In 1915 Chapman made his way to California where sold his story to Hollywood who recognized a good story when they saw it. Chapman appeared as himself in the silent motion picture "Custer's Last Scout- The narrative in film of the only living witness of the Custer massacre!" Dressed in buckskins Chapman looked the part of a scout and frontiersman and made personal appearances at carnivals, fairs and schools signing his own picture card and showing off the "bullet that killed Custer." Chapman was also popular on the lecture circuit. Little Bighorn Researcher and author E.A. Brininstool investigated Chapman's claim and was not amused, "the man is a fraud! None of the soldiers ever heard of the man! Not even as a mule whacker!" Chapman acted out his Custer scout role for years. Whether or not he was taken seriously or viewed as just another outrageous character is unknown but he did manage to get a lot more out of his scout impersonation that all the others. He was the only "sole survivor" to appear in a movie. "Custer's scout" lived well into his nineties and was eventually awarded a pension not for any service in the 7th Cavalry but for his service in the 17th Kansas Infantry and the 16th Kansas Cavalry. Life in the Kansas units must have proven somewhat boring so Chapman reinvented his past to include Custer and the Seventh. Chapman also claimed to have been the sharpshooting champion of the United States Army for seven years.
Chapman died in 1941 in Portland, OR., reportedly at the age of 99. He was cremated at Lincoln Memorial Park. The exact location of his ashes is unknown.
In 1915 Chapman made his way to California where sold his story to Hollywood who recognized a good story when they saw it. Chapman appeared as himself in the silent motion picture "Custer's Last Scout- The narrative in film of the only living witness of the Custer massacre!" Dressed in buckskins Chapman looked the part of a scout and frontiersman and made personal appearances at carnivals, fairs and schools signing his own picture card and showing off the "bullet that killed Custer." Chapman was also popular on the lecture circuit. Little Bighorn Researcher and author E.A. Brininstool investigated Chapman's claim and was not amused, "the man is a fraud! None of the soldiers ever heard of the man! Not even as a mule whacker!" Chapman acted out his Custer scout role for years. Whether or not he was taken seriously or viewed as just another outrageous character is unknown but he did manage to get a lot more out of his scout impersonation that all the others. He was the only "sole survivor" to appear in a movie. "Custer's scout" lived well into his nineties and was eventually awarded a pension not for any service in the 7th Cavalry but for his service in the 17th Kansas Infantry and the 16th Kansas Cavalry. Life in the Kansas units must have proven somewhat boring so Chapman reinvented his past to include Custer and the Seventh. Chapman also claimed to have been the sharpshooting champion of the United States Army for seven years.
Chapman died in 1941 in Portland, OR., reportedly at the age of 99. He was cremated at Lincoln Memorial Park. The exact location of his ashes is unknown.
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