Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin entered Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, in 1848 at the age of 20
after teaching himself to read Ancient Greek in order to pass the entrance exam. He graduated in
1852 and eventually studied for three additional years at the Bangor Theological Seminary in
Bangor. He returned to Bowdoin, and began a career in education as a professor of rhetoric. He
eventually went on to teach every subject in the curriculum except science and mathematics. In 1861
he was appointed Professor of Modern Languages - appropriate as he was fluent in ten languages:
Arabic, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Spanish and Syriac. Nevertheless,
he volunteered and enlisted in the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry. Despite no military training, he
was promoted to Colonel and given command in June 1863. The Battle of Gettysburg started on July
1, 1863. By the second day the Union forces were in danger of defeat: only a desperate charge by the
1st Minnesota prevented the loss of Cemetary Ridge. The cost was high: 215 casualties out of 262
men. Union General Meade's chief engineer, Brigadier General Warren, realized the integrity of the
Union position depended on holding the left flank which was anchored on a hill named Little Round
Top. Facing the 20th Maine, 16th Michigan, 44th New York and the 83rd Pennsylvania were the 4th,
15th, and 47th Alabama, and the 4th and 5th Texas. After several charges by the Confederates the
20th Maine was in dire straits: the line had been bent back in a V; 228 men remained out of an
original 358 and there was very little ammunition left. The last fighting had been at close quarters
with rifle-butts and rocks. A retreat should have been ordered. Instead, what the out-numbered 20th
Maine did was to fix bayonets and charge. Chamberlin lost another 30 men, but the regiment held its
position. What the Confederate forces might have achieved had they been victorious at Little Round
Top is unclear. Perhaps Gettysburg becomes a decisive battle. Maybe England intervenes or the
threats to Philadelphia and Washington prompt the Union forces to negotiate. But the 20th Maine
removed those possibilities.