Ladies of the Gar Silk Banner Green Bay Wis. 1895

A silk banner that reads Col. Wm. Chapman Circle No. 7 Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic Green Bay, Wis Org 1895 measuring 23 X 34 inches excluding the gold bullion borders and is directly embroidered on silk. There is fraying to the banner, mostly to the reverse of the banner and does not affect the outward appearance. The Woman's Relief Corps was founded in 1879 as a "secret" organization and recognized in 1883 as the "official women's auxiliary" to the GAR. The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic was also a significant organization. It was founded by Lelia P. Roby. As a congressionally chartered non-profit organization, it is the oldest women's hereditary organization in the United States. The original objectives of the organization included promotion of patriotism and loyalty to the Union, and participation in community service, especially for the aid of our Veterans and their dependents." As original Union veterans of the GAR, organized in 1866, grew old, many women's groups formed to aid them and their widows and orphans. The Loyal Ladies League was established in 1881 as an auxiliary to the GAR; in 1886 the organization went more national and changed its name to "The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic." It was incorporated by Public Law 86-47 [S.949] of the 86th Congress on June 17, 1959 In 1899, the president was Dr. Julia P. Shade of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its president in 1922 was Mrs. Ethel M. Irish, of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. WILLIAM CHAPMAN, son of Major Henry Henley Chapman and Mary Davidson Chapman, was born at St. John's ( near Port Tobacco ), Charles County, Maryland on January 22, 1810. He sprang from good military stock, his father having been a revolutionary soldier and serving during the latter part of the conflict, having been at the age of nineteen a Lieutenant in Colonel Diges's regiment at the Battle of Yorktown. A certificate of his father's membership in the Society of the Cincinnati, an organization of the Continental Army, signed by George Washington as President, and General Henry Knox as secretary was cherished by Colonel Chapman until his death. The subject of this sketch received as academic education and in 1827 was appointed to a cadetship at the West Point Military Academy.He entered West Point July 1, 1827, and was graduated July 1, 1831. He was made Brevet Second Lieutenant and assigned the Fifth Infantry. His first duty was at Fort Mackinac, 1831-32. He was on the Black Hawk Expedition in the latter year. His proficiency as a soldier is attested by the fact that in October, 1832 , he was appointed Instructor of tactics at West Point. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant Fifth Infantry March 4, 1833. In July , 1833, he was ordered to Fort Howard, his regiment ( the Fifth ) having come here in 1828. He was on November 7th appointed Adjutant at regimental headquarters , and continued as such until July, 1838. It was during this period that the then young Lieutenant formed the ties and attachment that hereto make him a permanent resident here. He married in 1836, Miss Wheelock, and they kept house in the fort until the regiment was ordered away. He was on recruiting service at Cumberland, Maryland from 1838 to 1840. He was made First Lieutenant Fifth Infantry December 31, 1836. In 1840-41 he was on duty at Fort Snelling. He was won't to recall the pleasant situation of that fort, and remembered that when he went there there was but one log shanty on the present site of St. Paul, which was then called Pig's Eye Village. Minneapolis was then undreamed of. He was returned to old Fort Mackinac, remaining there from 1841 to 1845. On June 8 of the latter year he was promoted to Captain Fifth Infantry. In 1845-46 during the military occupation of Texas, he was on duty there.Then the chronicle carries his record into the Mexican War, where it is markedly conspicuous service, and in which he was associated with the gallant names of Merrill, Buchanan, Ringgold, May, Maloney and others whose valor was so fully attested. He was engaged the battles of Palo Alto, May 8, 1846 ; Reseca de la Palma, May 9, 1846 ; Monterey, September 21-23, 1846 ; Siege of Vera Cruz, March 9-29, 1847; capture of San Antonio, August 20, 1847 where he was wounded, battle of Cherubusco, August 20, 1847. On this latter date he was brevetted Major for gallant conduct in the battles of Contreras and Cherubusco. The exceedingly hot conflict of Molino del Rey, September 8, 1847, in which , after eight superior officers had been killed, he commanded his regiment; the storming of Chapultepec, September 13, 1847 ; and the crowning engagement, the assault and capture of the City of Mexico. He was brevetted Lieutenant-Colonel September 8, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battle of Molino del Rey. He was in garrison at Fort Columbus, Governor's Island, New York, 1848-49, and on frontier duty at Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, 1849-50. In 1851 conducted recruits to Texas, stationed a