20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Flag of Maine
Active	August 20, 1862 to July 16, 1865
Country	United States
Allegiance	Union
Branch	Infantry
Battles/wars	Antietam Fredericksburg Battle of Gettysburg Spotsylvania Petersburg Five Forks Appomattox

The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a combat unit of the United States Army during the American Civil War, most famous for its defense of Little Round Top at the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. Image File history File links Flag_of_Maine. ... August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... In this map:  Union states prohibiting slavery  Union territories  Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery  Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis  The Confederacy  Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders George B. McClellan Robert E. Lee Strength 87,000 45,000 Casualties 12,401 (2,108 killed, 9,540 wounded, 753 captured/missing) 10,316 (1,546 killed, 7,752 wounded, 1,018 captured/missing) The Battle of Antietam (also... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ambrose E. Burnside Robert E. Lee Strength Army of the Potomac ~114,000 engaged Army of Northern Virginia ~72,500 engaged Casualties 12,653 (1,284 killed, 9,600 wounded, 1,769 captured/missing) 5,377 (608 killed, 4,116... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders George Gordon Meade Robert Edward Lee Strength 93,921 71,699 Casualties 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured/missing) 23,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured/missing) The Battle of... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 100,000 52,000 Casualties 18,000 12,000 The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania, was the second battle in Lieut. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength 67,000 – 125,000 average of 52,000 Casualties 53,386 ~32,000 The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 15, 1864, to March 25... Battle of Five Forks Conflict American Civil War Date April 1, 1865 Place Dinwiddie County Result Union victory The Battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865, was the final Union offensive in the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength Army of the Potomac, Army of the James Army of Northern Virginia Casualties 260 440 (27,805 paroled) The Battle of Appomattox Courthouse was the final engagement of Robert E. Lees... A military unit is an organisation within an armed force. ... The United States Army is one of the armed forces of the United States and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Little Round Top, western slope, photographed by Timothy H. OSullivan, 1863. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders George Gordon Meade Robert Edward Lee Strength 93,921 71,699 Casualties 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured/missing) 23,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured/missing) The Battle of...

Organization

The 20th Maine was organized in the state of Maine on August 20, 1862, with Colonel Adelbert Ames as its commander. It became part of Col. Strong Vincent's Brigade of the 1st Division of the V Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The brigade consisted of the 16th Michigan Infantry (with Brady's independent company of sharpshooters attached), 44th New York Infantry, 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry, and the 20th Maine Infantry. At the time of Gettysburg, the regiment was commanded by Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain. Major Ellis Spear took command after Chamberlain was appointed brigade commander in August 1863. August 20 is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Colonel (IPA: or ) is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with the corresponding ranks existing in nearly every country in the world. ... Adelbert Ames (October 31, 1835 – April 12, 1933) was a Union general in the American Civil War, a Mississippi politician, and a general in the Spanish-American War. ... Strong Vincent Strong Vincent (June 17, 1837 – July 7, 1863) was a lawyer who became famous as a hero of the Battle of Little Round Top at Gettysburg, where he was mortally wounded in the American Civil War. ... The V Corps (Fifth Corps) was a unit of the Union Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. ... Generals Burnside, Hancock, Couch, Ferro, Patrick, Wilcox, Cochrane, Buford and others. ... A regiment is a military unit, consisting of a variable number of battalions - - commanded by a colonel. ... Maj. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... Ellis Spear (October 15, 1834 – April 3, 1917) was an officer in the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment who rose to the rank of general during the American Civil War. ...

Combat history

The regiment served at Antietam (held in reserve), Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville (quarantined in the rear area due to illness^[1]), Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, North Anna, Totopotomy and Bethesda Church, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Five Forks, and Appomattox. Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders George B. McClellan Robert E. Lee Strength 87,000 45,000 Casualties 12,401 (2,108 killed, 9,540 wounded, 753 captured/missing) 10,316 (1,546 killed, 7,752 wounded, 1,018 captured/missing) The Battle of Antietam (also... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ambrose E. Burnside Robert E. Lee Strength Army of the Potomac ~114,000 engaged Army of Northern Virginia ~72,500 engaged Casualties 12,653 (1,284 killed, 9,600 wounded, 1,769 captured/missing) 5,377 (608 killed, 4,116... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Joseph Hooker Robert E. Lee Stonewall Jackson† Strength 133,868 60,892 Casualties 16,839 (1,574 killed, 9,554 wounded, 5,711 missing) 13,156 (1,683 killed, 9,277 wounded, 2,196 missing) The Battle of Chancellorsville was... The Second Battle of Rappahannock Station, a victory for Union forces in the Bristoe Campaign of the American Civil War, took place on November 7, 1863, near the village of Rappahannock Station (now Remington, Virginia), which was on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 70,000 45,000 Casualties 1,272 680 The Battle of Mine Run, also known as Paynes Farm, or New Hope Church, or the Mine Run Campaign (November 27 – December 2, 1863... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 101,895 61,025 Casualties 18,400 11,400 The Battle of the Wilderness was the first battle of Lieut. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 100,000 52,000 Casualties 18,000 12,000 The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, sometimes simply referred to as the Battle of Spotsylvania, was the second battle in Lieut. ... Battle of Totopotomoy Creek Conflict American Civil War Date May 23–26, 1864 Place Caroline County and Hanover County, Virginia Result Inconclusive The Battle of North Anna (also called Telegraph Road Bridge, Jericho Mill ( May 23), and Ox Ford, Quarles Mill, Hanover Junction ( May 24)) was a battle in... Battle of Totopotomoy Creek Conflict American Civil War Date May 28–30, 1864 Place Hanover County, Virginia Result Inconclusive The Battle of Totopotomoy Creek (also called Bethesda Church, Crumps Creek, Matadequin Creek, Shady Grove Road, and Hanovertown) was a battle in Union General Ulysses Grants Overland Campaign against... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant George G. Meade Robert E. Lee Strength 108,000 62,000 Casualties 13,000 2,500 The Battle of Cold Harbor, the final battle of Union Lt. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength 67,000 – 125,000 average of 52,000 Casualties 53,386 ~32,000 The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 15, 1864, to March 25... Battle of Five Forks Conflict American Civil War Date April 1, 1865 Place Dinwiddie County Result Union victory The Battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865, was the final Union offensive in the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders Ulysses S. Grant Robert E. Lee Strength Army of the Potomac, Army of the James Army of Northern Virginia Casualties 260 440 (27,805 paroled) The Battle of Appomattox Courthouse was the final engagement of Robert E. Lees...

