Boys The Colonel Who Saved the United States

Some American Civil War historians credit Colonel Joshua Chamberlain who led the 20th of Maine in the battle for Little Round Top on July 2, 1963, as saving the United States from defeat at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.


(Steven, Mom, Dad, Anthony)

General Robert E. Lee invaded the North with the intention of destroying the Army of the Potomac, possibly seizing Washington D.C. and ending the Civil War firmly establishing the Confederate States of America as a sovereign country.

The 20th of Maine rushed up Little Round Top on the afternoon of July 2nd to protect the extreme left of the Union lines and were given orders to hold the hill at all costs. Failure to do so would have resulted in the Confederates attacking Union lines from the rear. Given the prior battle performance experiences of the North this could have resulted complete panic and defeat for the Union at Gettysburg.

The 20th of Main held the hill after numerous charges from the 15th Alabama but ran out of ammunition. Colonel Chamberlain knew he could not withdraw or the whole Union line would collapse. He was a professor of Grammar from Bowdoin College and ordered a text-book bayonet charge flanking maneuver with his left wing to swing down as a closing door on the Rebels. This maneuver took the Rebels completely by surprise who broke and ran thus protecting the Union lines.

Below is a scene from the movie “Gettysburg” of the charge.




[Credit video post from madhess1]