* 20th Maine Infantry
Posted to the Project on 28 May 07
Location: Little Round Top, Wright Avenue. 39° 47.366′ N, 77° 14.167′ W.
Order of Battle: 5th Corps, 1st Division, 3rd Brigade.
Number Engaged: 386; 29 killed, 91 wounded, and 5 missing.
Commander: Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain (1828-1914)
Raised: At large.
Monument Specifications: Polished granite rectangular block monument with apex top and cross emblem on front, set atop boulder.
Dedication Date: June 1886.
Main Inscription: HERE THE 20TH MAINE REGIMENT/COL. J. L. CHAMBERLAIN COMMANDING. FORMING THE/EXTREME LEFT OF THE NATIONAL LINE OF BATTLE./ON THE 2ND DAY OF JULY, 1863. REPULSED THE/ATTACK OF THE EXTREME RIGHT OF LONGSTREET’S/CORPS. AND CHARGED IN TURN, CAPTURING 308/PRISONERS. THE REGIMENT LOST 38 KILLED OR/MORTALLY WOUNDED, AND 93 WOUNDED OUT OF/358 ENGAGED./THIS MONUMENT ERECTED BY SURVIVORS OF/ THE REGIMENT. A.D. 1888./MARKS VERY NEARLY/THE SPOT WHERE COLORS STOOD
Other Monuments and Memorials: There is a second monument and a company position marker. Secondary monument on Big Round Top denotes July 3 position, dedicated October 3, 1889. Monument indicates the position held by the 20th Maine Infantry on the night of July 2, 1863 until relieved as part of the VI Corps on July 3. It also marks the advance position of the regiment during their counter charge against Law’s Alabamans on the evening of July 2. It is inscribed, The 20th Maine Reg’t, 3d Brig, 1st Div, 5th Corps Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain captured and held this position on the evening of July 2d, 1863, pursuing the enemy from its front on the line marked by its monument below. The reg’t lost in the battle 130 killed and wounded out of 358 engaged this monument marks the extreme left of the Union line during the battle of the 3d day.
Marker on Little Round Top off Sykes and Wright Avenues near main regimental monument on Little Round Top to Company B position during July 2 battle. It is inscribed, Position of Company B, 20th Me. Vols. Capt. Walter G. Morrill, detached as skirmishers attacking the enemy’s right flank, afternoon of July 2, 1863.
Supplemental Materials: After Action Report of Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain (will open a pop up window).
Regimental History ~ Dyer’s Compendium of the War of the Rebellion:
Organized at Portland and mustered in August 29, 1862. Left State for Alexandria, Va., September 3. Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, Army Potomac, to October, 1862. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 5th Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE.–Battle of Antietam, Md., September 16-17, 1862. Shephardstown September 19. Advance to Falmouth, Va., October-November. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Expedition to Richards and Ellis Fords December 20-30. “Mud March” January 20-24, 1863. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Battle of Chancellorsville May 1-5. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 12-July 24. Aldie June 17. Upperville and Upperville June 21. Middleburg June 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap, Va., July 5-24. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7. Laurel Hill May 8. Spotsylvania May 8-12. Spotsylvania C. H. May 12-21. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Mills May 23. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-3. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-19. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Weldon Railroad June 21-23, 1864. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30 (Reserve). Six Mile House, Weldon Railroad, August 18-21. Poplar Springs Church, Peeble’s Farm, September 29-October 2. Hatcher’s Run October 27-28. Warren’s Hicksford Raid December 7-11. Dabney’s Mills, Hatchef’s Run, February 5-7, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. White Oak Road March 29. Quaker Road March 30. Boydton Road March 30-31. Five Forks April 1. Amelia C. H. April 5. High Bridge April 6. Appomattox C. H. April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. March to Washington, D.C., May 2-12. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out–Old members, June 4; Regiment, July 16, 1865. Regiment lost during service 9 Officers and 138 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 145 Enlisted men by disease. Total 293.
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Jenny, my husband was one of those who knew about that monument decades before the movie. On one of our first Gettysburg visits together in the late 1970s, we took a brown bag lunch (against the rules) and sat near there while he told me the history. I’d been to G’burg often, living nearby, but I learned more from him that day than I’d known in all the years before. Thanks once again for helping me relive that day!
My favorite “monument” is the giant book at the High Water Mark. I saw it for the first time when I was about 9 and a voracious reader even then. Got a story for that? Or have you done it and I missed it?
Just haven’t gotten to the “High Water Mark” yet Joanne. I do have some information on it, (as well as the required images) and I will put it on the list to do. Jenny
Knew about Little Round Top from Ken Burns video and book. Book had pictures of the hill shortly after the battle. Movie attention didn’t hurt, though.
My cousins name is engraved on the monument. Elliot L Fogg, killed on July 2nd, 1863.