Joshua Chamberlain

A Congressional Medal of Honor winner and Civil War hero, who lived his post-war years dealing with the pain of his war wounds, the namesake of the Joshua Chamberlain Society stands for all the military servicemembers the Society hopes to help.

Chamberlain was a college professor at Bowdoin College in Maine when he volunteered to join the Union Army. In his mind, such service to the Union was his not to be questioned, symbolic of a time when citizens of the North lived and breathed Duty, Honor, and Country. Initially appointed lieutenant colonel of the 20th Maine Regiment, Chamberlain rose to the rank of brigadier general.

He achieved fame with his valiant stand atop Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettysburg in 1862. Defending the far left end of the Union line, Col. Chamberlain knew that his regiment had to hold down the flank at all cost. Low on ammunition and the 20th Maine almost doubled back upon itself, Col. Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge down the hill. The maneuver resulted in the capture of many of the Confederate soldiers and saved the Union’s left flank assuring victory at Gettysburg – a turning point in the war.

Chamberlain was also given the honor of commanding the Union troops at the surrender ceremony for the infantry of Robert E. Lee’s Army at Appomattox, Virginia. Indeed, his graciousness and keen sense of the historic nature of this duty was evident as he startled the world by calling his troops to attention to salute the defeated Southern army.

But, for all his bravery and leadership on behalf of the Union during the Civil War, Gen. Chamberlain’s most enduring legacy is his post-war life, living with the wounds of battle. In all, Chamberlain was wounded six times during the course of his service and was cited for bravery in action four times. He died of his war wounds in June 1914, at the age of eighty-three.

Therefore, it is in his memory that the Joshua Chamberlain Society works to assist and honor modern-day heroes, and their families, who are similarly dealing with the effects of their service to the United States.