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

by Desjardin, Thomas A.

• ISBN13: 9780195382310
• ISBN10: 0195382315
• Edition: 15th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-10-29
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Fought amid rocks and trees, in thick blinding smoke, and under exceedingly stressful conditions, the battle for the southern slope of Little Round Top on July 2, 1863 stands among the most famous and crucial military actions in American history, one of the key engagements that led to the North's victory at Gettysburg. In this powerfully narrated history, Maine historian Tom Desjardin tells the story of the 20th Maine Regiment, the soldiers who fought and won the battle of Little Round Top. This engaging work is the culmination of years of detailed research on the experiences of the soldiers in that regiment, telling the complete story of the unit in the Gettysburg Campaign, from June 21 through July 10, 1863. Desjardin uses more than seventy first-hand accounts to tell the story of this campaign in critical detail. He brings the personal experiences of the soldiers to life, relating the story from both sides and revealing the actions and feelings of the men from Alabama who tried, in vain, to seize Little Round Top. Indeed, ranging from the lowest ranking private to the highest officers, this book explores the terrible experiences of war and their tragic effect. Following the regiment through the campaign enables readers to understand fully the soldiers' feelings towards the enemy, towards citizens of both North and South, and towards the commanders of the two armies. In addition, this book traces the development of the legend of Gettysburg, as veterans of the fight struggle to remember, grasp, and memorialize their part in the largest battle ever fought on the continent. With a new preface and updated maps and illustrations, Stand Fast Ye Boys of Maine offers a compelling account of one of the most crucial small engagements of the Civil War.

Author Biography

Thomas A. Desjardin was born and raised in Maine and did his doctoral work in American History at the University of Maine. He has worked as an interpreter, giving programs on the Gettysburg battlefield for the National Park Service. The author of These Honored Dead: How the Story of Gettysburg Shaped American Memory and Through A Howling Wilderness: Benedict Arnold's March to Quebec, 1775, he is working on a TV documentary on Joshua Chamberlain.

Table of Contents

Maps	p. ix
Abbreviations	p. x
Photo Credits	p. xi
Foreword	p. xii
Preface to the Fifteenth Anniversary Edition	p. xiv
Acknowledgments	p. xx
North From the Rappahannock	p. 1
The Death-Strewn Slope	p. 33
The Bigger Hill	p. 79
Seared by the Horrors of War	p. 97
In Great Deeds Something Abides	p. 117
American Legend, American Shrine	p. 153
Twentieth Maine Roster of Participants	p. 169
Numbers of Combatants	p. 181
Recollections of the Participants	p. 185
20th Maine Casualties	p. 189
15th Alabama Casualties	p. 195
47th Alabama Casualties	p. 203
Notes	p. 207
Bibliography	p. 235
Index	p. 241
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