The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Colonel Joshua Chamberlain - May 17th, 2004

1st Dragoon's Civil War Site ^

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
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FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

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Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
(1828 - 1914)

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Joshua L. Chamberlain is perhaps most widely known for his role in holding the Federal position on Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg. But before the war would end, the unassuming college professor from Maine would contribute much more than that.

Entering the Union army as a lieutenant colonel, Chamberlain would serve in more than 20 engagements, be wounded six times, and finish his service breveted Major General. His final honor would come when General Ulysses S. Grant designated him to receive the first flag of surrender at Appomattox Court House. The defeated Confederate troops, under the command of General John B. Gordon, anticipated the ultimate humiliation. Instead, they were met with honor and respect. For this, Gordon remembered Chamberlain in his memoirs as "one of the knightliest soldiers of the Federal Army."

The Simple Years of Youth

He was born Lawrence Joshua Chamberlain on September 8, 1828 in a cottage near the family homestead in Brewer, Maine, a farming and shipbuilding community. His parents, Joshua and Sarah Dupee (Brastow) Chamberlain, named him after the heroic Commodore James Lawrence who had immortalized the words "Don't give up the ship!" The eldest of five children, young Lawrence was raised as a Puritan and Huguenot (French Protestant) in a household which prized good manners, cheerfulness, morality, education, and industry.


The Professor from Maine

As a boy, Lawrence was fond of outdoor activities such as horseback riding at breakneck speed across the fields, swimming, sailing, and bird and flower watching. During adolescence, scholastic studies and farm work became of greater significance for the shy, serious, and dutiful youth. While plowing the rough fields, he learned from his strict and taciturn father that sheer willpower followed by positive action could accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. Lessons as these would later be applied to challenges in his adulthood, resulting in great success.

Upon contemplating a career for their eldest born, his father, a county commissioner and former lieutenant colonel in the military, wished for his son to enter the army. Lawrence had already attended Major Whiting's military academy where he fitted for West Point. But his mother, a religious woman, wanted him to study for the ministry. Lawrence was interested in a West Point education, but the idea of being in the military during peacetime held no attraction for him. After much consideration on the matter, Lawrence agreed to enter the ministry if he could become a missionary in a foreign land, a popular career choice of the time.

A New Direction


Fannie Chamberlain - wife of Joshua Chamberlain

In 1848, Lawrence entered Bowdoin College at Brunswick, where he began using Joshua as his first name. During his initial years away from home, the introverted 19-year-old felt lonely and spoke little because he was embarrassed by his propensity for stammering. Joshua learned to overcome this impediment by "singing out" phrases on a "wave of breath." By his third year at Bowdoin, he had won awards in both composition and oratory.

As a student, Joshua had earned a reputation for standing behind his principles even when challenged by authorities. Throughout his life, this sense of honor would never desert him, even under fire. When not pursuing his studies, Joshua enjoyed singing and playing the bass viol on which he was self-taught. As the college chapel organist, he learned to play the organ quite skillfully on his own.


John Chamberlain brother of Joshua and Thomas who also served briefly with the 20th Maine and was at Little Round Top in Gettysburg with Joshua and Thomas.

While attending the local church in Brunswick, Joshua became attracted to the enchanting, dark-haired Frances (Fanny) Caroline Adams who often played the organ for the church choir. She was the reverend's adopted daughter and three years his senior, but this unconventional difference in their ages (for those times) did not matter to them. It was not long before a romance blossomed between them. The two became engaged the next year in 1852, after he graduated Phi Beta Kappa with his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin. They would not be married until 1855, following Joshua's graduation from both a three-year seminary course at Bangor Theological Seminary and Bowdoin College with his master's degree.

In spring of 1856, Joshua was elected professor of rhetoric and oratory at Bowdoin. By 1861, he was elected to the chair of modern languages. Chamberlain was well-qualified for this position, having mastered multiple languages in preparation for a career in the ministry overseas. In all, he was fluent in nine: Greek, Latin, French, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, and Syriac. Meanwhile, during his early years as a professor, the Chamberlain home had been blessed with the birth of their daughter Grace (Daisy), and son Harold (Wyllys).


