Uniform of Captain William B. Chapman
Ohio 2^nd Light Artillery, Battery C, Circa 1861

This is a remarkable Frock Coat that tells an incredible story. It is constructed of cloth known to be used by various Ohio military haberdashers and has red straps for the artillery, but more importantly it is one of the few known and documented coats which shows a wartime wound so vividly. Bill Chapman enlisted July 20,1861 and was quickly made a Lieutenant in his home town Artillery Battery. The Frock Coat was a gift from his hometown where he was a respected lawyer. In June of 1862  he was made a Captain. Chapman was in command of his Battery on March 7, 1862 at the Battle of Pea Ridge where he attempted to repel advancing Confederate forces who were trying to overrun his position. He was struck in his left hip by a spent musket ball. It had sufficient residual force to knock him over. The impact pulled off the bottom button of his coat. As the coat was a gift, he thought he had better try and retrieve the missing button. While looking for it, he saw the musket ball that struck him still rolling on the ground. He picked up the ball and the button. Although he continued in the battle, the injury forced him from the service on October 11, 1862. He returned home and resumed practicing law. There is a hole in the left hip of this Frock Coat and the lower button is still missing. However, preserved in a carefully homemade carved box, resides his missing button and the musket ball that struck him that day in Arkansas. His local Grand Army of the Republic Post was named after him. He died replete with honors at the age of 69. October 27, 1895.