Chamberlain's Stand at Gettysburg

“One man’s courage turned the tide of a nation.” At Gettysburg, Union Colonel Joshua

Lawrence Chamberlain and the 20th Maine held the far left flank at Little Round Top.

Outnumbered, low on ammunition, and facing repeated Confederate assaults, Chamberlain made

a desperate choice: he ordered a bayonet charge downhill. Against all odds, his men swept the

enemy back and secured the Union line. Historians say this single act helped save the battle

— and the war itself. Chamberlain’s bravery earned him the Medal of Honor, and his stand at

Gettysburg remains one of the most legendary moments of the Civil War. To learn more of

the Civil War history, subscribe.