and the
name of the firm was changed to Clarke,
Chapman & Company, Ltd. By 1881 the
company was employing 500 workers. In
1890 William Clarke died unexpectedly at
the age of 59 and Abel Chapman became the
Chairman of the firm. Under his direction,
the firm continued to grow and prosper.
Captain Abel Henry Chapman died at at his
home Belle Vue, Gateshead on the 24th of
May, 1902, at age 66 and was interred at
Jesmond Old Cemetery.
At the time of his death, Clarke Chapman &
Company, Ltd. employed over 2,000 workers
and was a world leader in the manufacturer
of winches, cranes, boilers and other
equipment. The company is still in existence
and is knows as Clarke Chapman Group, a
member of Langley Holdings Plc. It is one of
the largest companies in the UK today.
Abel Chapman’s eldest son, Major H. R.
Chapman, was killed in action in France while
serving with the 10th Battalion, Durham Light
Infantry on the 27th of June, 1915.
Sources:
Cadet papers L/MIL/9/237/729-38
Service papers L/MIL/10/63.65,67/674
Indian Mutiny Medal Roll L/MIL/5/77/14
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871,
1881, 1891 and 1901.
Times, 26 May 1902; 2 July 1915.
1859 Bengal Army List.
Various Hart’s Army Lists.
Biddulph, The Nineteenth and Their Times,
London, 1899.
Ubique: War Services of Officers of the
Bengal Officers, 1863.
Hussars on the 7th of January, 1874. Upon
his retirement, Abel joined an engineering and
manufacturing firm owned by William Clarke
in Gateshead. At the time, the company had
approximately 200 employees. Chapman
became a partner with Clarke in 1875 and the
name of the firm was changed to Clarke,
Chapman & Company, Ltd. By 1881 the
company was employing 500 workers. In
1890 William Clarke died unexpectedly at
the age of 59 and Abel Chapman became the
Chairman of the firm. Under his direction,
the firm continued to grow and prosper.
Captain Abel Henry Chapman died at at his
home Belle Vue, Gateshead on the 24th of
May, 1902, at age 66 and was interred at
Jesmond Old Cemetery.
At the time of his death, Clarke Chapman &
Company, Ltd. employed over 2,000 workers
and was a world leader in the manufacturer
of winches, cranes, boilers and other
equipment. The company is still in existence
and is knows as Clarke Chapman Group, a
member of Langley Holdings Plc. It is one of
the largest companies in the UK today.
Abel Chapman’s eldest son, Major H. R.
Chapman, was killed in action in France while
serving with the 10th Battalion, Durham Light
Infantry on the 27th of June, 1915.
Sources:
Cadet papers L/MIL/9/237/729-38
Service papers L/MIL/10/63.65,67/674
Indian Mutiny Medal Roll L/MIL/5/77/14
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871,
1881, 1891 and 1901.
Times, 26 May 1902; 2 July 1915.
1859 Bengal Army List.
Various Hart’s Army Lists.
Biddulph, The Nineteenth and Their Times,
London, 1899.
Ubique: War Services of Officers of the
Bengal Officers, 1863.
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