The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment lost 9 officers and 138 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded and 1 officer and 145 enlisted men to disease during the Civil War. For many years, historians and writers have given the lions share of the credit for the 20ths dramatic action on Little Round Top to Chamberlain. Medal of Honor Monday: Army Maj. Gen. Joshua Chamberlain 20th Maine Volunteers - Essential Civil War Curriculum He was a graduate of West Point and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the First Battle of Bull Run. Corporal Waterhouse became the regiments first casualty when he was wounded in the foot. Lore, Charles, Waterville, Marden, Ezra B., Bangor. Charles H. Reed, Freedom, David J. Lewis, Waterville. The Wikipedia article, 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment, (accessed 6 July 2012). Or, to put it another way, did he deserve all the credit? Numerous books and even the popular movie Gettysburg have helped fuel adulation for the Union officer. Colonel Chamberlain was badly wounded in the right hip and groin. First Lieutenant, Henry F. Sidelinger, Union, commanding company. Melcher broke this momentary disruption by running down the slope screaming: Come on! iston, and Samuel A. Littlefield, Winterport, medical dept. Dawes, Calvin, Cumberland, Foss, Washington, Comville. Stevens, Jeremiah C, Sidney, Shaw, Resolvo, Waterville. The lack of credit perhaps helped create the rift that later developed between him and Chamberlain. Ellis Spear later suggested somewhat bitterly that the abundance of articles written by Chamberlain himself indirectly led to Chamberlain receiving sole credit for the victory. Durham, regimental bugler; Erastus C. Anderson, Rockland, cattle guard; from December 1st, 1863, date of the return published in Adjutant 20th Maine Regiment Infantry ROSTERS: The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 1 man. U. S.; William P. Harvey, Bangor, battery C, ist Mass. For more information on the history of this unit, see: 20th Regiment, Maine Infantry timeline from organization to discharge. After Chamberlain returned to the regimental center, Melcher asked permission to retrieve his wounded from the front. After many battles, companies might be combined because so many men were killed or wounded. William F. Merrill, Priv. Mustered out June 5, 1865. In doing so, Chamberlain exercised effective battle command. From the regiments monument near the summit of Big Round Top: The 20th Maine Reg. to Research and Current Projects. Battle Unit Details - The Civil War (U.S. National Park Service) [8][9] The song "Dixieland" by Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band is also about the 20th Maine.[10]. Toziers bravery sparked the 20th Maine and changed the course of the engagement. Fortune, however, was to smile on Chamberlains regiment in the form of unexpected reinforcements. Spear literally controlled half the regiment during the climactic counterattack. The 20th Regiment, Maine Infantry was organized at Portland, and mustered in August 29, 1862. ton, Hanover, and Erskine C. Smith, Hanover, in quarterm'r dept. -Major; William H. Chamberlain, Sewall M. Cowan, Ban- Recruits transferred to 20th Maine Infantry. ster quartermaster's dept. Grand Review May 23. First Sergeant Charles W. Steele, killed. The regiments sudden, desperate bayonet charge blunted the Confederate assault on Little Round Top and has been credited with saving Major General George Gordon Meades Army of the Potomac, winning the Battle of Gettysburg and setting the South on a long, irreversible path to defeat. 2. . 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Volunteer Organizations During the American Civil War. They mustered out July 16, 1865 with the old members mustering out June 4, 1865. Hall, Isaac C, Freedom, Hill, William E., Bumham. 20th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment - The Civil War in the East Acting Field Officer, Captain Atherton W. Clark, Waldoboro, company E. Acting Field Officer, Captain Ellis Spear, Wiscasset, company G. Acting Adjutant, First Lieutenant Thomas D. Chamberlain, Bangor, co. G. Quartermaster, Alden Litchfield, Rockland. Duty at Ball's Cross Roads until June 5. The 20th Maine suffered heavy casualties, but held Little Round Top and allowed a Union victory at Gettysburg. A. Davis, Warren, Eben F. Manchester, Windham, and Ambrose Whitcomb, Source: dept; Thomas Arnold, Warren; Oeorge H. Dow, Warren. On July 2, 1862, Confederate Gen. James Longstreet recommended that the rebel army move around the end of the Union line, get behind Gen. George Mead's army and attack from that position, but Gen. Robert E. Lee ordered a direct attack. There is some disagreement about exactly what Chamberlain said to order the bayonet charge. With all the confusion and noise on Little Round Top that day, if anything other than bayonet had been said it probably would not have mattered, anyway. Andrew D. Mabury, Windham, Willard Pinkham, Charleston. