1995 Civil war battlefiled commemorative dollar: Joshua Chamberlain bio

Recently, I was looking through some of the older commemoratives, came across this coin and fell in love with it. So I bought an example of it in MS, just in the original mint box with paperwork. This is a really great coin. Just another forgotten commemorative from the past that thankfully makes them affordable, despite a mintage of only 45,866 in MS. 437,114 proofs were produced. If I don't have a preference between the PF and MS version, I usually buy the lower mintage.

The obverse depicts a soldier assisting a wounded foe. While the reverse depicts little round top with a very interesting, deep, quote by a little known hero of the civil war.




The name Joshua Chamberlain, didn't ring a bell to me. Certainly not as familiar from that time period as Lincoln, Grant, or Lee. But the story behind this guy is just as amazing, if not more so. I thought I'd share with you guys a summary of who this guy was because it's an unbelievable story that played out like a fiction novel. The man was amazing. Hopefully somebody finds this as interesting as I did:



Joshua Chamberlain, was born in Brewer, Maine Sept. 8, 1828, the oldest of 5 children. He entered Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, in 1848, after teaching himself to read Ancient Greek in order to pass the entrance exam. While at Bowdoin he met many people who would influence his life. Chamberlain eventually became a professor himself and ended up teaching every curriculum at Bowdoin college with the exception of math and science.

In 1861 he was appointed Professor of Modern Languages. He was fluent in NINE languages other than English: Greek, Latin, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, and Syriac.

He had grandfathers who fought in the Revolutionary war and his grandfather fought in the War of 1812.

Chamberlain felt strongly about the Civil war which was raging at the time and believed that it " would not cease until men of the North were willing to leave good positions, and sacrifice the dearest personal interests, to rescue our country from desolation, and defend the national existence against treachery."

Most of the faculty at the college did not share his enthusiasm for the war and he was granted a leave of absence to "study languages in Europe for 2 years." Instead, without letting anyone know, he decided to leave his job as a professor and join the war effort. He initially was offered a position of colonelcy but TURNED IT DOWN, instead favoring to start lower in the ranks to "learn the business".

His regiment was at Antietam but was not involved in the battle. They were at the battle of Fredricksburg, but could not participate due to an outbreak of small pox caused by an errant vaccine. He was promoted to colonel in June of 1863 after colonel Ames was promoted. He achieved fame at the battle of Gettysburg after his valiant defense of Little Round Top. As prominently portrayed in the movie "Gettysburg" his regiment was at the end of the Union line defending the hill, hunkered down and running low on ammo, when he ordered a bayonet charge down the hill. Chamberlain sustained two slight wounds at the battle, when a bullet hit his sword and ricocheted against his thigh and a bullet or shrapnel hit his foot. It is said, before the battle he was very ill with malaria and dysentery.

In April 1864, Chamberlain returned to the Army of the Potomac and was promoted to brigade commander shortly before the Siege of Petersburg. There, in a major action on June 18, at Rives' Salient, Chamberlain was shot through the right hip and groin. Despite the injury, Chamberlain withdrew his sword and stuck it into the ground in order to keep himself upright to dissuade the growing resolve for retreat. He stood upright for several minutes until he collapsed and lay unconscious from loss of blood. The wound was considered mortal by the division's surgeon, who predicted he would perish; Chamberlain's incorrectly recorded death in battle was reported in the Maine newspapers, and Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant gave Chamberlain a battlefield promotion to the rank of brigadier general after receiving an urgent recommendation on June 19 from corps commander Maj. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren: "He has been recommended for promotion for gallant and efficient conduct on previous occasion and yesterday led his brigade against the enemy under most destructive fire. He expresses the wish that he may receive the recognition of his services by promotion before he dies for the gratification of his family and friends." Not expected to live, Chamberlain displayed surprising will and courage, and with the support of his brother Tom, was back in command by November. Although many, including his wife Fanny, urged Chamberlain to resign, he was determined to serve through the end of the war.

On March 29, 1865, his brigade participated in a major skirmish on the Quaker Road during Grant's final advance that would finish the war. Despite losses, another wound (in the left arm and chest), and nearly being captured, Chamberlain was successful and brevetted to the rank of major general by President Abraham Lincoln.

In all, Chamberlain served in 20 battles and numerous skirmishes, was cited for bravery four times, had six horses shot from under him, and was wounded six times!!!

At the end of the war, Chamberlain was summoned to Union headquarters where Maj. Gen. Charles Griffin informed him that he had been selected to preside over the parade of the Confederate infantry as part of their formal surrender at Appomattox Court House on April 12.


