Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Thesis

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

It was July 2nd. His 20th Maine was ordered to the top of a small hill called Little Round Top with orders to defend his position. In the midst of the battle, Chamberlain realized that his flank was exposed, and while under fire he reorganized his line so that it bent back on itself and protected the vulnerable flank. This strategic move that came about in the chaos labels Chamberlain a victor of the Civil War. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is a hero because of his defensive skills of Little Round Top on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Born in 1828 in Brewer, Maine, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was the eldest of 5 children. Lawrence — as his family called him — worked on his father’s farm and, like many

Chamberlain was skilled like no other general. On June 13, 1863, Chamberlain’s men headed north, pursuing General Robert E. Lee’s Confederates toward Pennsylvania. The armies clashed at the small crossroads town of Gettysburg, a name and place that would become quite special for Joshua Chamberlain. On July 2, his 20th Maine was sent to the top of a small hill called Little Round Top with orders to defend his position to the last. The 20th Maine regiment was a small regiment numbering only 358 men. The Hill needed to stay in Union forces for the remainder of the three day battle, or else a Union victory would be lost from view. The Regiment was determined to defend and stand strong against the 15th Alabama. They would not collapse, and they would defend with all that they had. A brutal, all-consuming fight, first with elements of the 47th Alabama, then with the entire 15th Alabama, brought the Mainers to the breaking point. In the midst of the battle Chamberlain realized that his flank was exposed, and while under fire he reorganized his line so that it bent back on itself and protected the vulnerable flank. "...we cannot fall back, if we do the rebs will sweep up the whole Union Army from here all the way to Culp's hill... we cannot retreat...". He knew he only had enough ammo for sixty rounds… “ (Shaara

Despite receiving an honorary doctor of law degree from Pennsylvania College in 1866, and later from Bowdoin in 1869, a restlessness prevailed within him. Chamberlain decided to pursue a political career, and in September 1866 was elected governor of Maine by the largest majority in the state's history. He would serve four terms in all, concluding his last term at the end of 1870 (Brann 8). Little Round Top was one of the places where Gettysburg might have been lost for the Union army had the 20th Maine not been equal to their task. Chamberlain’s leadership skills were crucial to triumph of the Union of day 2 of the Civil War. Without Chamberlains amazing defensive skills on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg, the Confederate armies would have won and what would've happened after would have altered the future of the United States