We are the flank

The Edwards campaign and Little Round Top

by Don Wheeler

This weekend, I'll be making the eight hour trip to northwestern Iowa to aid in caucus efforts on behalf of fmr. Senator John Edwards. If possible, I'll send dispatches from the field.

In late June of 1863, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain – former Minister and Professor of Rhetoric at Bowdoin College – was camped with his regiment in northern Maryland. The 20th Maine, down to about 250 men in strength from the original 1000, had recently lost its commander and now Colonel Joshua Chamberlain was in charge.

He was awakened in the pre-dawn by his chief aide – a burly, Irish career army Sergeant with the news that they were soon to take charge of 120 “mutineers” from the now disbanded 2nd Maine regiment. These men had signed three year enlistments, while their comrades had signed two year papers. They had seen eleven different engagements by this point and felt they had done enough.

To make matters worse, the detail assigned to march the Mainers to the 20th had been abusive and had withheld food from them in an attempt to break their spirits. The Mainers were in a foul mood, to say the least, when they arrived.

Colonel Chamberlain greeted them personally, dismissed the detail coldly and had the cooks roused to get the men from the old 2nd Maine fed. Allowing them a bit of time to eat and relax, he was then informed that the column was moving out (to Gettysburg, PA it would turn out) and that his depleted regiment was to take the lead.

His brother, Tom – a captain in the regiment – pointed out that although Col. Chamberlain’s orders said he could shoot these mutineers if they failed to cooperate, he could never go back to Maine if he did so.

“I know that,” mused Joshua. “I wonder if they do.”

Col. Chamberlain then went to address his fellow Mainers. He had to be wondering how he could possibly provide the lead for tens of thousands of marching troops and keep track of 120 prisoners – with only 250 men.

First he told them there was no chance he would have them shot – though he couldn’t guarantee the actions of others later. He then offered the option of joining the 20th Maine and that anyone who chose to join them could be sure that any complaint against them would be dropped forever. By most accounts, he closed his comments with something like this:

“I think that if we lose this fight that's coming – we lose the war. So if you choose to join us, I’d be personally very grateful.”

In the end, 118 of the 120 2nd Mainers joined the battle – and it’s entirely possible it saved the Union.

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A day or so later, after being ordered to march “double quick” to Gettysburg, the augmented 20th Maine found itself stationed at the far left end of a Union Army force well in excess of one hundred thousand troops. Chamberlain’s superior Col. Strong Vincent stationed them on a steep, heavily wooded, rocky hill call Little Round Top. He left them with the admonition that they must defend this place to the last, because allowing the Confederates to pass would allow them passage to higher ground and likely engulf the Union Army.

Colonel Chamberlain stationed his small force and summoned his junior officers. Laying out the grim situation, he pointed out “We are the flank”. Laying out the job to be done he concluded “We must be stubborn today.”

Stubborn they were. Outnumbered 13 to 1, they repulsed seven Confederate charges, taking heavy casualties. Eventually, with most of his men out of ammunition, Chamberlain ordered a downhill bayonet charge, timed to meet the attackers part way up the hill. It was fantastically successful. The Maine troops, most with no ammo, took a total of three times the prisoners of the size of the force that had captured them.

This battle stopped the Confederate advance that day. Pickett’s ill-fated charge the next day led to the general Confederate withdrawl.

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I think of this story as I head to Ft. Dodge, Iowa. Why?

Because I think if we lose this fight, we lose the war.

Because, you never know what effort will create the tipping point.

And because on January 3rd, I’m prepared to be very, very stubborn.

Please join me - and us. If you do, I'll be personally be very grateful.

We are the flank


Democracy is not a spectator sport.