Soon after the war ended, Chamberlain left the army and went back to Maine where he served as governor of Maine for four, 1 year terms. After his political career, he came back to Bowdoin college where he was appointed president in 1871 and remained in that position until 1883 when he had to resign due to illness from wounds suffered during the war.

Chamberlain served as Surveyor of the Port of Portland, Maine, a federal appointment, and engaged in business activities, including real estate dealings in Florida and a college of art in New York, as well as hotels and railroads. He also wrote several books about Maine, education, and his Civil War memoir, The Passing of the Armies. From the time of his serious wound in 1864 until his death, he was forced to wear an early form of a catheter with a bag and underwent six operations to try to correct the original wound and stop the fevers and infections that plagued him, without success.

In 1893, 30 years after the battle that made the 20th Maine famous, Chamberlain was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Gettysburg. The citation commends him for his "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."

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.

In 1898 at the age of 70, still in pain from his wounds, he volunteered for duty as an officer in the Spanish-American War. Rejected for duty, he called it one of the major disappointments of his life.

Chamberlain died of his lingering wartime wounds in 1914 at Portland, Maine, age 85, and is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Brunswick, Maine. Beside him as he died was Dr. Abner Shaw of Portland, one of the two surgeons who had operated on him in Petersburg 50 years previously. He was the last Civil War veteran to die as a result of wounds from the war. A full study of his medical history strongly suggests that it was complications from the wound suffered at Petersburg that resulted in his death.


I couldn't help but think about the political and sports figures idolized by the masses today, and what they've done in comparison to what this man did. The people we have today wouldn't be fit to shine this (real) hero's boots.

 

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What a great story and one that, as a history lover, I am sad to say I had never heard of before. I have the same coin and wondered who this gentleman was but didn't give it too much thought. Thanks for a great story of lost history.

 

Excellent post Vess. For sure Chamberlain was one of the many not so famous heroes of the civil war. I may be mistaken, but I think Ken Burns used some of Joshuas quotes in the PBS series he did.
I also have the commems in uncirculated, the two piece one with the half dollar. I hope you don't mind me adding it to your thread but here's the half.

 

I agree with the above conclusion.

 

I think there are still many great people out there, but they are not so power hungry, they do not compromise true values in order to satisfy personal ambition. They are hidden, but in plain sight.

 

Great unbelievable story!

 

I dug a little deeper into this Joshua character. High ranking masons like him often escaped the war unscathed.
3 days after the war ended the southern troops, led by fellow brother mason John Gordon, were marching toward brother Joshua's northern troops.
Joshua ordered his troops to salute Gordons troops!!! A classic example of mason honoring mason. This helped ease tension after the war.

 

You're probably right.

I think what makes this so interesting is not only did he leave his normal, safe life behind as a professor, but he did it without letting anyone know. At a time when they didn't have air conditioned tents, you couldn't e-mail or call back home to let anybody know how you're doing. You couldn't jump on a plane and be back home in a few hours. The fighting was aggressive, wide open and brutal. Going to the Civil war, there was an above average chance that you weren't going to make it home alive. This was somebody with strong convictions that acted on them.

Also the fact that despite surviving through disease and 20 battles, being wounded 6 times, he still lived to be 85! Think of the changes he saw over his life. I figure, if he would have survived a few more years, he would have signed up for WWI.

He was a rare individual. Very inspirational and an excellent choice to be selected for that coin. It's neat to realize how the quote and the individual tied into the depiction on the reverse.

 

In 2007, I visited Gettysburg for a few days. Here's some pics I took on Little Round top. Pretty spectacular view from here. This is where it all went down.

Looking back at the town of Gettysburg:




Looking west:



Looking southwest. The pile of huge boulders at the bottom left of the hill is what's referred to as the Devil's Den.

 

Nice work Vess1.

 

Right you are.

 

" On our part not a trumpet more, nor roll of drums ; not a cheer, nor a word nor whisper of vain -glorying,.....but an awed stillness rather, and breath-holding, as if it were the passing of the dead ! " Chamberlin on engagement.

 

Since I was born in Brewer, Maine, I'm very familar with Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. We have a memorial to him as you drive across the bridge into Brewer that tries to imitate (but not too well) little round top. I've read a couple of books about the man and he was quite amazing. I also love the movie, Gettyburg. It is cool that a commemorative quotes him. Now, I'll have to get one.

 

looks like a cool place

 

Makes me proud to be a mainer!

 

Great article, I can't believe I just missed it. Believe it or not, I am actually getting married tomorrow to one of Joshua Chamberlain's decedents...and yes, she is a Chamberlain.

 

Let me be the first member to congratulate you.

 

Wow! Congratz man!