Joshua Chamberlain: The Faith Behind a Civil War Hero

Heroic, honorable, giving. God’s plan is not ours. In Brewer, Maine, 200 years ago – in 1828 – a future Civil War hero was born: Joshua Chamberlain.  The world would, after Gettysburg, know him as a military hero, but that was not his plan for life.

In 1852, after attending Bowdoin College, Chamberlain entered the Bangor Theological Seminary, intent on a life in theology and teaching. He married, had four children, two of whom died early, and began teaching – again at Bowdoin.

Not content to rest on past deeds, he learned French, Arabic, Hebrew, Latin and German. How these might later serve was unclear, but he absorbed knowledge in five languages.

In 1861, when the Civil War broke out, Chamberlain’s life changed – forever. Many New Englanders, although eventually dedicated, were at first reluctant to serve. Chamberlain was not. He arranged a leave to study abroad, then immediately enlisted.

He wrote: “I fear this war, so costly of blood and treasure, will not cease until men of the North are willing to leave good positions… sacrifice the dearest personal interests to rescue our country from desolation, and defend the national existence against treachery.” Like Ulysses S. Grant, Chamberlain saw secession as treason.

He became a Lt. Col. in the 20^th Maine regiment in 1862. From there, destiny took over. Brothers Thomas and John also served: Tom in the 20^th Maine, John as a chaplain.

At Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, Chamberlain was in command. He executed an exceptionally brave maneuver. Out of ammunition and undermanned, he ordered a “hinge movement” to hold the Union line, a bayonet charge to halt the Confederate advance – an advance that would, if successful, have likely broken the Union Army.

The “Battle of Little Roundtop” is now epic, yet parts relate to his early life. He had deep faith, showing vigor in battle and mercy in victory, forever grateful for the strength and protection that saved his life and the Union Army that horrific, death-filled day.

Disabled by later wounds, he was honored by Ulysses S. Grant, the entire nation, and later Maine – where he would become governor - and eventually returned to teaching at Bowdoin.

Thirty years after Gettysburg, he received the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest honor. In the years thereafter, the Medal of Honor awarded to Joshua Chamberlain was sadly lost. History could neither trace nor track how the medal was lost, but it vanished.

Thirteen years ago this month, in September 2013, Chamberlain’s original 1893 Medal of Honor was found – by chance. It appeared in the back of a book bought at a church book sale, by the church to which Chamberlain’s granddaughter had left her estate.

Authenticated, the finder donated it – anonymously – to the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum. And that, in a nutshell, is old America and Maine – heroic, honorable, giving.