Page 38 - All About History - Issue 16-14

Medal of Honor
JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN

The aftermath
The Battle of Gettysburg is viewed as
a key turning point in the American
Civil War, with Robert E Lee’s Army of
Northern Virginia defeated in the field,
though not annihilated. Shortly after,
President Abraham Lincoln gave arguably
his most famous speech, The Gettysburg
Address, which is still today enshrined
in American culture. The Confederate
invasion of the North had been stopped,
but the war would drag on a further two
years. Chamberlain was given a brigade
after Gettysburg and was wounded six
times in various battles. After the war,
he returned to Maine as a conquering
hero, with fresh popularity and acclaim. 01 Little Round Top lies exposed
He stood as the state’s governor several
As Confederate regiments reach the top of the hill
times and later wrote his memoirs on
called Big Round Top some of their officers realise
the war.
that Little Round Top, the smaller of the two rocky
hills, is almost entirely undefended. The order is given
to advance and take it. Meanwhile, on the Union
Praise side, Brigadier General Gouverneur K Warren also
recognises Little Round Top’s vulnerability and orders
for a hero it to be manned. Colonel Strong Vincent, commanding
regiments from Pennsylvania, New York and Maine,
answers the order and moves his men onto the
“ It was an outstanding Union’s left flank. His regiments arrive mere minutes
before the first Confederate attack begins. The orders
example of leadership. from command are clear: hold the hill at all cost.
The men trusted
Chamberlain’s

judgement; they
followed him; they did
what he told them to

do; and everything
turned out right”
John J Pullen, historical
biographer

“ It was imperative
to strike before we 04 The Confederates retreat
were struck by this With their sharp steel now angled down
the hill at the rebels, the ragged 20th Maine
overwhelming force sweeps down the hill in a wheeling motion,
with the far left of the line angling its advance
in a hand-to-hand across and along the slope to the right, to clear
all the enemy from Little Round Top. Already
fight, which we could bloodied and weary from repeated uphill
attacks, many Confederate troops break and
not probably have run. Others hold their ground and the cries of
desperate hand-to-hand fighting mingle with
withstood or survived. the crackle of musket fire. A volley from the
concealed 2nd US Sharpshooter men breaks
At that crisis, I ordered the spirit of the men from the South and they
flee. The 20th Maine follows their enemy and
the bayonet. The word secures the position for the Union, capturing
scores of rebels as they go.
was enough”
Joshua Chamberlain
recounting the battle

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