General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

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. Although having no earlier education in military strategies, he became a highly respected and decorated Union officer, reaching the rank of brigadier general (and brevet major general).

His commands were:
• 20th Maine Infantry
• 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Corps
• 1st Brigade, 1st Division, V Corps
• 1st Division, V Corps

He fought in 20 battles and several skirmishes, including the following:
• Battle of Fredericksburg
• Battle of Gettysburg
• Second Battle of Petersburg
• Battle of White Oak Road
• Battle of Five Forks
• Appomattox Campaign

For his gallantry at Gettysburg, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on August 11, 1893. The citation reads:

“The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 2 July 1863, while serving with 20th Maine Infantry, in action at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for daring heroism and great tenacity in holding his position on the Little Round Top against repeated assaults, and carrying the advance position on the Great Round Top.”

For his actions at Gettysburg, he became known as The Lion of Little Round Top. He was given the honor of commanding the Union troops at the surrender ceremony for the infantry of General-in-Chief Robert E. Lee's Army at Appomattox, 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.

Beginning with his first election as governor of Maine, continuing to the end of his life, even as he suffered continual pain and discomfort from his wounds of 1864, Chamberlain was active in the Grand Army of the Republic and made many return visits to Gettysburg, giving speeches at soldiers' reunions. The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army, US Navy, Marines and Revenue Cutter Service who served in the American Civil War. It was dissolved in 1956 when its last member died. It was succeeded by the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW), composed of male descendants of Union veterans.