Joshua Chamberlain: The Soldier And The Man

by Edward G. Longacre

Joshua Chamberlain's exploits on Little Round Top have gained worldwide fame since the release of the film Gettysburg. Several books on Joshua Chamberlain have appeared in recent years, but most have been either hero-worship or have relied too heavily on his own account of his actions.Edward Longacre has joined the front ranks of American Civil War historians with The Cavalry at Gettysburg, General John Buford, and Custer and his Wolverines. Now he provides the first biography of Joshua Chamberlain that places his Civil War career in the full context of his life before and after the war, explores all aspects of his character, and draws on independent, and occasionally contradictory, eyewitness accounts of his battlefield actions. Previously unknown aspects of Chamberlain's experiences before the war and at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and Appomattox are presented to a wider audience here for the first time. Edward Longacre's meticulous research suggests that Chamberlain's own accounts of some of his actions can no longer be taken entirely at face value and that his character had a darker side, but the various flaws and failings of Chamberlain the real man as recounted here serve in the end to emphasize rather than diminish the remarkable nature of his accomplishments.

Genres: Biography, Civil War, American Civil War, History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, American History

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 1999

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Civil War literature's rising stars debunks several myths surrounding JL Chamberlain and his place in history. I found the book to be very readable, but it was lacking the main elements of a truly great biography...The elements that make you feel a sweet communion with the subject of the study. The elements that help you identify with the subject, that make you feel you could sit and have a beer with the subject. That being said, this book still fills a necessary gap in the literature written on JL Chamberlain. I really didn't care for the psychoanalysis at the end of the book...I mean, how do you know what a person's personality traits were 150 years after they lived and died?

[Tim Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth biography I have read on Joshua Chamberlain and it is a decidedly more negative take on Chamberlain's life that the other three. Longacre seems to have an agenda with this one, and while I don't think he is coming from a place of malice, this book serves to denigrate Chamberlain and his accomplishments.

It is fair to say that many in Civil War circles have propped Chamberlain up as a near Herculean figure. His exploits on July 2, 1863 at Gettysburg are legendary, but according to some you'd think he single handedly saved the Union Army (he did not). But Chamberlain was a heroic figure throughout the Civil War, and the man had an interesting life. Longacre seems content to spell out a lot of his accomplishments and then fall back to Ellis Spear, once a Chamberlain friend and colleague in the 20th Maine, who after the war had a falling out with Chamberlain and set to work refuting every single one of Chamberlains wartime exploits. Granted, Chamberlain isn't the most reliable narrator, but Spear shouldn't be taken very seriously either. He was writing from a place of malice. So Longacre's reliance on Spear as a source was troublesome to me.

Longacre also seems to want to dig into the seedier details of Chamberlain's relationship with his wife. There are several parts of the book where Longacre speculates about Chamberlain's diminished sexual function following his wounding at Petersburg and how it affected his relationship with his wife. The entire wound suffered at Petersburg is given a much more graphic accounting in this work than I've seen elsewhere (to the point where Longacre speculates Chamberlain wore absorbent "diaper-type" underclothes for the rest of his life) which seemed to be grasping for readers interested in the more graphic aspects of Chamberlain's life.

One chapter is given to Chamberlain's postwar life. It felt like the author wasn't interested in Chamberlain's life post Appomattox and this was rushed.

So while it's not altogether terrible, it's not great either. Seek out In the Hands of Providence: Joshua L. Chamberlain and the American Civil War by Alice Rains Turlock or On Great Fields: The Life and Unlikely Heroism of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain by Ronald C. White Jr. I enjoyed these and found them much better looks at Chamberlain's life and career. 2.5/5.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is my Civil War hero. A professor of rhetoric at Bowdoin College prior to the war, he joined at the outset of the war and fought till he stood at Appomattox Court House to receive the surrender of Lee's army. Edward Longarce's biography presents a balanced account of Chamberlain's life that shows the complexities of this true hero who was also as flawed as any human being. While Chamberlain was brave to the point of recklessness, he was also self-aggrandizing to the point that others felt it necessary to correct the accounts he gave of his exploits in the Army of the Potomac. He loved his wife and family, yet he did not hesitate to abandon them both during and after the war to pursue his ambitions.

Highly recommended for Civil War history buffs.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most reviews here give negative reviews, read the book and judge yourself. There are plenty of books on Chamberlain so definitely read more than this one. This book looked at who he was, his faults and his heroics. I could write a very detailed review as some have done but I am not going to do that. I enjoyed this book and it is definitely one of my favorites on Chamberlain. There is some areas in this book that need more depth and explanation but that would almost be a whole other book just on that subject alone.

[Ian Hastings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author seems to have an agenda, and makes some pretty significant assumptions/leaps about what the subject was thinking, motivations etc. Well written, but I prefer a "just the facts" approach

[Troy Ancona · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve read most major works on Chamberlain and had a friend of mine loan me his copy of Longacre’s book on Chamberlain to check out.

Unfortunately one star is about all its worth.

Longacre’s strategy is pretty basic, quote or tell a Chamberlain story, then quote Ellis Spear’s tack on a letter between Spear and Norton. Then spice it up with some critical comments about Chamberlain.

This may seem harsh but it is a fair summary.

Having studied this matter for several years there is much more to Spear than his late in life critical view of Chambetlain that is being presented here (more than I could summarize, but here are some examples.)

