Stand Firm Ye Boys from Maine: The 20th Maine of the Gettysburg Campaign

Rating:
Summary: An excellent companion piece to The Killer Angels
Review: I initially read this book after participating in a staff ride of the Gettysburg battlefield. My knowledge of the battle at that time came largely from Shaara's "The Killer Angels", and the subsequent film "Gettysburg". As both were meant to inspire and entertain rather than inform, I had an unrealistic understanding of the 20th Maine and its place in the struggle at Gettysburg. Thomas Desjardin's book changed that.

Well written and fast moving, "Stand Firm Ye Boys From Maine" provides excellent background information on the 20th Maine, identifies members of the Regiment beyond Chamberlain and his brother Tom, and reminds the reader that the 20th Maine's opponents at Little Round Top weren't a nameless mass of rebels, but members of a proud regiment with a strong leader all their own.

Desjardin explains the fight between the 20th Maine and the 15th Alabama in tremendous detail, with accompanying maps that enhance the narrative. More importantly, he describes the post-war growth of the Chamberlain legend, and explains the difference between Chamberlain the Man, and Chamberlain the myth. Desjardin's Chamberlain is not the battlefield intellectual who conceived an unorthodox maneuver in the face of the enemy to win the day, but an ordinary man who led from the front under extraordinary circumstances. I prefer the latter.

Students of Gettysburg will be interested in Desjardin's perspective on familiar events, and those unfamiliar with the battle will find it a great introduction to the subject. While not a history of the overall campaign, it is definitely a great starting place to learning what took place in PA over 140 years ago.


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Summary: ...and the Ordinary Soldiers, Too.
Review: Chamberlain and Gettysburg scholars have written millions of words about the pivotal campaign of the Civil War. Nevertheless, they have tended to introduce us only to the titans on the field: Alexander, Buford, Chamberlain, Doubleday, Early, Ewell, Hancock, Hood, Lee, Longstreet, Oates, Pettrigrew, Pickett, Spear, Trimble, et al. A few have enlarged the cast of characters to include the courageous Sergeant Tozier and the faithful Sergeant Buck.

Desjardin's contribution is that he expands the cast of characters to include the ordinary soldiers, who in the horrors of war, dedicated themselves to a cause greater than individual survival or gain. By painting for us a more honest portrait of battle and its aftermath, Desjardin has done us all a great service.

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Summary: Another great account of Little Round Top
Review: So many books have been written about the Battle of Gettysburg and in particular the events that occured on the 2nd day of battle concerning the decisive events that occured on Big Round Top and Little Round Top, after reading many books by noted scholars, I thought I knew the events and the 20th Maine led by Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain very well. I was wrong, Thomas A. Desjardin has uncovered some actions taken by the men of the 20th Maine as well as Col. Chamberlain that hasn't been written before and incorporated it into this book very nicely.

Usually, when writing about the 20th Maine at Gettysburg, an author will focus on the events that occured at Little Round Top only and ignore what happened to the regiment before July 2, 1863 and afterwards, however Desjardin tells readers what the regiment went through a month or so before the battle and what happened on July 3 during Picketts charge. This is a nice change only one other author comes to mind when I read this and that is John Pullen in his book "The 20th Maine" that was written many years before.

Desjardin describes the regiment in an easy to read prose, he dosen't mix in to many details that aren't necessary and he makes a reader feel like they were there during the crucial events at Gettysburg. I think Col. (later Gen and Governor) Chamberlain would approve of this book in its no nonsence manner (even though Col. Chamberlain did speak and write rather long). This is accurate and very interesting to read.

Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Combines good research with good writing for a great book.
Review: The book isn't one that would catch your eye in a bookstore. It's barely 200 pages long and at first looks like any number of books one will find related to Gettysburg and the Civil War. The difference is while there are a lot of good historians out there who are good researchers, few of them are as talented at writing as Tom Desjardin.

The 20th Maine is perhaps the most famous regiment that fought at Gettysburg and it's commander Lawrence Chamberlain is perhaps the most famous Union officer after Grant thanks in part to the book 'Killer Angels' and the film 'Gettysburg'. Unfortunately however there are a lot of myths surrounding both Chamberlain and the 20th Maine. This book cuts through the myths that the book and film have helped perpetuate without trying to tear down Chamberlain like some in recent years have tried to do. In the end the truth is just as facinating as the myths, if not more so.

