Joshua Chamberlain, A True Hero

Joshua Chamberlain, a man of surprises—
and a giveaway

Hello from Susan Page Davis!

Most Americans have heard of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. He was a Civil War general on the Union side, best known for his gallantry at Gettysburg. But Chamberlain had many other skills and virtues.

Did you know that Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain:

• Was a college professor? He took a sabbatical from his teaching post at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, to serve in the war with no prior military experience.

• Started his teaching career as a professor of rhetoric and was later named a professor of modern languages? He was fluent in nine languages other than English: Greek, Latin, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, and Syriac. He at some point taught every course in the curriculum at the college except science and mathematics.

• Was known as The Lion of the Round Top for his valiant defense

 
during the Battle of Gettysburg? He later received the Medal of Honor for his actions there. Having volunteered in 1862 and begun as a lieutenant, Chamberlain had been promoted to colonel of the 20th Maine regiment by this time.

• Was wounded six times during the war, including a critical wound at Petersburg?

• Was erroneously declared dead in Maine newspapers after the Battle of Petersburg? He was promoted to brigadier general by Ulysses S. Grant, who thought Chamberlain was dying, but he convalesced and went on to lead his men in to the end of the war.

• Served in 20 battles and numerous skirmishes and had six horses shot from under him?

• Was perhaps saved by his wife’s picture, when a bullet hit the frame in his breast pocket? The bullet fired in the skirmish at Quaker Road in 1865 traveled under his skin and along his ribs. His men thought he had been shot in the chest and were amazed when he kept encouraging them to attack. They won the skirmish.

Chamberlain in 1876, when he
 was president of Bowdoin College

• Had the honor of commanding the Union troops at the surrender ceremony for the Confederate army at Appomattox Court House, Virginia? His order to his men to “carry arms” as a show of respect for the surrendering southerners drew criticism from some Union sympathizers.

• Served four terms as governor of Maine after the war? He twice broke the record for highest percentage of votes for governor at that time.



Photo Credit: Brian Hendrix

• Faced down a crowd of men threatening to kill him? In 1880, the former governor was called in to help settle a post-election dispute. A band of armed men had taken over and occupied the Maine State House. Chamberlain was able to talk them into laying down their guns and going home.



• Is thought to be the last Civil War soldier to die of his wounds from that war. In 1914, at the age of 85, Chamberlain finally succumbed to the lingering effects of his wounds. 
 




I could tell you lots more about Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the quiet professor who became one of America’s greatest heroes. We’ll leave it there today. Which of these points surprised you most?
Leave a comment and enter the drawing for one of my Maine books: Maine Brides, Hearts in the Crosshairs, or Mainely Mysteries.


Susan Page Davis is the author of more than fifty published novels. A history major, she’s always interested in the unusual happenings of the past. She’s a two-time winner of the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, and also a winner of the Carol Award and the Will Rogers Medallion, and a finalist in the WILLA Awards and the More Than Magic Contest. Visit her website at: www.susanpagedavis.com .

THE CIVIL WAR IN TEXAS - AND GIVEAWAYS!!

We have a new look! Isn't it awesome? To celebrate the occasion we are sponsoring a giveaway ... books, prizes and a $50 gift card. So leave a comment at the end of this article to enter. Now let's talk about the Civil War in Texas.


Most Texas residents preceding the Civil War came to the Lone Star State from the Deep South, families and plantations which had slaves. Therefore, understandably, their sympathies resided with the South.

Governor Sam Houston's loyalty, however, remained with the Union, and he refused to even call for a secession convention. Secessionists then called on county judges to hold elections for delegates, and they gathered in Austin to vote on secession. Governor Houston tried to block them at that point
by calling a special session of the legislature. That measure failed when the legislature discovered that many of its members had been elected delegates to the secession convention. They voted for secession 152-6

When the secessionists required all state officials who had sworn an oath of loyalty to the old state constitution to affirm their loyalty to the Confederate States, Sam Houston remained in his rocking chair and refused to do so. The convention declared the office of governor vacant and the Lt Gov Edward Clark became the new governor of Texas.

Here in Waco, on New Year's Day of 1861 before the convention in Austin, Governor Houston spoke strongly against secession and was run out of town. The sentiments of most Texans clearly lay with South. However, Governor Houston refused President-Elect Lincoln's offer to rally Federal forces to prevent Texas from leaving the Union. He declared he would not raise arms against his state. He could only stand by helplessly as his beloved Texas sent  between 60,000 - 70,000 off to fight for a lost cause.

