Joshua L. Chamberlain and the battle of Gettysburg

A detailed Summary of Joshua L. Chamberlain and the battle of Gettysburg

Joshua L. Chamberlain and the Battle of Gettysburg

What comes to your mind when you think of the Battle of Gettysburg? Maybe you think of Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address, Picket's Charge, or all of the casualties from the three days of fighting. Many times we don't think about all the people who risked their lives to protect our land, because we concentrate on the things that are familiar to us. For instance, how many people really know what role Joshua L. Chamberlain played in the Battle of Gettysburg? Chamberlain had a very important part in the second day of battle, and he definitely shouldn't be overlooked.

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was born on September 8, 1828 in Brewer, Maine. Brewer was a small community which was known for farming and ship building. During Chamberlain's youth, he spent a lot of his time working on his father's one hundred acre farm and teaching school. He didn't have much education before he entered college, except for a short time at Whitings Military and Classical Academy in Ellsworth, ME. He entered Bowdoin College in 1848 and took a special interest in language. He taught himself Greek in order to be accepted there, and he later became fluent in seven different languages.

Chamberlain's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, all had participated in wars, but Joshua didn't have any military experience. Luckily, he was born to be a natural leader. He was very courageous and he was able to take a lot of harsh pain. When the Civil War began in 1861, he felt the need to fight for the Union. Unfortunately, Bowdoin College didn't want to lose him as a professor, so he continued his job there.

Chamberlain was a thin, muscular gentleman who was just shy of six feet tall. His narrow face and high cheekbones were hidden by a full mustache that extended to his jaw line. In the words of one private he was, "a brave, brilliant, dashing officer...who, when once seen was always remembered."(Trulock, 5) I'm sure Frances Caroline Adams (Fanney) agreed with this soldier because on December 7, 1855, Joshua Chamberlain and she were married in Brunswick ME. "I know in whom all my highest hopes and dearest joys are centered. I know in whom my whole heart can rest - so sweetly and so surely. Fanny, Dear Fanny, only tell me that YOU do love me as I DO love you."( Geocities.com 4) Together they had five children, but only two of them survived into adulthood.

-Maj. Gen. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain-

Chamberlain formed his men in a strong line along the rocks, and asked for Colonel Rice's brigade to come for backup. That evening, the confederates opened a brisk fire, but that was the last that they saw of them that night. Chamberlain's men were allowed to sleep, while he called for the Eighty-third Pennsylvania and the Forty-fourth New York to help them feel more secure in their isolated area.

"But the truth of history is, that the little brigade of Vincent's with the self-sacrificing valor of the 20th Maine, under the gallant leadership of Joshua L. Chamberlain, fighting amidst the scrub-oak and rocks in the vale between the Round Tops on the 2nd of July, 1863, saved the Union arms the historic field of Gettysburg. Had they faltered for one instant-had they not exceeded their actual duty...there would have been no grand charge at Pickett, and "Gettysburg" would have been the mausoleum of departed hopes of the national cause; for Longstreet would have enveloped Little Round Top, captured all on its crest from the rear, and held the key of the whole position." (Trulock, 155)

The confederate's artillery figured out that they were climbing the hill and began shooting shells in that direction. Unfortunately, this made it hard for the Twentieth Maine to reach their destination. Colonel Vincent told Chamberlain that when he reached Little Round Top, he was to, "hold that ground at all hazards."(civilwarhome.com 1)

By about noon on July 3rd, the Twentieth Maine was withdrawn from the battle. On the forth, they returned to Little Round Top where they buried their dead soldiers. In Chamberlain's Excerpts from "Through Blood and Fire at Gettysburg," he says "...I thought of those other noble men of every type, commanders all, who bore their wounds so bravely-many to meet their end on later field

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Approximate Word count = 2110
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History