Much later in life Spear disavowed any knowledge of Chamberlain originating the charge at Round Top, but not long after the battle and article appeared in a local Maine paper (Spear is from coastal Downeast Maine) that was a publication of a Letter from Spear, in this letter he complimented Chamberlain’s leadership and made mention of the charge.)

Later in life Spear minimized Chamberlain’s wound on June 18, 1864 that nearly cost his life then made a crude male anatomy joke. (The confederate mini ball went hip to hip damaging Chamberlain’s urethra and bladder resulting in many surgeries throughout the remainder of his life.)

In this letter to Norton he said Chamberlain was not hurt that bad and was sitting up being fed some food when he saw him and wasn’t that bad. Yet Spear’s journal entry from that day states he is afraid his former commander would not survive. (Are you seeing a pattern)

Along with Spear’s entry their are many letters from other people who saw Chamberlain and expressed their concern for his survival, such as Gilmore (also served in the 20th), John Chamberlain (Joshua’s brother), OR reports from Griffin, Warren, Meade and Grant, who hurriedly passed on their recommendation for his promotion to Brigadier General being afraid he would not survive.

Not to mention medical records that confirm how early catheterization nearly killed him, causing a permanent fistula which resulted in lifelong infections and eventually led to his death in 1914. All of this after multiple surgeries.

Later in life Spear criticized Chamberlain’s account of, or that he was even wounded at Quaker Road (Lewis Farm), said he just got a hole in his sleeve, and that he should know, he was there.

This is in spite of the fact others wrote of Chamberlain’s wound, including the Division commander and future V Corps commander Maj General Charles Griffin who referred to Chamberlain’s wound and for his actions later recommended him for a promotion to Maj General. This fact can be looked up in the OR records.

You might be noticing a pattern, Chamberlain says up later in life Spear says down, Chamberlain says right, yup you guessed it … and on it goes

This is Longacres “go to” star witness along with Oliver Norton, who Spear wrote to often.

Now if there is one redeeming aspect of this book it is that Longacre shows a lot of great sources. I have used his books footnotes to further my own studies.

This is almost enough to bump up the rating to two stars. BUT, this information I listed above and much more is not hard to find so no excuse for Longacre missing this as he clearly displays solid abilities in research.

The Spear / Chamberlain falling out in the early 20th century that took place not long before Chamberlain’s death has much more to it than I can type here. A few years ago author Tom Desjardins wrote an excellent article that helps understand what may have taken place between these former friends. But as for Longacre, this is just a missed opportunity.

Don’t mistaken this, Joshua Chamberlain certainly did not walk on water but Longacre’s effort is more like mudslinging than a good critical biography.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since this is the first Chamberlain biography I've read, I don't know how it stacks up with the "competition". Mr. Longacre admits that this book isn't intended as the definitive biography of Chamberlain, but he still does a fine job covering not only Chamberlain's life and Civil War career but also his motivations. The author also points out that Chamberlains memoirs might not be entirely accurate. I knew (through Noah Andre Trudeau's Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage) that his account of Little Round Top was flawed, but Mr. Longacre brings up other actions too, such as Fredericksburg and Lewis' Farm.

Unfortunately, the author tends to mention little besides Ellis Spear's letters and articles to conclude Chamberlain's memoirs were wrong. (For example, at Fredericksburg he only mentions that Chamberlain's and Spear's accounts contradict each other, the only reason he states for preferring Spear is the 20th Maine's low casualties).

[J.D. Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book in regards to Longacre, and I didn't know much about him and I was quite surprised at his easy prose and informative information. He humanizes Chamberlain in this book, the professor-turned-hero that was lionized by the movies. If you've seen the movies that Jeff Daniels plays him in, this book will credibly make him human. Chamberlain seems to be a lion on the battlefield but a mouse when it came to his wife. In the end, Longacre makes Chamberlain an honorable and really quite normal man comparing all his faults and feats. Really quite a good book.

[David Schroeder · Rating 2 out of 5]

All history books carry some sort of bias from an author. This one tends to focus on the negative side of Chamberlain, which will surprise people who have canonized him based on the likes of his portrayal in the movie, Gettysburg. It felt more like an armchair attack and if it had a better narrative, I would give it more credence. Nevertheless, it is poorly written despite decently researched. I don't recommend it.

[Kaci · Rating 2 out of 5]

Longacre seems more concerned with opining on and vilifying his subject than narrating the life of the soldier and the man. Much of his source material on Chamberlain's Civil War experience comes from the writings of Ellis Spear, a man with whom Chamberlain had a falling out in the post-war years. Hardly an impartial source of information on Chamberlain.

[Ele · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a few reviewers have noted Longacre seems determined to find all of Chamberlains faults and refute anything other biographers have said. While I appreciate Longacres effort to humanize Chamberlain all too often I feel that there's some sort of hidden agenda behind this work or that Longacre has no admiration for Chamberlain, in which case why write a biography on him?

[Dean Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chamberlain is one of my favorite generals and my interest in the subject matter was already high. This book definitely did not disappoint and would most likely read it again someday. I even ended up using this book in one of my papers that I had to write for college. I only wish it was a bit longer and went a little deeper in some areas in his life.

[Pablo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive and definitive biography of one of my personal heroes.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite Union General.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chamberlain served as a Union staff officer in Sherman's command during the Civil War. This is his memoirs.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author seems more interested in the revisionist part of revisionist history.

[Jessica Jewett · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible. Scathing. Longacre gets one star for spelling his name right.