Posted by
Nick Stuart on Friday, October 17, 2008 9:53:12 AM
Assigned to anchor the left flank of the Union army at the Battle of Gettysburg, Chamberlain's 20th Maine withstood charge after charge by the Confederate forces. Finally, decimated by casualties and almost out of ammunition, the 20th faced yet another assault. The sensible thing would have been to withdraw. However, this would have allowed the Confederates to overrun the position and possibly turn the tide of battle.
Instead Chamberlain called for an unorthodox maneuver in combination with a bayonet charge (highly unusual, the bayonet having begun to fall into disuse even at that era). The position was held, the Union line saved, and the Confederate forces owned that they never cared to meet "those Maine men" again.
While the situation in the 2008 election may seem unfavorable, even desparate according to some, the lesson from Chamberlain for us is clear: "Fix bayonets, Charge!"