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! variety of Sources, consult Desjardin's book for further details. Chamberlain ordered the regiment to go on line by file. But, using the classic element of surprise, Captain Morrills Company B rose up from behind a stone wall and fired a volley into the Confederates rear, breaking the will of the enemy troops. Hawkins' Division of 6,000 Black Troops. to Research and Current Projects, Source: It is honored by threemonuments at Gettysburg. The 133rd Engineer Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard and the United States Army today carries on the lineage and traditions of the 20th Maine. Aaaron Adams, Priv. Although the 20th Maine Infantry gets a lot of attention for its actions at Gettysburg, due mostly to its prominence in the 1993 film Gettysburg, other regiments from the Pine Tree State played important but overlooked roles in the battle.One of those regiments was Colonel Moses Lakeman's 3rd Maine. Throughout the winter and spring of 1863 the Union and Confederate Armies were making their way north with only a few minor engagements. wounded On Special Duty or Detached Service: Crosby N. Crocker, team- From there, they marched to Antietam (Sharpsburg), Maryland, and were held in reserve with the rest of the 5th Corps during the battle of September 16-17, 1862. Colonel Chamberlain took command of the brigade. Maine. Colonel Chamberlain took over brigade command and Major Ellis Spear took command of the Regiment. He sympathized with the mutineers and wrote to Maine Governor Abner Coburn, asking that he write to the men personally about the mix-up in three-year versus two-year contracts they had signed. 10th Tennessee Regiment, CO.E. Sickles, by that time hotly engaged with elements of Longstreets corps, had none to spare. This page was last edited on 5 December 2022, at 20:47. Organized at Readville under Colonel William R. Lee, mexican War veteran and distant relative of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Being primarily farmers and lumbermen before they enlisted, most of the men had no military background, but many were used to hard work and surviving in an often unforgiving environment, were familiar with firearms and had the benefit of having volunteered for service. Source: 1866 Maine Adjutant General's Report, appendix D . 20th Maine, Company G . Color sergeant was a dangerous but coveted position in Civil War regiments, generally manned by the bravest soldier in the unit. Lieutenant Colonel Chamberlain pleadedwith Brigadier General Daniel Butterfield to put the men into the fight and wasrefused. One story is that he screamed: Bayonet! Stevens. Spear, who would later become a brevet brigadier general, believed that all the officers at Little Round Top shared in the battle fully and honorably, but that the bayonet charge was a success largely due to the spirit of the enlisted men. Grand Review May 23. Instead of shooting them, Chamberlain wisely distributed the 2nd Maine veterans evenly to fill out the 20th Maines ranks and integrate experienced soldiers among the untested 20th Maine. Confederate reports showed that the Union company had been magnified into two regiments. Army. Joshua Chamberlain deserves much acclaim, but not to the exclusion of many others whom history has so far and so unfairly underrated. Prior to their notable actions at Gettysburg in July 1863, the regiment was held in reserve at Antietam in September 1862. Both sides sent dispatches to inform their superiors of the confrontation. Later actions in which the regiment participated included Second Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, The Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, the Siege of Petersburg, Peebles's Farm, Lewis's Farm/Quaker Road, White Oak Road, Five Forks, and Appomattox Court House. Union - Maine Infantry (Part 2) - Civil War Archive John Reed Jr., 1st Serg. Twentieth Regiment Infantry, Maine Volunteers, showing the changes which have taken place from December 1st, 1863, date of the return published in Adjutant General's Report for 1863, to . Chamberlain ordered a right-wheel maneuver and took up a place behind Tozier. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Army. List of participants by company as well as casualties suffered. The regiment's sudden, desperate bayonet charge blunted the Confederate assault on . The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry was a three-year regiment that fought with the Army of the Potomac. Chamberlain seemed to have been blessed with both good timing and luck. Army. The regiment is victorious in a fictional battle that portrays a young Union soldier who has left his love in Maine to serve in the regiment. "Stand Firm Ye Boys From Maine" by Tom Desjardin. Here during December, 1863, 173 of the original members of the regiment re-enlisted. [First Lieutenant Ruhis B. Plummer of co. C, commanding.]