River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-05-06

| For performing a heroic deed in the
last year Of the Civil War Alaric B
Chaplin, of McGregor, Mimi, now a
guest of friends in Minneapolis, re-
ceived congressional medal of honor
in recognition of his act just so years
later. The story of the belated reward
is an instance of the mislaying of
records by the government.
In January, 1865, Chaplin, then Is
years old ano private in G company,
142nd New York Volunteer Infantry,
/ of General Rem Buffers division of
| Grants army, was sent down from
Fortress Monroe with the rest of the
division to capture Fort Fisher. n. c.,
the last stronghold that the confed-
crates Occupied along the coast. With
the army drawn up near the fort, vol
unteers were requested to advance
and perform the important and peril
Gus task of cutting holes in the pail
SADIE of the fort to permit entrance
Dy Union soldiers.
Chaplin Succeeds.
Chaplin and comrade, Jas. Spring,
were accepted for the work. On Sun
day at / p. m, they made their way
from the Union lines to Fort Fisher.
Creeping along the ground they reach
ed the Fort unobserved, and working
quickly with their shovels they sue
ceeded in tearing large holes in the
partly rotted palisade, in the shadow
of the enemy guns, before they were
discovered. Their work accomplished,
it was the duty of Chaplin to return
and report the result to his command
ing officer, General Adelbert Ames,
division commander under Butler.
With the "rebel yell" ringing in his
ears, Chaplin started back over the 80
rods of ground that separated him
from his lines, accompanied by vol
ley of bullets that whizzed past him.
81 expected surely to get it, them"
says Mr.. Chaplin, land / didn't like to
get it in the back" But he escaped
to his lines safely and made his re-
port. Spring, who remained at the
palisade, was killed.
Union Forces Charge
Upon receiving Chapin's report,
the Union forces made grand charge
of the fort. Streaming through the
holes that Chaplin and Spring had cut,
the soldiers fought hand to hand with
the confederate troops garrisoning
the stronghold, while Union gunboats
eff the coast bombarded the structure.
The battle lasted until 10 p. M, when
the confederate force of $500 sur
rendered. They lost 700 men killed.
The Unionists' casualties were ITO
killed and $50 wounded.
Chapin's name was forwarded to
Washington in connection with the
act he performed. Soon after the TAX
ing of Fort Fisher, he was detailed to
another regiment and placed in the
commisary department. The war
ending a few months later, he was
honorably discharged from the SER
vice, and he moved with his parents
from the old home at Ogdensburg, N.
Y, to River Falls, Wis.
The years passed and Mr.. Chaplin
after long residence in Wisconsin,
moved to Minnesota. One day in 1913
while travelling on the train, he relat-
ed his war experience to man who
proved to be a government official.
The latter was convinced that the
record of Chapin's achievement was
mislaid somewhere in the archives OF
the war department, and he promis-
ed that he would look it up when he
returned to Washington.
Medal Received In 1914
On December %, 1914, Chaplin re-
ceived an officially marked package
and a letter from Washington. The
latter informed him that his name had
been placed upon the roll of honor for
having voluntarily advanced with
the head of the column and cut down
palisading" The package contained
the medal of honor, with the follow
ing inscription, "The Congress to
Pvt. Alaric B. Chaplin, Co. G, 142 n.
Y. Inf. Vol. Fort Fisher, N. c., Jan.
Is, 1865" The republic had paid its
debt of acknowledgement after fifty
years.
Mr.. Chaplin, who is ~ years old, is
overjoyed at receiving the recognl-
ton and wears the medal with pride
that is stimulated, he says, by the
fact that it was such long time in
coming to him. "It's much better late
than never" he said.
He and his wife will leave next