20th Maine Regiment Infantry

HISTORICAL NOTES: The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a famed Union Army unit best known for its crucial defense of Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. Led by Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain, the regiment held the extreme left flank of the Union line against repeated Confederate attacks before executing a desperate, successful bayonet charge. Mustered into service in August 1862 and active until July 1865, the regiment fought in nearly every major campaign of the Army of the Potomac.

The Maine 20th Infantry Regiment was organized at Portland and mustered in August 29, 1862. It left the state for Alexandria, Va., September 3.

Gettysburg Action (July 2, 1863): With around 386 men present, the regiment was tasked to "hold at all costs" the extreme left flank of the Union army. After exhausting their ammunition defending against the 15th and 47th Alabama regiments, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge down Little Round Top, breaking the Confederate assault.

The unit’s actions, particularly at Gettysburg, were highlighted in the book "The Killer Angels" and the film "Gettysburg." Colonel Chamberlain received the Medal of Honor for his actions.

The 20th Maine lost 9 officers and 138 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded, with another 146 dying from disease, totaling 293 deaths out of 1,621 total men enrolled over the war. OFFICERS:

Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain

ASSIGNMENTS:

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.

The 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. BATTLES:

Antietam, MD - September 17, 1862

Shepherdstown Ford, VA - September 19 - 20, 1862 (Antietam Campaign)

Fredericksburg, VA - December 13, 1862

Chancellorsville, VA - May 1 - 4, 1863

Middleburg, VA - June 17, 1863 (Gettysburg Campaign)

Gettysburg, PA - July 1 - 3, 1863 (Gettysburg Campaign)

Sharpsburg Pike, MD - (Gettysburg Campaign)

Rappahannock Station, VA - November 7, 1863 (Bristoe Campaign)

Mine Run, VA - November 26 - December 1, 1863

Wilderness, VA - May 5 - 7, 1864

Spotsylvania, VA - May 7 - 20, 1864

North Anna, VA - May 23 - 27, 1864

Totopotomy, VA - May 26, - 30, 1864

Bethesda Church, VA - May 30 - June 1, 1864

Cold Harbor, VA - May 31 - June 12, 1864

Petersburg, VA Seige - June 1864

Jerusalem Plank Road, VA - June 22 - 23, 1864 (Petersburg Campaign)

Weldon Railroad, VA - August 18 - 21, 1864 (Petersburg Campaign)

Peebles Farm, VA - September 30 - October 2, 1864 (Petersburg Campaign)

Hatchers Run, VA - December 8 - 9, 1864 (Petersburg Campaign)

Quaker Road, VA - March 29, 1865 (Appomattox Campaign)

Gravelly Run, VA - March 29, 1865 (Appomattox Campaign)

Five Forks, VA - March 30 - April 1, 1865 (Appomattox Campaign)

Appomattox, VA - March 29 - April 9, 1865

ROSTERS:

The composite rosters of this unit contain the names of 3599 men.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. 2. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 1998. Ref. See p. 1222 (1 photocopied page) for a concise summary of the regiment's service.

Edwards, Abial H. "Dear Friend Anna": The Civil War Letters of a Common Soldier From Maine. Orono, ME: U ME, 1992. 161 p. E601E38.

Maine. AGO. Annual Report...for the Years 1864 and 1865. Augusta, ME: Stevens & Sayward, 1866. Cartersville, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2010. UA43M2.1864-1865.AppD. See pp. 379-86 (5 photocopied pages) for a roster of the regiment. Although regimental rosters appear in earlier Annual Reports, that found in this edition is the most complete for the unit's wartime service.

Whitman, William W.S. Maine in the War for the Union: A History of the Part Borne by Maine Troops.... Lexington, ME: Nelson Dingley, 1865. Powder Springs, GA: Eastern Digital Resources, 2010. E511W61. See pp. 225-60 (19 photocopied pages) for a brief history of the regiment.
REFERENCES:
Dyer, Frederick H. - A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion
The Union Army by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 1