Tabernacle Historical Society

Hear My Story

[AUDIO PLACEHOLDER: Add George Chisholm’s audio story and replace the links on the icon and “Hear My Story” heading.]

Read My Story

The booklet records his name as George Chisom.

I was born in 1840 in Harlem N.Y. and died in 1911. In 1863, I joined the Union Navy in Philadelphia. The navy had many missions, from maintaining a blockade of Confederate ports to transporting men. We also participated in battle by providing gunfire support and actual combat.

My fellow sailors differed from their counterparts on land, the soldiers. Many of us were unemployed, working-class men from urban areas, including recent immigrants. Unlike me, few were farmers. I enlisted, but many were coerced into joining. If you ask me how I would describe the typical Union sailor, I would say, “he was a hard, pragmatic, and cynical man who bore little patience for patriotism, reform, and religion. He drank too much, fought too much, and prayed too little. He was rough, dirty, and profane.” Despite their outrageous behavior, Union navy sailors and marines were awarded 325 Medals of Honor for Civil War valor, with immigrants receiving 39 percent of the awards: Ireland (50%), England (25%), and Scotland (13%).

At the start of the war, the Union Navy had 42 ships in commission. Another 48 were laid up and listed as available for service as soon as crews could be assembled and trained, but few were appropriate. Most were sailing vessels; some were hopelessly outdated. During the war, the number in commission was increased, so that by the end, the U.S. Navy had 671 vessels.

During the war, the Union Navy had a total of 84,415 personnel. The Union Navy suffered 6,233 casualties, with 4,523 deaths from all causes. 2,112 Union sailors were killed by enemy action, and 2,411 died from disease or injury. Fortunately, I was not one of them.

At the end of the war, I returned to Philadelphia to live. Several other sailors lived nearby. I worked in machine maintenance. At the time of my death in 1911, I was 70 years old and had been married for 43 years. I was survived by my wife Ellen and son George Jr.

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: George Chisholm’s gravestone — Old Tabernacle Cemetery, Row 23 Lot 1.5]

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: Widow’s pension file listing of children]

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: George Chisom 1911 widow’s pension file]

Timeline

• 1840: Born in Harlem, New York.

• 1863: Joined the Union Navy in Philadelphia.

• After the Civil War: Returned to Philadelphia and worked in machine maintenance.

• c. 1868: Married Ellen; approximate year inferred from 43 years of marriage reported at his death in 1911.

• 1911: Died at the reported age of 70, survived by his wife Ellen and son George Jr.

• Burial: Old Tabernacle Cemetery, Row 23 Lot 1.5; burial date not specified in the booklet.