Thomas Chamberlain younger brother of Joshua and John. All three brothers served with the 20th Maine and were at Little Round Top during the battle of Gettysburg

With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Joshua felt a strong desire to serve his country. Many Bowdoin alumni had immediately enlisted, and as time passed many men from Maine were wearing the blue uniform. Having already been granted a leave of absence for study in Europe, Joshua decided to offer his services in the military to Governor Washburn. Despite the displeasure of the Bowdoin staff, by August 1862, Chamberlain entered the war as Lieutenant Colonel of the 20th Regiment of Maine Volunteers.

Lessons for a Lieutenant Colonel

Under Commander Adelbert Ames, a recent West Point graduate, Chamberlain learned by observation about soldiering and being in charge of a regiment. He witnessed the transformation of more than 900 unskilled men into trained and disciplined soldiers. Among the officers of the regiment was Joshua's brother Thomas. Tom, the youngest of the Chamberlain's, was appointed a non-commissioned sergeant. Before the end of the war, he would serve as a lieutenant colonel.


Joshua Chamberlain and his wife, Caroline.

The 20th Maine's first order found them marching to the site of the battle at Antietam. But they would not engage in action until late September, in a reconnaissance at Shepherdstown Ford. In mid-October, they participated in another reconnaissance, this one led by Chamberlain at the South Mountain pass. Upon seeing the figure of a slain Confederate youth, Joshua was horrified and saddened to realize that some of the soldiers they fought against were as young as this 16-year-old. Sights as these would never be forgotten.

By December 1862, the Battle of Fredericksburg proved to be a devastating blow to the Union. In an article he wrote, published by Cosmopolitan Magazine in 1912, Chamberlain recalls his bone-chilling "bivouac with the dead" that night on the slopes of Marye's Heights in Fredericksburg. After this engagement, as the defeated Union troops were given orders to evacuate the town, Chamberlain was placed in command of his regiment to lead the retreat from the heights.



The remaining months of winter and early spring passed uneventfully for the 20th. The prevalence of small pox in the ranks kept them out of the Battle of Chancellorsville in the beginning of May 1863. During this time, Chamberlain requested duties to occupy his able-bodied men. Having learned a great deal since his enlistment, and demonstrating strong leadership skills, by the end of the month Chamberlain was appointed Colonel of his regiment.

[Johnny Gage]

Air Power
Mil Mi-24 HIND D/E

Mil Mi-24 is a twin-engined assault helicopter intended for close support of ground forces, destruction of armored targets and transportation of persons or cargo. Its design is a classic one with a five-bladed main rotor and three-bladed tail rotor. The Mi-24, the first helicopter to enter service with the Russian Air Force as an assault transport and gunship, was developed on the basis of the Mi-8's propulsion system. Additional missions include direct air support, antitank, armed escort, and air to air combat. The helicopter was used extensively in the Afghanistan War, becoming the "signature" weapon of the conflict. The Mi-24 is a counterpart to the American AH-64 Apache, but unlike this and other Western assault helicopters it is also capable of transporting up to eight troops. The Russians have deployed significant numbers of HINDs in Europe and have exported the HIND to many third world countries.

A characteristic feature of the Mi-24 is a load cabin connected with the flight-deck, which is 2.83 m long, 1.46 m wide and 1.2 m high. It is capable of accommodating up to armed 8 troops; they can fire from their small arms fixed in mountings on side windows which can be opened. The cabin is accessible by a vertically opening clamshell door on each side of the fuselage. The helicopter has a wing with a span of 6.536 m, which can relieve the tail rotor by up to 30 per cent in higher speeds. It is equipped with a hydraulically retractable tricycle type landing gear with a twin-wheel nose unit. It is powered by TV3-117 engines (2 x 1638 kW).

The development of the helicopter commenced in mid-60ies based on the dynamics, power units and other components of the Mi-8. The first prototype, still with TV2-117 engines, flew in September 1969. Mi-24A (Hind-A) is the first version, in serial production since 1972.

The five-blade main rotor is mounted on top of fuselage midsection, while short, stubby, weapon-carrying wings are mounted at the fuselsage midsection. Two turboshaft engines are mounted above body midsection with two round air intakes located just above the cockpit and exhaust ports on the sides of engines. The Hind A fuselage consists of a large, oval-shaped body with a glassed-in cockpit, tapering at the rear to the tail boom. The swept-back tapered tail fin features a rotor on the right on some models, with tapered flats on a boom just forward of the fin.

