Page 39 - All About History - Issue 16-14

Medal of Honor
JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN

03 The 20th Maine charges
After nearly two hours of fighting, repulsing
three successive enemy attacks, those
Maine soldiers still able to fight are running
dangerously low on ammunition. Pacing up
and down his own line of exhausted men,
Chamberlain knows desperate measures are
called for. The 20th Maine has lost nearly
a third of its force, as a mere 200 men now
stand in line, many preparing to use their
empty rifles as clubs. Chamberlain gives the
command: “Bayonets!” The call is taken up in
a crescendo along the line, before Chamberlain
draws his sword and advances, with the
regiment colours at his side, down the hill
toward the rebel forces.

The scene of the fateful
skirmish on Little Round Top

02 The Confederates attack The Medal
At just after 5pm, minutes after the 20th Maine of Honor
regiment has formed into lines, the 47th and
What is it?
15th Alabama regiments begin to attack. They
The USA’s highest military
get just halfway up the boulder-strewn hillside
honour is awarded to members
before the Union cannons and rifles open
of the armed forces for the most
up on them. Unknown to the Confederates,
exceptional acts of bravery and
Chamberlain has also dispatched a unit of the
valour during combat. This is
2nd US Sharpshooters to his left, protecting
when service personnel have gone
against any outflanking manoeuvre. The sides
beyond the call of duty, often
exchange fire, using the rocks and trees as
placing themselves in difficult
natural cover, but the Union line holds.
and/or life-threatening situations
beyond reasonable expectation.
25 miles
Why and when was it
introduced?
UNITED The Medal was first awarded to
sailors and marines in 1861, during
the American Civil War, before
STATES being extended to ordinary soldiers
Gettysburg New as well.
York What does the Medal look like?
Since its creation, there have been
Philadelphia numerous designs to accommodate
the various facets of the armed
forces. A light-blue ribbon in the
shape of a V, suspending a star, is
the most consistent design trope.
Baltimore Atlantic City
How often has it been awarded?
There have been over 3,400
ATLANTIC recipients of the Medal since its
Washington OCEAN introduction, with many of these © Ian Moores Graphics; Alamy
being posthumous citations, where
the recipient was killed in the line
of duty.
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