" Pageant is past, the day is over, but we linger loathed to think we shall no longer see them no more, these men, these horses, these colours of field".
Major General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain.
Few men possessed such valour, brilliance, and the steely determination to master any task. He was a teacher from Maine with almost no military training. Yet by the end of the American Civil War, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain had become one of the most remarkable officers and hardest fighting soldiers to ever serve in the American Army.
On 8th September 1828, he was born the eldest son of five to Joshua and Sarah Chamberlain, his parents called him "Lawrence".
Despite being christened Lawrence Joshua, he changed it to; ‘Joshua Lawrence’ because it sounded more ’prestigious’ he said. His father, a former lieutenant Colonel, hoped he would join the ranks of his ancestors who had fought in the American Revolution. At the age of 14 in order to enter Bowdoin College, he taught himself Greek. His father urged Lawrence to consider West Point, though his mother hoped he would consider the ministry. And to his Mother's delight, in 1848, Lawrence entered Bowdoin College with the plan of studying congressional ministry. His brilliance shone in every subject, particularly languages. He became a master of accents. He attended First Parish Church, where he met and fell in love with the minister's daughter, Frances Caroline Adams. Known to family and friends as "Fanny", she was a complex person-bright and vivacious. She shared Chamberlain's love for art and literature, and, on 7th December 1855, after Chamberlain completed his master's degree at Bangor Theological Seminary, they were married.
Declining offers to become a minister and missionary, Chamberlain accepted a professorship of rhetoric and oratory at Bowdoin. During this time, he and Fanny had four children-yet only two survived, Harold Wyllys and Grace Dupee. In 1861, Chamberlain bought his family a home and it seemed that he had settled down.
But the South's secession disturbed him. He had met Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin, during his years at Bowdoin, and detested slavery. Chamberlain faced a difficult decision.
Against strong disapproval from Fanny and Bowdoin, he broke from his comfortable domestic life and on the 8th August 1862 he entered the Civil War as a Colonel with the 20th Maine, a Regiment with virtually no experience at war.
Chamberlain had been honoured for his bravery, in holding ‘Little Round Top’ 2nd July 1863, 2nd day at the 3 day battle of Gettysburg (1st-3rd July 1863), for this he received the ’Medal of Honour’ for his brilliant tactics holding the high ground of Little Round Top. He took part in 24 engagements, from skirmishes to full pitched battles, including; Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, Cold harbour, Petersburg and Five Forks. Chamberlain was wounded six times, and was given field promotion of Brigadier General, by Lt General U.S. Grant, after one of the initial assaults at Petersburg. He recovered from his near fatal wounds to return to the Federal Army until the end of the civil war. He will be long remembered as; Colonel Chamberlain, of the 20th Maine. At the battle of Gettysburg, a captured Confederate Soldier from the 15th Alabama Regiment said; ‘ I have fought many Yankee Regiments with no fear, But I never want to meet the ‘20th Maine again’.
At Appomattox (9th April 1865), Chamberlain was promoted to Maj. General, and given the task of receiving the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, after (Confederate) General Robert E. Lee surrendered to (Union) Lt General U. S. Grant. Chamberlain made an endearing gesture, saluting Robert E. Lee's defeated army.
After the civil war had finished, he remained in the Army until January 1866.
That same year (1866) he was elected Governor of Maine, he served four terms, until 1872. Then he became President of Bowdoin Collage for thirteen years until 1885.
He continued there as a Lecturer of Political Science and Public Law. Then on the 18th October 1905, his beloved ‘Fanny’ past away.
“You in my soul I see, faithful watcher by my cot-side long days and nights together through the delirium of mortal anguish, steadfast, calm and sweet as eternal love. We pass quickly from each others sight, but I know full well that where beyond these passing scenes you shall be, there will be a Heaven“.
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain to ’Fanny’ upon her death.
Joshua. L. Chamberlain, was at the Gettysburg re-union, still imposing at the age of 83, despite almost in constant pain, from the unhealed internal damage done to him by a mini ball at Petersburg, "The re-union was", he said, " A transcendental experience, a radiant fellow-ship of the falling", He never missed a reunion. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain died on the 24th February 1914.
On the 27th February 1914, over 3,000 people crammed his funeral at Portland.
At Brunswick an equally impressive ceremonies awaited him as his train slowly pulled in to the station. He was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Brunswick, Maine, next to his beloved Wife, who he so affectionately called ‘Fanny’.
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