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Read Thread: Gettysburg, July 2,1863: In the Hands of Providence

Gettysburg, July 2,1863: In the Hands of Providence
Board: History is Alive
Jul 1, 2012 8:04am
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With the battle raging to the north in the Wheatfield, (see my previous post) both armies raced to get troops on Little Round Top. The Union was first by some 15 minutes. Sent by Brigade Commander Colonel Strong Vincent to defend the southern slope of Little Round Top, Colonel Joshua Chamberlain found himself and his 20th Maine at the far left end of the entire Union line. The 20th Maine’s orders were to hold their position “at all hazard.” He understood the strategic significance of the small hill. The men from Maine did not wait long for the 15th Alabama under Col. William C. Oates, to charge up the hill, attempting to flank the Union position. Time and time again the Confederates struck, until the 20th Maine was almost doubled back upon itself. With a third of his troops down and ammunition nearly gone, Chamberlain recognized the dire circumstances and knew he could not hold his position and could not retreat. His only option was to charge the enemy…”BAY-o-nets!!”, he cried out.

He ordered his left wing to initiate the charge. The 20th Maine charged down the hill, with the left wing wheeling continually to make the charging line swing like a hinge, thus creating a simultaneous frontal assault and flanking maneuver, capturing hundreds of the Confederate soldiers and successfully saving the flank. During the charge, Chamberlain came face to face with a Confederate captain who was aiming a Colt navel revolver at his face. He pulled the trigger but the gun misfired. Chamberlain now with his sword at the captain's throat, demanded that he yield which he did. Chamberlain kept the revolver.

Chamberlain sustained two slight wounds in the battle, one when a shot hit his sword’s scabbard and bruised his thigh, and another when his right foot was hit by a piece of shrapnel. Many years after the war, a soldier named Herbert Heath of the 15th Alabama wrote Chamberlain to tell him that twice during this battle he had Chamberlain in his sights, but both times “a queer notion” came over him and he could not pull the trigger. The soldier said he was glad how things turned out. Another trooper of the 15th Alabama wrote after the war that he too had Chamberlain in his sights, but just as he fired, a Maine private stepped in front of the Colonel and was shot dead. It is said and Chamberlain himself believed that he was “In the Hands of Providence.” That BTW is the name of a good biography about Joshua Chamberlain.

Note: Strong Vincent was killed minutes after he placed the 20th Maine in their flank position.

Submitted for your consideration,
Old Blue