. John Wentworth; Co. F, Priv. First Lieutenant, Weston H. Keene, Bremen. Although spread thinly, the Union troopers held their ground with repeating carbines. First Lieutenant, Rufus B. Plununer, Linneus, assigned to G. Second Lieutenant, James H. Stan wood, Waldoboro. When Chamberlain went to the Governor of Maine to acquire a commission in the Army, the Governor offered him the rank of Colonel. When Confederate Brig. Hutchins, Alvah L., Freedom, Longley, Samuel, Sidney. The stars have aligned as we have a remarkable opportunity at Gettysburg to save a piece of land that witnessed monumental points in history. Spear, however, claimed he received no such orders. Oliver L., mortally w*d; died July 11. If your ancestor was a Union soldier, he may have been part of the U.S. Regulars, a unit of the United States Army though most Civil War soldiers served in a volunteer regiment raised by his home state, for example the 11th Virginia Volunteer Infantry or the 4th Maine Volunteer Infantry. After Chamberlain ordered Bayonet,the Union line hesitated until Melcher sprang out in front of the line with his sword flashing. They came from coastal Maine, from central and western Maine. The regiment lost 2 officers and 13 men killed, 6 officers and 38 men wounded . Melcher was an inspiration to the tiring regiment as he sprang a full 10 paces to the front with his sword glittering in the sunlight. Although the 650-foot-high Little Round Top was overshadowed by its larger neighbor, its position was more important because much of the hill was cleared of trees and it could better accommodate troops. The state-appointed Maine commission that later gathered facts regarding Maines contribution to the Battle of Gettysburg maintained that Melcher sprang forward as Chamberlain yelled, Bayonet! Hand-written roster and service record of the 41st Regiment, Co. E, New York State Volunteers. The Battle of Antietam, known as the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, was the 20th's first taste of the war. During the charge, a second enemy line of the 15th and 47th Alabama tried to make a stand near a stone wall. Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified. Sanford A. Carpenter, Portland, Oliver French, Solon. The Regt. Harmony, battery I, 5th U. S.; John Harmon, Buxton, Samuel F. Mallett, First Lieutenant, Arad H. Linscott, JeflFerson. Williard W. Buxton. The valorous defense of Little Round Top will always belong to the 20th Maine Infantry and to Joshua L. Chamberlain as the regimental commander. Geary was ordered to rejoin the rest of his XII Corps at Culps Hill after elements of Sickles III Corps took his place. Meade faced a daunting task. Captain Charles W. Billings, mortally wounded; died July 15, 1863. U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center th Civil War Unit: 20 Maine Infantry Regiment 950 Soldiers Drive Carlisle Barracks, PA 17013-5021 17 Oct 2012 1 20th Maine Infantry Regiment Chamberlain, Joshua L. Address.at the Dedication of the Maine Monuments, Battlefield of Gettysburg, October 3, 1889. boro, act*g Sergt. Both Vincent and ORorke gave their lives at Gettysburg, and if not for those two men and others, Chamberlain probably would be remembered today as only a minor figure in a major Union disaster. The regiment wasmoved to Quarantine Hill, while Colonel Ames wastransferred to General Meades staff at Corps Headquarters. However if you are unsure which company your ancestor was in, try the company recruited in his county first. Two other men were wounded, and Lieutenant Colonel Chamberlain lost the first of many horses shot from under him during the Civil War. Recruits transferred to 20th Maine Infantry. Second Lieutenant, William K. Bickford, Thomaston. Please enable JavaScript on your browser to best view this site. Captain Ellis Spear was promoted to major and took command of the Regiment. The regiment was also among those forced to remain overnight within sight of the Confederate lines at Fredericksburg in December 1862, forcing the regiment's Lt. Col. Joshua Chamberlain to shield himself with a dead man. He hastily sent messengers to Meade and Sickles, requesting immediate assistance. On Special Duty or Detached Service: Charles E. Foster, Ded- A Roster (15 Volumes); Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. The 20th Maine marched from Appomattox, Virginia, on May 2, reaching the national capital at Washington, D.C., on May 12, where the remaining original members were mustered out of service on June 4, 1865, with the remainder of the regiment leaving the federal service on July 16. Price) 23rd TN Infantry Co C. 24th Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, Co. G., Duck River Rifles (hosted at Duck River Rifles) 37th Tennessee Infantry Regiment. 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment: Battles, Casualties (15 mb) 23rd Maine - My . Ref. The 20th Maine was organized in the state of Maine and mustered into federal service on August 29, 1862, with Col. Adelbert Ames as its commander. Included along with the flag were historic prints, art work, documents, and the famous Colt revolver taken by Chamberlain from a Confederate officer after it providentially mis-fired, sparing him at Little Round Top. PDF U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center th Civil War Unit: 20 Maine First Lieutenant Arad H. Linscott, wounded; died July 27, 1863. Also lacking military experience, a number of officers were well educated, including 10 who had graduated from Bowdoin College. Forward to the right! The most notable battle was the regiment's decisive role on July 2, 1863, in the Battle of Gettysburg at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where it was stationed on Little Round Top hill at the extreme left of the Union line. 20th Maine Roster at Gettysburg including - 20th Maine Volunteers Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! An Alabama soldier twice failed to pull the trigger of his rifle because he had second thoughts about killing the brave colonel.