Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Chamberlain defending Little Round Top

Portrayed in Famous Battles of the Civil War, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain**, (**September 8, 1828 – February 24, 1914) was an American college professor from the State of Maine who volunteered during the American Civil War to join the Union Army. He became a highly respected and decorated Union officer, reaching the rank of brigadier general (and brevet major general). He is best known for his gallantry at the Battle of Gettysburg, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Following the war, he served as Governor of Maine.

Chamberlain was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment in 1862 and fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg. He became commander of the regiment in June 1863. On July 2, during the Battle of Gettysburg, Chamberlain's regiment occupied the extreme left of the Union lines at Little Round Top. Chamberlain's men withstood repeated assaults from the 15th Regiment Alabama Infantry and finally drove the Confederates away with a downhill bayonet charge. Chamberlain was severely wounded while commanding a brigade during the Second Battle of Petersburg in June 1864, and was given what was intended to be a deathbed promotion to brigadier general. In April 1865, he fought at the Battle of Five Forks and was given the honor of commanding the Union troops at the surrender ceremony for the infantry of Robert E. Lee's Army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.

After the war, he entered politics as a Republican and served four one-year terms of office as the 32nd Governor of Maine. He served on the faculty, and as president, of his *alma mater*, Bowdoin College. He died in 1914 at age 85 due to complications from the wound that he received at Petersburg.

## In the video

Chamberlain is seen at the Battle of Gettysburg defending a hill know as Little Round Top. Despite overwhelming odds he is able to defend against 3 waves of Confederate assault. During the first wave several exchanges of fire occur before the fighting gets close and physical. In the physical fighting 6 soldiers are shown brawling with two managing to simultaneously kill each other with bayonets. Two other soldiers in the scene, who appear to be children having lied about their age, are attempting to beat each other to death while 2 other soldiers in the back do not quite understand the physical part of fist fighting. The Union troops managed to hold their ground in successfully repulsing the Confederate attack. The rebels then send another wave and begun to make a dent in the weakening Union defenses. Upon a soldier running to Chamberlain and delivering this news, the colonel makes the decision to bring out his secret weapon, Officer Rambo. Chamberlain gives Rambo the simple order to defend this line which he faithfully obeys with his M16 Assault rifle. As the Confederates attempt "Round 2" of their attack they are swiftly mowed down by Rambo allowing the Union to survive yet another wave. The Confederates were not yet finished as they push for a second wave. The Union troops now lacked ammunition as shown when a solider reports this to Chamberlain. Rambo unfortunately had timed out and was unable to continue fighting leaving Chamberlain to make the decisions to perform a bayonet charge to forcibly expel the rebels off the hill. The men comply and manage to chase the now weakened confederate forces off the hill bringing a close the fighting on the hill, but not the battle.

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