Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain--Medal, Coin and some History! LARGE IMAGES!

[Amanda]

 

Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain famously commanded the 20th Maine Regiment of Volunteers at the decisive Battle of Gettysburg. His regiment was assigned the left most position in the Union line on the second day of battle. They were the flank. Though outnumbered by the attacking Confederates, the 20th Maine managed to hold off wave after wave. Finally, they ran out of ammunition. Faced with the terrible decision of either retreating or facing the imminent attack of a new wave of Confederate soldiers, Col. Chamberlain decided to order a bayonet charge down the hill they were positioned at. This charge took the Confederates by surprise and saved the flank from being over-run. Through this unorthodox maneuver, Col. Chamberlain arguably saved the entire battle.

 

 

This medal was purchased at the Gettysburg National Battlefield Park gift shop. It is silver dollar sized and the obverse displays very nice high relief. Col. Chamberlain is on the obverse and the reverse depicts the monument to the 20th Maine Regiment on the top of Little Round Top, the hill they were stationed at.

 

 

Here is a picture I took of the monument over the summer.

 

Joshua Chamberlain went on to great heights in the Union Army through the course of the rest of the war. He was promoted to Brigadier General by General Grant. His brigade accepted the weapons of the surrendered Confederate troops at Appomattox Court House (which, incidentally, is referring to the name of a town in Virginia, not a building) where he famously ordered his men to salute the Confederates because they were all brothers again.

 

His words grace the reverse of the 1995 Civil War Battlefields Commemorative Silver Dollar.

 

 

That is one of the more difficult coins I have ever imaged! The obverse depicts a soldier helping a wounded soldier get a drink of water.

 

Anyone interested in the Civil War should definitely read The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. It is a very good book that recounts the Battle of Gettysburg from the points of view of various officers of both sides, including Colonel Chamberlain.

 

Colonel Chamberlain is one of my heroes, and I just thought I would share my numismatically related items about him with the forum.

 

-Amanda

[WinstonWare]

Terrific post! That is a great looking coin and a great write-up.

[Amanda]

Terrific post! That is a great looking coin and a great write-up.

 

Thanks, Winston.

 

-Amanda

[Stanley]

Joshua Chamberlain went on to great heights in the Union Army through the course of the rest of the war. He was promoted to Brigadier General by General Grant. His brigade accepted the weapons of the surrendered Confederate troops at Appomattox Court House (which, incidentally, is referring to the name of a town in Virginia, not a building) where he famously ordered his men to salute the Confederates because they were all brothers again.

 

This place of surrender in Appomattox VA is 30 minutes from my house. Appomattox is a quaint little town which has some beautifully maintained historical sites of interest.

If memory serves me correctly the actual house the official surrender took place in is the Mclean House and it is represented there. ( something like that)

[MAULEMALL]

Excellant post Amanda

[MikeKing]

This is a great post. Great photography, good, albeit painful, History and a very interesting coin that I knew nothing about. Thanks.

 

...I guess that shows that sometimes you just have to go into things head first...

[SkyMan]

Very informative post with some nice images included. Thank you Amanda!

[Amanda]

Thanks, guys.

 

-Amanda

[Hoot]

Superb and informative post! Thanks!

 

Hoot

[TJ'S Coins]

Amanda, you have given us a wonderful post with information and pictures about a brave man worthy of the accolades he received. Great work

[Amanda]

Thanks.

 

I particularly like this quote of his:

 

It is something great and greatening to cherish an ideal; to act in the light of the truth that is far-away and far above; to set aside the near advantage, the momentary pleasure. . . and to act for remoter ends, for higher good, and for interests other than our own.

 

-Amanda

[TJ'S Coins]

Thanks.

 

I particularly like this quote of his:

 

It is something great and greatening to cherish an ideal; to act in the light of the truth that is far-away and far above; to set aside the near advantage, the momentary pleasure. . . and to act for remoter ends, for higher good, and for interests other than our own.

 

-Amanda

 

If only more people lived with such high ideals! That is a great quote.

[cpm9ball]

Great story and pictures, Amanda! I remember watching the "made-for-TV" story on the History Channel.

 

I'm not trying to hijack your thread, but since it is about the Civil War I hope you won't mind another little tidbit of history.

 

My great-great grandmother Rakestraw's maiden name was Jackson. She was the aunt of Thomas Jackson. He was orphaned at a very young age when his parents died of plague (not sure what). As was very common in those days, the Rakestraw's took young Thomas into the family. Many, many years later during the Civil War, Thomas was mortally wounded at the battle of Chancellorsville and on May 10, 1863, he succumbed to his wounds.

 

My mother painted this portrait of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and I will always treasure it.

 

Chris

[EZ_E]

Colonel Chamberlain is one of my heroes, and I just thought I would share my numismatically related items about him with the forum.

 

I've always rather admired him myself and I'm most definitely am not a yankee!

 

He was instrumental in winning the battle of Gettysburg which change the entire course of the Civil War.

 

I perhaps even admire Stonewall Jackson even more. He was a man of intense integrity and morals.

 

It is a shame that man calls God down upon both sides of a war.

 

Amanda, I am so glad that you have made yourself an active member of these boards. Most lady members have abided for only a short while, never to return again. I hope that you are here for a long time to come. I love your posts and your input!

 

[Amanda]

Great story, Chris, thanks! That's really cool.

 

TJ, I agree with you!

 

EZ E, thanks, I have fun here usually.

 

-Amanda

[Oldtrader3]

Joshua Chamberlain was a college professor of Rhetoric, at Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME both before and after the war. During the Civil War he fought in (24) battles. He was later President of Bowdoin College and Governor of Maine. He also received the French Medal of Honor for his educational efforts. He was was the last Civil War Veteran to die from wounds sustained during the war, in 1914!

[IGWT]

When are you coming home to Maine, Charlie? Chamberlain moved down to Portland later in his life.

[Oldtrader3]

I visited my sister in Bath this past May. My youngest son graduated from Tufts Univ. in Boston this May. While in Boston, we drove up to Maine for lunch with my sister at Cook's Lobster Pound on Bailey's Island. I used to sell live lobsters to Cook's when I was a kid living on Orr's Island. It's too cold in Maine for my asthma now. Coastal Washington state is bad enough!