We talked about courage today, and now our assignment is to write an essay on an event either in our own lives or someone else's life that illustrates courageous leadership.
I cannot come up with an example of courageous leadership in my life, but we just watched a movie clip from "Gettysburg" about one of my favorite historical figures, Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain of the 20th Maine Regiment.
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, born Lawrence Joshua Chamberlain, was a college professor in Maine who left the comfort of his home, family, and career to serve in the Union army during the American Civil War. He joined the 20th Maine Regiment in August of 1862 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was promoted to Colonel in June of 1863. In July the forces of the North and South met at a small Pennsylvania town called Gettysburg to fight what turned into the bloodiest battle of the war.
The 20th Maine was stationed at the far left of the army on a little hill aptly named, Little Round Top. Now not only was the regiment on the far left of the army at Gettysburg, but they were the end of the entire Union army. If they were pushed back, the Confederates could flank the entire Union army and march into Washington. Holding Little Round Top was critical to the survival of the Union, and Col. Chamberlain understood that. However, he had only so many men at his disposal, and his men only had so many supplies and so much ammunition.
On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg the Confederacy attacked the hill. The first wave was turned back by the 20th Maine as was the second, and the third, but Colonel Chamberlain saw that his men could only hold out for so long and soon they would start to run out of ammunition. However he also knew that the Union could not, no matter the cost, lose Little Round Top. Since he knew that his regiment could stay and hold off another attack by the Confederates, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain ordered his regiment to fix bayonets and charge the Confederates even while the confederates were charging at them up the hill.
The charge was successful, and the Union retained control of Little Round Top. The 20th Maine captured 101 of the Confederate soldiers, and some of the Union troops didn't even have any bullets to keep their prisoners from running away......but apparently the prisoners didn't know that!
Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain showed true courage and great leadership in the defense of Little Round Top, but his courageous acts didn't start there. He had to have courage to volunteer for the army and learn how to lead his men. But the battle of Little Round Top was what made his courage famous. The Col. had to have been afraid during the battle, afraid of personal injury (a bullet hit his sword scabbard and bruised his thigh) afraid of failing to hold the position and also afraid of losing friends and family in the battle because his brother was an officer in the regiment with him. Despite all that fear he kept his head about him and saw the situation in reality, not as he wished it to be. He knew that they could not retreat and they could stay and defend their position, so he took the only option left, a daring, risky, dangerous charge into enemy fire, and that decision saved the Union and allowed them to win the Battle of Gettysburg.
Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is my favorite historical figure not only for his courageous leadership at Gettysburg, but also because as General Gordon of the Confederacy said he was "one of the knightliest soldiers in the Federal army." In the movie Gettysburg, after the charge down Little Round Top the Colonel's brother, Tom, introduces him to a Confederate he's holding prisoner. The Confederate man looks just as tired and war weary as the Col. The man asks quietly for some water to which Joshua replies, "Yes, of course. We'll find some water for you." He had no personal enemies among the Confederates. He saw them for what they were, men fighting for a cause just like he was. He was not an enemy of the people of the South, just what they were fighting for. Another (actual non fictional) example of his "knightliness" is when the Confederates were surrendering, Colonel Chamberlain was selected to preside over the parade of the confederate infantry as they came forward and laid down their weapons. When the confederates started marching past Chamberlain ordered his men to come to attention and "carry arms" in a show of respect for the men surrendering. Again, he had no enemies among the men of the Confederate army. He understood that they were simply men just like him fighting for a cause.
Writing all this makes me want to name one of my children Joshua Lawrence! One of my boys, not a girl :)
Oh yeah, just another little tid bit about Col. Chamberlain. On June 18, 1864 he was shot through the right hip and groin. In stead of leaving the battle for help, he pulled his sword and supported himself on it until he passed out from blood loss, so he could encourage his men to stand their ground once again. The surgeon deemed his injury was fatal, and his death was reported to the Maine newspapers. However, through surprising will and courage (maybe not so surprising in the courage department) and with his brother, Tom's, support, Chamberlain pulled through and returned to duty. Apparently on his death bed, he was promoted to Brigadier General, a rank he retained until the end of the war.
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