- Samuel Chamberlain
Samuel E. Chamberlain (
November 27 ,1829 -1908) was asoldier , painter, andauthor who travelled throughout the American Southwest andMexico .Early life
Chamberlain was born in
Center Harbor, New Hampshire , and soon afterward moved toBoston where he spent most of his childhood. In 1844 he left home without permission to go toIllinois where two years later he was to join the Illinois Second Volunteer Regiment, which was at that time headed toTexas for theMexican-American War . InSan Antonio he joined the regular army and became part of the First United States Dragoons. He fought at theBattle of Buena Vista and several other operations, but was found to be a deserter in 1849 when he returned home toBoston to raise a family. He and his wife, Mary, had three children.In the Civil War
Samuel Chamberlain was also involved in some less savory aspects of the
Texas /Mexico border disputes. Most notably, he rode with the infamous Glanton gang, under the command ofJohn Glanton , and was involved in the taking of scalps under highly questionable circumstances. During the Civil War, he commanded the Fifth Massachusetts Cavalry, an allAfrican American unit, and rose to the rank ofbrigadier general .Later life
After settling in Massachusetts with his family, Chamberlain became well-known for his charming paintings, which consist largely of
landscape s and battle scenes concerning the Mexican-American war. A large collection is held at the San Jacinto Museum of History Paintings inSan Antonio . Chamberlain is also the author of a harrowing account of his early adventures entitled "My Confession: The Recollections of a Rogue." It was the primary source for authorCormac McCarthy 's 1985 novel "Blood Meridian ."References
*Goetzmann, William H.: "Sam Chamberlain's Mexican War: The San Jacinto Museum of History Paintings"
*Chamberlain, Samuel E.: "My Confession: Recollections of a Rogue"."External links
[http://www.dmwv.org/mexwar/mwart/samcham.htm Images of the U.S.-Mexican War — Sam Chamberlain's Mexican War Watercolor Paintings]
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