Very few battles actually were fought on Texas soil. Those that did occur were along the Gulf Coast to try to prevent supplies from coming through. The Union attempted to occupy Galveston, but the Confederates took it back quickly and occupied for the remainder of the war. The Union decided they could control the blockade as well from New Orleans.

A small coastal town, Indianola, was also occupied by the Union Army. At the time of the war, it was the second largest port because of the deep waters off the coast.

The Battle of Sabine Pass as another attempt to enter Texas, however 5,000 Union troops and 17 ships were turned back by 42 Confederate artillerymen in the narrow pass.

The Red River campaign was another attempt to bring the Union transports up the Mississippi River, then the Red River. However the invasion was halted and turned back at the Battle of Mansfield.

The last battle of the war, Palmito Ranch, was actually fought after Lee's surrender in Virginia. Union troops got on Texas soil, but the war was over, and it was to no avail.

Read about the Civil War in Texas in my novel, His Steadfast Love. And don't forget to leave a comment to enter the giveaway.

Golden Keyes Parsons writes historical fiction, and is also a popular retreat/conference speaker. Her highly acclaimed Darkness to Light Series (Thomas Nelson) chronicled the journey of her French Huguenot ancestors in 17^th century France. Her fourth novel, His Steadfast Love, is a Civil War novel set in Texas. Her latest release is a compilation of four novellas (WhiteFire Publishing) – a biblical fiction series entitled Hidden Faces, Portraits of Nameless Women in the Gospels. Golden lives in Waco, TX, with her husband, Blaine, where they enjoy their children, grandchildren and are avid sports fans of their alma mater, Baylor University. You can contact her at www.goldenkeyesparsons.com.

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WHICH WAR WAS THAT?

A friend of mine gave my Civil War novel to an acquaintance to read. The book is about a Southern young woman who falls in love with a Union officer before the war starts. Her heart and devotion are torn between him and her loyalties to the South, especially when her brother marches off to fight for the Confederacy. The comment from her very Southern acquaintance was, "Ah liked the book, but Ah just don't think a Southun girl would fall in lo-uv with a Union officuh."

Really! This remark from a Southern lady, even in 2013, displays what a gulf there was between the Northern and Southern perceptions of the war--even to what the two sides called the War. Burke Davis, in his book, The Civil War, Strange & Fascinating Facts, lists some of the names that mostly the South adopted, grasping in their defeat to express their ardor and, indeed defiance. Here are a few of them:

The War for Constitutional Liberty

The War for Southern Independence 

The Second American Revolution

The War for States' Rights

Mr. Lincoln's War

The Southern Rebellion 

The War for Southern Rights

The War of the Southern Planters

The War of the Rebellion

The Second War for Independence

The War to Suppress Yankee Arrogance

The Brothers' War

The War of Secession

The Great Rebellion

The War for Nationality 

The War for Southern Nationality

The War Against Slavery

The Civil War Between the States

The War Against Northern Aggression

The Yankee Invasion

The War for Separation

The War for Abolition

The War for the Union

The Confederate War

The War for Southern Freedom

The War of the North and South

And lastly, The Late Unpleasantness. 

Whew! Some of those names for the Civil War I had heard. Most I had not. By whatever name one wishes to call that terrible conflict, it was devastating to our country--particularly to the South. We are all grateful, I am sure, that the Union prevailed. If they had not, we would probably be a divided country today. But for the purposes of this post, I think it is interesting how differently the two sides viewed the war, even to what they called it. And some of those disparities remain even to this present day.

Golden Keyes Parsons writes historical fiction, and is also a popular retreat/conference speaker. Her highly acclaimed Darkness to Light Series (Thomas Nelson Publishing) chronicled the journey of her French Huguenot ancestors in 17^th century France. Her fourth novel, His Steadfast Love, is a Civil War novel set in Texas. Her latest releases are ebooks (WhiteFire Publishing) – a biblical fiction series entitled Hidden Faces, Portraits of Nameless Women in the Gospels. Golden lives in Waco, TX, with her husband, Blaine, where they enjoy their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and are avid sports fan of their alma mater, Baylor University. You can contact her at                                                      www.goldenkeyesparsons.com.