The Hind D fuselage features nose modification with tandem bubble canopies, and a chin-mounted turret. Mi24D (Hind-D) is significantly re-designed version of the Mi-24A. It entered service in 1976. A re-modelled two-seated cockpit has a tandem seating with the gunner/pilot sitting in front, the pilot/commander in the rear seat which is raised. The cockpit has characteristic bulging canopies. An undernose turret contains a four-barrel 12.7 mm 9A624 machine gun with up to 1470 rounds. Optional weaponry is mounted on four underwing pylons. It can consist of 4 UB-32 pods (with 32 57 mm S-5 rockets each), 4 x 100 or 250 kg bombs, or 2 x 500 kg bombs, or the same number of napalm dispensers. An air-to-surface launching system for four 122 mm rockets can also be used. On wingtips there are tube-launchers for two pairs of 9M17P anti-tank missiles (Falanga system).

External stores are mounted on underwing external stores points. Each wing has three hardpoints for a total of six stations. A representative mix when targeting armor formations would be eight AT-6 ATGMs, 750x 30-mm rounds, and two 57-mm rocket pods. The aircraft can store an additional ammunition basic load in the cargo compartment in lieu of carrying troops. Armored cockpits and titanium rotor head able to withstand 20-mm cannon hits. Every aircraft has an overpressurization system for operation in a NBC environment.

The HIND’s wings provide 22% to 28% of its lift in forward flight. In a steep banking turn at slower airspeeds, the low wing can lose lift while it is maintained on the upper wing, resulting in an excessive roll. This is countered by increasing forward airspeed to increase lift on the lower wing. Because of this characteristic, and the aircraft’s size and weight, it is not easily maneuverable. Therefore they usually attack in pairs or multiple pairs, and from various directions.

Mi-24DU is a training version of Mi-24D without the undernose gun turret.

Mi-24V (Hind-E) is another improved version, a development of Mi-24D. The major change consists in the upgraded and more efficient SHTURM - V missile system with 9M114 (AT-6 Spiral) radio-guided anti-tank missiles launched from two pairs of cylindrical pods mounted on wingtips. Also added were B-8V rocket pods for 20 80 mm S-8 rockets, UPK-23-250 pods with two-barrel Gsh-23L and 250 rounds, GUV9A universal pods which can carry a 30 mm 9-A-800 automatic grenade launcher, or one 12.7 mm 9-A-624 four-barrel machine gun and two four-barrel 7.62 mm 9-A-622 machine guns. It was equipped with TV3-117V engines with improved height characteristics and optional exhaust mixer boxes to cool exhaust gasses, and auxiliary fuel tanks with a capacity of 450 litres.

Specifications:
Country of Origin: Russia
Builder: MIL
Date of Introduction: 1976 (HIND D)
Role: Assault, gunship, antitank
Similar Aircraft: AH-1 Cobra (all models), UH-60 Black Hawk, AH-64 Apache, Mangusta A129
Crew: Two (pilots in tandem cockpits)
Blades: Main rotor: 5 - Tail rotor: 3
Rotor diameter: Main Rotor: 17.3 meters - Tail Rotor: 3.9 meters

Dimensions:
Wing span: 6.5 meters
Length Length: 21.6 m (rotors turning)
Length: 17.5 m (fuselage)
Height: 13 ft., 11 in.
Cargo Compartment Dimensions:
Length: 2.5 meters
Width: 1.5 meters
Height: 1.2 meters
Weight Maximum Gross: 11,500 kg
Normal Takeoff: 11,100 kg
Empty: 8,500 kg
Fuel Internal: 1,840 liters
Internal Aux Tank (in cabin): 1,227 liters
External Fuel Tank: 500 liters ea.
Standard Payload Internal load: 8 combat troops or 4 litters
External weapons load: 1,500 kg
External load (no weapons): 2,500 kg

Performance:
Fuel consumption(l): 360 l/h (ground) 350 l/h (air)
Engines: 2 x 2,200 shp Isotov TV-3-117 turbines
Maximum speed: 168 mph / 335 km/h
Cruising speed: 295 km/h
Range Normal Load: 450 km
With Aux Fuel: 950 km
Service Ceiling: 4,500 meters
Vertical Climb Rate: 15 m/s
Max “G” Force: 1.75 g

