He attended the Friends' Academy and then became a wheelwright and a specialty carpenter before enlisting in the United States Army in his twenties.

[1] Chew enlisted on April 25, 1861, as an ensign on the 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment and was promoted to first lieutenant on June 9 before being mustered out on July 31.

On July 2, 1863, Chew and his men were scaling a stone wall at Emmitsburg Road and along with the 1st Delaware, captured the Bliss farm buildings.

The only sergeant of his company requested to evacuate but Chew maintained his position, stating “We are as safe here as anywhere, you can’t run away from them things.” before the two fled the barn after an artillery shell broke the fence.

When the Confederate artillery stabilized their range, Carnot Posey began to mass up the 16th Mississippi and when Chew requested the commander of the 1st Delaware, Edward P. Harris for reinforcements, Harris lost his nerves and ran away from the frontlines, leaving the 1st Delaware to lose their morale and also retreat.