20th Maine Regiment

The 20th Maine Regiment was mustered in at Augusta, Maine, for three years' service on August 29, 1862, and were mustered out on July 16, 1865. Of the 1,621 men enrolled in the regiment, 147 were killed or died of wounds, 146 died of disease, and 15 were in Confederate prisons.

They served in the following engagements:

Antietam, MD - September 17, 1862
Shepherdstown Ford, VA - September 19 - 20, 1862
Fredericksburg, VA - December 13, 1862
Chancellorsville, VA - May 1 - 4, 1863
Middleburg, VA - June 17, 1863
Gettysburg, PA - July 1 - 3, 1863
Sharpsburg Pike, MD - July 1863
Rappahannock Station, VA - November 7, 1863
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 - June 1864
Jerusalem Plank Road, VA - June 22 - 23, 1864
Weldon Railroad, VA - August 18 - 21, 1864
Peebles Farm, VA - September 30 - October 2, 1864
Hatchers Run, VA - December 8 - 9, 1864
Quaker Road, VA - March 29, 1865
Gravelly Run, VA - March 29, 1865
Five Forks, VA - March 30 - April 1, 1865
Appomattox, VA - March 29 - April 9, 1865

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (1828-1914), is best known for his heroic participation in the Battle of Gettysburg. Lieutenant Colonel Chamberlain led his 20th Maine Infantry in a desperate bayonet charge down Little Round Top on July 2, 1863. Fearing Chamberlain to be near death from wounds at Petersburg in 1864, General Ulysses Grant gave him a field promotion to Brigadier General. Surviving against all odds, Chamberlain received the Confederate surrender at Appomatox Court House, Virginia, in April 1865. Chamberlain served four terms as Maine's governor and later as president of Bowdoin College.

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

Switch View to Grid View Slideshow

1863-09-01 Letter from Brigadier General James Barnes to Chamberlain regarding Gettysburg

James Barnes
1863-09-03 Charles Gilmore to Adjutant General Hodsdon regarding surgeon John Benson

Charles D. Gilmore
1863-09-08 Brigadier General James C. Rice to Hodsdon recommending Chamberlain's promotion

James C. Rice
1863-09-08 Brigadier General James Rice recommends Chamberlain for promotion to Brigadier General

James C. Rice
1863-09-08 Jeremiah Curtis writes to Hannibal Hamlin requesting a commission for his nephew

Jeremiah Curtis and Hannibal Hamlin
1863-09-09 Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gilmore sends August 1863 regimental return

Charles D. Gilmore
1863-09-17 Adjutant General Hodsdon writes surgeon at McDougal Hospital in New York inquiring about Edwin R. Huston

John L. Hodsdon
1863-09-19 Chamberlain writes to Gov. Coburn regarding candidates for surgeon

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
1863-09-21 Descriptive list for Aaron Parker and Augustus McLaughlin

Adjutant General
1863-09-21 Orison Rollins asks why Davis Laribee is not reported as a deserter

Orison Rollins
1863-09-22 Isaac F. Orcutt asks for appointment in the 2nd Maine Cavalry

Isaac F. Orcutt
1863-09-25 Charles Gilmore requests promotion of Dr. Shaw to surgeon

Charles D. Gilmore
1863-09-27 Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gilmore encloses recommendations for Colonel Joshua Chamberlain

Charles D. Gilmore
1863-10-01 Major Ellis Spear transmits the September 1863 regimental return

Ellis Spear
1863-10-03 Lieutenant Colonel Gilmore encloses letters of commendation for Joshua Chamberlain

Charles D. Gilmore
1863-10-06 Lyndon Oak requests a discharge for L.M Rideout, who is incapacitated by illness

Lyndon Oak
1863-10-07 Brigadier General Charles Griffin to General Seth Williams recommending promotion of Chamberlain

Charles E. Griffin and Seth Williams
1863-10-08 Charles Gilmore recommends Chamberlain for promotion

Charles Gilmore
1863-10-23 Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gilmore requests promotion of assistant surgeon Abner O. Shaw

Charles D. Gilmore
1863-10-23 M.W. Townsend recommends Assistant Surgeon Abner Shaw for promotion

M. W. Townsend
1863-10-28 Chamberlain does not recommend Nichols for promotion

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
1863-11-03 Freeman Conner, Lieutenant Colonel 44th NY, recommends Lieutenant Nichols for promotion

Freeman Conner
1863-11-04 Chamberlain sends a copy of his official Gettysburg battle report to Adjutant General Hodsdon

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
1863-11-04 Luther French recommends Abner Shaw and officers of the regiment for promotion

Luther French
1863-11-06 Captain Atherton W. Clark and others request that Dr. Abner Shaw be commissioned their regimental surgeon

Atherton W. Clark

Page 16 of 27

20th Maine Regiment

1863-09-01 Letter from Brigadier General James Barnes to Chamberlain regarding Gettysburg

1863-09-03 Charles Gilmore to Adjutant General Hodsdon regarding surgeon John Benson

1863-09-08 Brigadier General James C. Rice to Hodsdon recommending Chamberlain's promotion

1863-09-08 Brigadier General James Rice recommends Chamberlain for promotion to Brigadier General

1863-09-08 Jeremiah Curtis writes to Hannibal Hamlin requesting a commission for his nephew

1863-09-09 Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gilmore sends August 1863 regimental return

1863-09-17 Adjutant General Hodsdon writes surgeon at McDougal Hospital in New York inquiring about Edwin R. Huston

1863-09-19 Chamberlain writes to Gov. Coburn regarding candidates for surgeon

1863-09-21 Descriptive list for Aaron Parker and Augustus McLaughlin

1863-09-21 Orison Rollins asks why Davis Laribee is not reported as a deserter

1863-09-22 Isaac F. Orcutt asks for appointment in the 2nd Maine Cavalry

1863-09-25 Charles Gilmore requests promotion of Dr. Shaw to surgeon

1863-09-27 Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gilmore encloses recommendations for Colonel Joshua Chamberlain

1863-10-01 Major Ellis Spear transmits the September 1863 regimental return

1863-10-03 Lieutenant Colonel Gilmore encloses letters of commendation for Joshua Chamberlain

1863-10-06 Lyndon Oak requests a discharge for L.M Rideout, who is incapacitated by illness

1863-10-07 Brigadier General Charles Griffin to General Seth Williams recommending promotion of Chamberlain

1863-10-08 Charles Gilmore recommends Chamberlain for promotion

1863-10-23 Lieutenant Colonel Charles Gilmore requests promotion of assistant surgeon Abner O. Shaw

1863-10-23 M.W. Townsend recommends Assistant Surgeon Abner Shaw for promotion

1863-10-28 Chamberlain does not recommend Nichols for promotion

1863-11-03 Freeman Conner, Lieutenant Colonel 44th NY, recommends Lieutenant Nichols for promotion

1863-11-04 Chamberlain sends a copy of his official Gettysburg battle report to Adjutant General Hodsdon

1863-11-04 Luther French recommends Abner Shaw and officers of the regiment for promotion

1863-11-06 Captain Atherton W. Clark and others request that Dr. Abner Shaw be commissioned their regimental surgeon

Search

Browse

For Agency Contributors

Featured Links