Charles Felix Kauffman

The Secret Name Behind a Captured Confederate Flag

Charles Felix Kauffman, better known by his military alias John Chapman, was a French-born Union Army soldier who received the United States Medal of Honor for bravery during the American Civil War. Serving as a private in Company B of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Virginia, on April 6, 1865, by capturing an enemy flag. His courageous action, performed during the final days of the war, earned him the nation's highest military decoration on May 10, 1865.

Born on February 10, 1844, in Strasbourg, France, Kauffman later moved to North America. Details of his childhood, education, and family circumstances remain limited in surviving historical accounts. One important aspect of his early life, however, is preserved in the history of his military enlistment: his father opposed his decision to join the Union Army.

Rather than abandon his intention to serve, Kauffman enlisted under the assumed name John Chapman. This was not his birth name but a military alias adopted when he entered Union service. The name became permanently associated with his wartime record and eventually appeared in the official documentation of his Medal of Honor.

On October 5, 1864, he enlisted at Limerick, Maine, as a private in Company B of the 1st Maine Volunteer Heavy Artillery. During enlistment, he reportedly identified his birthplace as Saint John, New Brunswick, rather than Strasbourg, France. His use of the name John Chapman allowed him to enter military service despite his father's objections.

By the time Chapman joined the Army, the American Civil War had entered its fourth year. Union forces were conducting extensive operations against Confederate armies in Virginia, and the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery was serving in the eastern theater of the conflict.

Although originally organized as a heavy artillery regiment, the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery served in infantry operations during the later stages of the war. Its soldiers participated in the prolonged campaigns around Petersburg and in the final pursuit of Confederate forces during the spring of 1865.

Chapman's documented Medal of Honor action occurred on April 6, 1865, during the Battle of Sailor's Creek, also known as Sayler's Creek, near Deatonsville, Virginia.

The engagement took place as General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia retreated westward following the collapse of Confederate defenses around Petersburg and Richmond. Union forces pursued the retreating Confederate columns, seeking to prevent their escape and force their surrender.

At Sailor's Creek, Union troops attacked Confederate formations attempting to continue their withdrawal. The fighting resulted in substantial Confederate losses, including the capture of thousands of soldiers and several senior officers.

During the engagement, Private John Chapman performed the action that earned him the Medal of Honor. He captured an enemy flag while serving with Company B of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery.

The official Medal of Honor citation recognizes his achievement with the concise statement, "Capture of flag."

Capturing an enemy regimental flag was a significant accomplishment during the American Civil War. Military colors represented a regiment's identity and served as important points of reference during battle. Their capture could mark a notable success for the opposing force.

Chapman's recognized achievement was his personal capture of a Confederate flag during the fighting at Sailor's Creek. Although the official citation establishes the action, it does not identify the specific Confederate regiment whose flag he captured or describe the precise circumstances of the seizure.

His bravery occurred only three days before General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. Chapman's action therefore took place during the closing days of the conflict in Virginia.

On May 10, 1865, John Chapman received the Medal of Honor for his conduct at Sailor's Creek. The award formally recognized his battlefield bravery under the military name he had adopted when joining the Union Army.

Chapman continued his Army service for several months after the battle. He was discharged on September 11, 1865, bringing his service with the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery to an end.

His military career did not conclude with his departure from the Army. On October 24, 1865, he entered the United States Navy, beginning a second period of military service.

During his naval career, he served as a fireman second class aboard USS Monongahela, a steam-powered warship. His duties were associated with the operation and maintenance of the vessel's steam machinery. His documented naval service continued until July 8, 1868, when he was discharged at New York Harbor.

Chapman's service in both the Army and Navy distinguished his military career. His Medal of Honor, however, was awarded specifically for his actions as an Army private during the Battle of Sailor's Creek.

Following his discharge from the Navy in 1868, the surviving accounts provide limited information concerning his civilian occupation, family life, and activities during the following decades.

Charles Felix Kauffman, known in military history as John Chapman, died on September 30, 1905, in San Francisco, California, at the age of 61. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California, where his grave is recorded in Section B, Row 23, Area 22, Grave 3.

His historical identity reflects an unusual aspect of Civil War military service. Born Charles Felix Kauffman in France, he entered the Union Army under the name John Chapman because of his father's opposition to his enlistment. That assumed name became the one under which his battlefield achievement was officially recognized.

His Medal of Honor preserves the record of his courage at Sailor's Creek on April 6, 1865. Through his documented service in the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery, his capture of an enemy flag, and his subsequent service in the United States Navy, Charles Felix Kauffman earned a lasting place in American military history under the name John Chapman.