Alexander Chaney (b. circa 1839 - d. 1917)
MSA SC 5496-51754
USCT Soldier, Kent County, Maryland
Biography:
Note:
These are excerpts from the biographies on Alexander Chaney's life. Two extensive
biographies written by Washington College students are accessible on
this page. Please consult the attached essays for a more complete
and descriptive case study.
Drafted into the Union Army in 1864, Alexander Chaney was truly a part of one of the most life-changing wars in American history.1 While he may not have joined the army intentionally like many other African American soldiers, he fought for something that would help enslaved people throughout the country. Alexander Chaney was born in Millington, Maryland located in Kent County on the Eastern Shore on March 1, 1839.2 Slavery was abundant and he was truly lucky to have been the son of free African Americans, Alexander and Charlotte Chaney.3 According to land records in Kent County Alexander’s father was a landowner in Millington starting in 1837. In fact, Alex Chaney Sr. is on record as to having done a transaction with a wealthy white man named Samuel Hyland Freeman in which Chaney sold him a mill in Still Pond that he had bought at auction for $300 in 1838.4 Alexander Chaney Jr. spent most of his life working as a laborer, living among both whites and blacks.5
On November 20, 1864, Mr. Chaney was drafted into service with the Union Army.6 He would be assigned to the United States Colored Troops Sixth Regiment, Company A.7 He would join up with his unit at Camp William Penn outside of Philadelphia. While the company never fought in any large-scale battles, the skirmishes in which they fought may have been imperative to the Union cause and therefore vital to the end of the institution of slavery.8 On December 7, 1864, just shortly after Chaney arrived, they would begin the first of two expeditions to Fort Fisher in North Carolina.9 The first expedition would last until the 27th, and the next would begin January 7, 1865 and would end with the capture of Fort Fisher on the 15th.10 The next major outing would be to Fort Anderson between February 18th and 20th, as well as the capture of Wilmington, North Carolina on the 22nd.11 The men of the Sixth would spend the next five months performing various duties in North Carolina before being mustered on September 20, 1865.12
After his discharge Mr. Chaney returned to Chestertown and Kent County and his work as a laborer. Surely life was hard for a veteran Colored soldier. In fact, both Alex and his wife Elizabeth were arrested in 1870 for reasons yet to be discovered. In the census from June 1870, the duo were listed as “jail birds” in the occupational column by the census taker.13 It is unclear as to what the two were imprisoned for, or if they even had a trial. And, due to the lack of paperwork from the time, Alex’s criminal secret may never be uncovered.
In 1900 Alexander is living in Chestertown with
his wife and son Alex Junior.14 The post war freedman
veterans decided to create a place to call their own. The end result was the
Charles Sumner Post of the Grand Army of the Republic. The Sumner Post was
incorporated in 1908 at the hands of seven freedman veterans.15 For the rest of his life, Alex struggled in order to
gain an increase in his pension. As a
Civil War veteran and a hard working laborer, he suffered from many common
ailments that a man living such a demanding life would experience. He complained to his doctor of defective
eyesight, pharyngitis – more commonly known as a sore throat – and back and
chest pain.16 He claims that this should add to his pension as he
had been experiencing these ailments since he was stationed in
Perhaps his doctor knew that too and therefore
suggested that he receive $10 a month because he was a man that had worked his
entire life and not one of his ailments was caused by immoral behavior.19 Thomas Carmichael and William Hales served as witnesses for Alexander's claim to receive an invalid pension.20 Alexander’s life ended on June 8, 1917 when he died of
a heart infection.21 The 78 year old spent his last days living with his
wife in his house on
For extended biographies written and shared by Washington College students enrolled in the course "Chestertown's America" HIST 394, Spring 2013, taught by Adam Goodheart, please follow these links:
"Alexander Chaney: Soldier, Laborer, Enigma" by Kelly Haswell
"Alexander Chaney: Freeman Drafted" by Tad Derrick
Endnotes:
1. ADJUTANT GENERAL (Muster Rolls) 1863-1866, U.S. Colored Troops. [MSA S936-46]. Alexander Chaney. Company Co. D. 9th Regiment. Page 70. Line 1.Return to Alexander Chaney's Introductory Page
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