Gettysburg and Little Round Top

The 20th Maine's left flank marker at Gettysburg battlefield.

Regimental monument at the center of their lines on Little Round Top.

The most notable battle was the regiment's decisive role on July 2, 1863, in the Battle of Gettysburg, where it was stationed on Little Round Top at the extreme left of the Union line. When the regiment came under heavy attack from the Confederate 15th Alabama regiment, part of the division led by Maj. Gen. John Bell Hood, and after about 3-4 hours of fighting the 20th Maine completely ran out of ammunition and responded to the rebels by charging downhill with fixed bayonets, thus ending the Confederate attack on the hill. The 20th Maine and the adjacent 83rd Pennsylvania together captured over 400 men from the 47th and 15th Alabama regiments. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1377, 540 KB) Own work, 2006 I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2048x1377, 540 KB) Own work, 2006 I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 769 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (999 × 779 pixel, file size: 485 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment monument, Little Round Top, Gettysburg Battlefield, Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 769 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (999 × 779 pixel, file size: 485 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment monument, Little Round Top, Gettysburg Battlefield, Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania. ... July 2 is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 182 days remaining. ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders George Gordon Meade Robert Edward Lee Strength 93,921 71,699 Casualties 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured/missing) 23,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured/missing) The Battle of... Little Round Top, western slope, photographed by Timothy H. OSullivan, 1863. ... Some Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army (CSA) was formed in February 1861 to defend the Confederate States of America, which had itself been formed that same year when seven Southern states seceded from the United States (four more states soon followed). ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to twenty thousand soldiers. ... John Bell Hood John Bell Hood (June 1, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. ... The US Marine Corps OKC-3S Bayonet A bayonet (from French baïonnette) is a knife- or dagger-shaped weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle of a rifle barrel or similar weapon. ...

Recent research has presented claims by Lt. Holman S. Melcher^[2] that he initiated the charge, although Col. Chamberlain has been credited by most historians for ordering the advance. This action is depicted in the novels The Killer Angels, and "Courage on Little Round Top", and subsequently an important scene in the movie Gettysburg. Holman S. Melcher Holman Staples Melcher (1841 – 1905) was an American Civil War officer and postbellum mayor of Portland, Maine. ... The Killer Angels front cover The Killer Angels (1974) is a historical novel by Michael Shaara that was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1975. ... Gettysburg is a 1993 movie which depicts the decisive American Civil War battle in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. ...

Disbandment

The 20th Maine marched from Appomattox, Virginia, on May 2, reaching Washington, D.C., on May 12, where it was mustered out of service on July 16, 1865. Appomattox is a town located in Appomattox County, Virginia. ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Statistics

The 20th Maine had an initial enrollment of 1,621 men, losing 147 dead from combat, 146 dead from disease, 381 wounded, and 15 in Confederate prisons.

See also

• Maine Units in the Civil War

Maine Units In the Civil War Maine provided some of the best known units of the American Civil War. ...

References

• Bollet, Alfred Jay, M.D., Plagues and Poxes: The Impact of Human History on Epidemic Disease, Demos Medical Publishing, 2004, ISBN 1-888799-79-X.
• Styple, William B. (Ed.), With a Flash of his Sword: The Writings of. Maj. Holman S. Melcher, 20th Maine Infantry, Belle Grove Publishing, 1994, ISBN 1-883926-00-9.

Notes

Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a highly contagious disease unique to humans. ...

Further reading

• Desjardin, Thomas A., Stand Firm Ye Boys from Maine: The 20th Maine and the Gettysburg Campaign, Thomas Publications, 1995, ISBN 1-57747-034-6.
• Pullen, John J., The Twentieth Maine: A Volunteer Regiment in the Civil War, 1957.

Thomas A. (Tom) Desjardin (born June 10, 1964) is an American historian who has written books on the American Civil War and American Revolutionary War. ...

External links

• 20th Maine Volunteers website
• State of Maine history site
• The battle of Gettysburg site