Armaments:
12.7-mm 4x Barrel Machinegun, YaKB-12.7:
- Range: (practical) 1,500m
- Elevation/Traverse: 20° up to 60° down/ 120°
- Ammo Type: HEFI, APT, Duplex, DuplexT
- Rate of Fire (rpm): up to 4,500 (pilot selectable)
30-mm Twin Barrel Cannon, GSh-30K:
- Range: (practical) 4,000m
- Elevation/Traverse: None (rigidly mounted)
- Ammo Type: HEFI, HEI, APT, APE, CC
- Rate of Fire (rpm): 300, or 2,000 to 2,600
External Pylon loading:
  2-12 AT/2C or AT/6C Spiral ATGMs
  2-4 80mm S-8 rocket pods (20 ea.)
  2-4 57mm S-5 rocket pods (32 ea.)
  Two GSh-23L twin 23-mm MG pods w/ 940 rds each
  Four 250kg bombs FAB-250
  Two 500kg bombs
  Two 500 liter External fuel tanks

Most Probable Armament Load:
HIND D: Turret-mounted 4-barrel 12.7-mm Gatling type machinegun, 57-mm rockets, AT-2C/ SWATTER ATGMs.
HIND E: Turret-mounted 4-barrel 12.7-mm Gatling type machinegun or twin barrel 23-mm turret gun, 57-mm rockets, AT-6C/ SPIRAL ATGMs.
HIND F: Fixed 30-mm twin gun on the right fuselage side, 57-mm rockets, AT-6C/ SPIRAL ATGMs.

NOTE:Loaded combat troops can also fire personal weapons through open cabin windows.

Sensors:
FLIR, RWR, laser designator

AVIONICS:
The ATGM targeting system uses a low-level light TV, a laser designator, FLIR, air data sensor, and a missile guidance transmitter.
HIND D versions are primarily daytime aircraft only.
Some HIND E and Mi-35 series export versions have upgraded night and weather capabilities, better avionics, weather radar, autopilot, HUD, GPS, NVG compatibility, more armor, and an increased weapons load provided by the French company Sextant Avionique.

Survivability:
Main and tail rotors electrically deiced.
Infrared signature suppressors can be mounted on engine exhausts.
Radar warning receivers, IFF, Infrared jammer, rotor brake, chaff and flares.
Armored cockpit.

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All photos Copyright of Global Security.Org

[snippy_about_it]

Heya, Snippy. How's springtime in Oregon?

Absolutely beautiful. In the 6 weeks since I moved here I've already had better weather for a longer stretch of time than I ever experienced in Ohio. I love it!

Of course having Sam nearby might just be influencing my new "sunny" disposition. Between tv, the foxhole, dvd's, road trips and Sam's brain it's all history all the time! And history is my favorite subject. :-)

[SAMWolf]

All the news that fits our agenda.

Ain't that the truth.

[SAMWolf]

Afternoon Johnny.

Jeff Daniels did an excellent job in both "Gods and Generals" and "Gettysburg"

[SAMWolf]

The one helicopter in the world that most looks like some kind of insect.

[SAMWolf]

Of course having Sam nearby might just be influencing my new "sunny" disposition.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Evening everybody.

[CholeraJoe]

Cavalry wannabe signing in.

Casey Jones hadn't wrecked his train by then.

[SAMWolf]

Evening Victoria. Looks like Snippy brought some Ohio weather with her. We just went through a lightning storm and hail.

[SAMWolf]

Evening CholeraJoe. Cavalry would have been the way I wanted to go too.

[snippy_about_it]

Hmmm. It's all over over here. ;-)

[snippy_about_it]

Oops. Maybe not. Figures, I turn the computer back on and it looks like the storm still has some life left in it. Almost over though.

[snippy_about_it]

Evening Victoria.

[Victoria Delsoul]

We just went through a lightning storm and hail.

What's a little lightning and hail for a tough guy like you.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Hi Snippy.

[Samwise]

For the life of me I can't figure out the pattern in the hobbit lass' homework. Go ahead and laugh at me as long as you help.

Arrange the first ten whole numbers (0,1,2,..., 9) according to the rule established by the first five:

8, 5, 4, 9, 1, _, _, _, _, _

[SAMWolf]

I suck at math problems, I'm better at History. I'm sure someone here will get it though.

[Samwise]

Got any friends who are good with patterns that we can ping?

[SAMWolf]

Hey Ra! Can you check out the problem in #136?

[snippy_about_it]

Dang it. Sam figured it out.