Gettysburg Battlefield - 20th Maine Little Round Top
A Brief History: Born in Brewer Maine in 1828 Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was going to have a huge role to play in American history but didn’t know it yet. His father and mother Joshua and Sarah Brastow Chamberlain named their eldest son of five after a Sea Captain named James Lawrence which his father admired for his famous quote “don’t give up the ship”, which later on during the Civil War would take up a whole new meaning.
Joshua Chamberlain became an American College Professor in Maine and in 1855 he got married to Fannie. Once the Civil War broke out, Chamberlain was left to make a hard decision to stay home in Maine with his wife or leave his family and join the war. His decision was not made lightly but he decided that he needed to serve his country. He enlisted and the Governor of Maine granted Chamberlain the Rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the 20th Maine Regiment, placing him 2nd in command.
Chamberlain would learn everything he could about warfare studying by reading books and watching and learning from his Commander Colonel Adelbert Ames. The 20th Maine Regiment was present during the Battle of Antietam, but saw very little action. They had their first engagement in Fredericksburg, with many other regiments but failed the mission to take over Fredericksburg; being pushed back while the Confederate Army won the Battle.
During the Battle of Chancellorsville, the 20th Maine Regiment was unable to fight due to a smallpox outbreak within the regiment. The Union Army suffered many casualties during that battle, which caused Colonel Ames to become brigade command, leaving Chamberlain in command of the 20th Maine Regiment, heading to Gettysburg.
On July 2, 1863, the 2nd day of battle, Chamberlain and the 20th Maine Regiment were positioned on the extreme far left of the Federal Line on Little Round Top. This would put the 20th Maine Regiment at the end of the line. The battle broke out and Confederate General John B. Hood attacked the Union flank charging uphill of Little Round Top. After multiple engagements from the Confederate Army, this left the 20th Maine Regiment tired and running out of ammunition. Many of the 20th Maine regiment wanted to fall back, but Chamberlain knew that this would leave the left of the line wide open for the Confederates to gain the high ground and take over the Union Army on Little Round Top. Chamberlain had to fight back and hold the line, so he ordered a bayonet charge down the hill to secure the line. The Confederate Army started to engage again, when Chamberlain ordered the charge, with hardly any ammunition. The 20th Maine was able to secure the line and the Confederate Army surrendered the grounds of Little Round Top. Chamberlain got awarded the Medal of Honor for “Conspicuous Gallantry”. If it wasn’t for Chamberlain and the 20th Maine Regiment and their valiant effort, the Union may have lost the Battle of Gettysburg, which may not have ended the Civil War.
So next time you are in Gettysburg, check out Little Round Top and the section where the 20th Maine and Chamberlain fought so hard to defend and were victorious. Remember the Captain and his quote that Chamberlains father named him after “Don’t give up the ship”.
Haunted History: There are many reports of Gettysburg Battlefield being haunted, but specifically, Little Round Top where the 20th Maine Regiment was positioned. There have been claims of people hearing battlefield chanting during an engagement. People have also claimed to have seen apparitions of soldiers both Confederate and Union Soldiers in the area. Paranormal investigators have caught many EVPs in this area along with hearing the sounds of gunshots.