Rating:
Summary: Well written and researched
Review: The success of the Novel "The Killer Angels," and its motion picture version "Gettysburg," has made Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin one of the most recognized figures in Civil War history. This books seeks to deflate some of the myth, but nonetheless represents an outstanding gem of small-unit scholarship. Desjardin maintains a ruthlessly narrow focus, recounting exclusivly the actions of the Maine regiment on July 2nd, 1863. He counters the notion presented by Michael Shaara that the 20th Maine's charge was some kind of executed manuver, presenting it rather as a spontaneous rush down the hill. He also de-emphasises the importance of the 20th Maine's actions, suggesting that had the 20th withdrawn, the 83rd Pennsylvania could have held against the exhausted Alabama regiments. He presents Chamberlin as somewhat of a tragic character after the war, suffering from political reverses and a failing marriage-this is in contrast to most accounts that celebrate his actions as a soldier, governor and college president. Desjardin's book certainly makes the battle less glamorous than it appears on the silver screen. Nonetheless, he reaffirms the basic story of a green regiment, and a green commander, putting up a hell of a fight. 20th Maine aficionados will want to read this book to get a new angle on the famous story, while Civil War buffs will appreciate it for its in depth detail about the dynamics of a regimental action.

Rating:
Summary: Well written and researched
Review: The success of the Novel "The Killer Angels," and its motion picture version "Gettysburg," has made Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin one of the most recognized figures in Civil War history. This books seeks to deflate some of the myth, but nonetheless represents an outstanding gem of small-unit scholarship. Desjardin maintains a ruthlessly narrow focus, recounting exclusivly the actions of the Maine regiment on July 2nd, 1863. He counters the notion presented by Michael Shaara that the 20th Maine's charge was some kind of executed manuver, presenting it rather as a spontaneous rush down the hill. He also de-emphasises the importance of the 20th Maine's actions, suggesting that had the 20th withdrawn, the 83rd Pennsylvania could have held against the exhausted Alabama regiments. He presents Chamberlin as somewhat of a tragic character after the war, suffering from political reverses and a failing marriage-this is in contrast to most accounts that celebrate his actions as a soldier, governor and college president. Desjardin's book certainly makes the battle less glamorous than it appears on the silver screen. Nonetheless, he reaffirms the basic story of a green regiment, and a green commander, putting up a hell of a fight. 20th Maine aficionados will want to read this book to get a new angle on the famous story, while Civil War buffs will appreciate it for its in depth detail about the dynamics of a regimental action.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Start
Review: This is a well worked area of the ACW but Thomas A. Desjardin brings a fresh look to the subject. He is an excellent author and scholar, both show in his books. The book contains very good maps, photos and current status of Little Round Top, roster of the 20th Maine, 5 Appendix, notes and index. This is a very well done book that can be used as an introduction or reference.

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Summary: A Teacher Reviews "Stand Firm Ye Boys From Maine"
Review: We take our heroes very seriously in the State of Maine. Major General (and Governor) Joshua Chamberlain appears on everything from t-shirts to beer bottles; he has become nearly mythical in our eyes. "Stand Firm" provides an honest account of the 20th Maine regiment in the Battle of Gettysburg; it is grounded in thorough research and reflects careful analysis by its author. It is very readable, with maps and notes included to promote greater understanding of the information. I offer it to my high school students for both the content and as an example of the process of analyzing historical information for accuracy, bias, etc. Mr. Desjardin took on the myth, and allowed Joshua Chamberlain to be seen as he should be; a decent man in a difficult situation. (The hard cover edition of this book has earned the honor of being the only one never returned to me from the many books I have shared with students over the past 13 years!)

Rating:
Summary: Wow. A great find!
Review: When I saw this at our local bookstore I thought it was brand new since I am a big Gettysburg fan and hadn't seen it before. Turns out it was originally published in 1995 by a small press in Pennsylvania or somewhere and was only available in a few places, Then [someone else] got hold of it and now it is everywhere. It is a really great book, more balanced and objective than ANY Civil War book I've read, and even though it exposes a lot of myths about Joshua Chamberlain and his men, you will still end up admiring them, only now for the truth, not the myth. Reads like a novel and has some great detailed appendixes with lists of participants, wounded, etc. Outstanding!