Colonel Joshua Chamberlain
...rcoming his inexperience in war tactics to push back General Lee’s army at Little Round Top. Once in position on Little Round Top, it didn’t take long for Colonel Chamberlain to realized that if the Confederates could fight their way through that narrow gap, past his troops, they would be in the rear of the main Union army. It could mean the defeat of the Union army at Gettysburg. After the assault on the west face of Little Round Top began by the Confederate army, it didn’t take long for the 20th Maine to come under attack by the 15th Alabama. They came pouring into that gap between the hills. The 20th Maine was not at full strength that day. They started the war with about 900 men. On this day at Gettysburg they numbered about 300. Chamberlain had been through the hell of battle at Fredricksburg the previous December. He had spent the night of that battle with his face in the mud after being pounded by Robert E. Lee when his regiment attacked the Confederate positions which were uphill and fortified. He only thought he had been through hell at Fredricksburg. He was wrong. Gettysburg was to be the real test. It would be his chance to “make a difference” in a big way. His action on that day possibly saved the Union. A defeat by the Union army could have changed history as we know it. Chamberlain was surprised to find that the 20th Maine was in a position at the bottom of Little Round Top. His men were the only thing keeping the 15th Alabama from getting through the pass and attacking the main Union army in the rear. For an amateur soldier, Chamberlain knew the importance of his position and what would happen if he let the Confederate army by him. He knew he could not give way and many of his men would be killed. Chamberlain and his men were only about 100 feet from the bottom of the hill, maybe less. When the 15th Alabama came pouring through that gap they were within easy pistol shot of the enemy. The rebel soldiers couldn’t ignore the rifle fire from so close to their left. They turned and attacked the 20th Maine. The 20th Maine fought hard. Wave after wave of Confederate soldiers attacked and were driven back down the hill and back through the gap. Chamberlain knew that he was running out of ammunition and he was gradually running out of men. He sent for reinforcements and ammunition and was told that every other regiment were fighting for their lives also, and that there was no more ammunition to be had, on time. Even so, Chamberlain held on. His personal reassurance held his men together. Even this could last only so long. Eventually, their ammunition was used up. Chamberlain’s men looked to him in desperation. Surely they would retreat. They could hold no l...