Chamberlain Joshua

Civil War Hero Joshua L. Chamberlain Archive

[JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN], Small archive of materials, including two printed pamphlets and one Autograph Letter Signed to Chamberlain, 1868-1906. 31 pp. total. Some paper loss in bottom margin of campaign document, not affecting text; some water staining to corner of letter; Twelve Days at Augusta uncut at top.

This small archive consists of three items related to the post-Civil War career of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the “hero of Gettysburg.” The first is a broadsheet from his campaign for reelection to a third term as governor. The second is an offer to Chamberlain to become president of Iowa State University, which he declined. The third is an account of his role in settling the tense political and potentially violent situation in the Maine state capital after the 1879 elections.

Contents and Excerpts:


“Eben F. Pillsbury's Record! As Written with His Own Pen.” / “Joshua L. Chamberlain's Record! As Written with His Own Sword.” 1868. 4 pp., 6" x 10.75".


“Mr. Pillsbury's public character, his record on grave national questions, and his disloyal sentiments during the very crisis of his country's fate, it is the purpose of this paper to expose, to condemn, and to hold up to the stern reprobation of the people of Maine.”


“Since he retired from the military service, Gen. Chamberlain's record is familiar to every child in the State. He has been two years our honored Governor, and he is a third time a candidate for our suffrages. Shall he have those suffrages? He shed his blood for us! Shall we not give our votes to him?... Voters of Maine!! Read them both and choose between them on the 14th of September!”


Joshua L. Chamberlain had defeated Democratic candidate Eben F. Pillsbury (1825-1887) in the gubernatorial elections of 1866 and 1867. In the third contest between the two in September 1868, Chamberlain won 72.1 percent of the vote, the largest margin of any of his four successive elections as governor.




A. S. Kissell, Autograph Letter Signed, to Joshua L. Chamberlain, September 24, 1870, Des Moines, Iowa. 1 p., 8" x 10".


“Gov. Merrill, Hons. Jas. Wilson, C. W. Slagle & A. S. Kissell, of the Board of Regents of the Iowa State University have been appointed a Committee by said board to correspond with gentlemen in regard to the presidency of said University.... The Com. desires to learn, confidentially, whether you would accept the presidency named & how soon you cld. be on the ground shld. you accept? Yr. reply shall be held sacredly & strictly in confidence.”


[Verso endorsement by Chamberlain:] “Wrote declining / Oct 19 1870”


Abram S. Kissell (1829-1888) served as Iowa State Superintendent of Public Instruction from 1869 to 1872.


Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Supplement. The Twelve Days at Augusta, 1880. Portland, ME: Smith & Sale, 1906. 16 pp., 5.5" x 8.5".


“As no authentic or accurate account has hitherto been given of General Chamberlain's part in securing a peaceful settlement of the political disturbances at the time of the lapse of civil government in Maine at the opening of the year 1880, the article prepared for the sketch of him in the recently published Report of the Chamberlain Association of America contained some details on this point which had been carefully gathered from original records and testimony. These, however, were found to require so much space that the article was shorn of much of this matter before it was so used.”

In the fall 1879 election, none of the candidates for governor of Maine won a majority of the popular vote, which meant that the legislature would elect the new governor. In the same election, the Republicans won a majority of the seats in the both the Maine House of Representatives and Senate. Supporters of Greenback candidate Joseph Smith and incumbent Democrat Alonzo Garcelon accused Republican legislators-elect of using bribery and fraud to win. Governor Garcelon and his Council conducted an investigation and excluded many votes as fraudulent. The recount gave the majority of seats in the legislature to Greenbacks and Democrats. Republican senator James G. Blaine assembled an armed camp of Republicans at his home next to the Capitol building in Augusta. In response Governor Garcelon placed nearly one hundred armed men in and around the Capitol, and Democrats and Greenbacks raised their own army headquartered at a downtown hotel. Newspapers took sides, fueling emotions with editorials. On January 5, Governor Garcelon called out the militia, and Major General Joshua L. Chamberlain, at the time also president of Bowdoin College, had to keep order until the Maine Supreme Court could decide the election. Chamberlain mobilized the militia but kept them away from the tense situation in Augusta. For twelve days, Chamberlain refused to take sides, endured ridicule and hostility, and dodged an assassination plot. Blaine decided to let the Supreme Court decide the matter, but Greenback candidate Smith tried to have Chamberlain arrested. The same day, the Supreme Court ruled that Republicans would retain the majority of seats in both houses, and they elected Daniel Davis as governor. Davis then relieved Chamberlain of his duty, and he returned to Bowdoin College.

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (1828-1914) was born in Maine and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1852. He studied for three years at Bangor Theological Seminary, then returned to Bowdoin as a professor of rhetoric. He married Fanny Adams in 1855, and they had five children, though only two lived to adulthood. In 1861, Chamberlain became Professor of Modern Languages at Bowdoin, as he was fluent in ten languages. In August 1862, he received a commission as lieutenant colonel of the 20th Maine Regiment. He participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg and spent a freezing night on the battlefield among the dead and wounded from other regiments. In June 1863, Chamberlain was promoted to colonel of the regiment, when its colonel was promoted to brigadier general. At the Battle of Gettysburg, Chamberlain commanded the 20th Maine at the far left of the Union line on Little Round Top. He successfully defended the position from repeated attacks by the Confederates, actions for which he later received the Medal of Honor. After recuperating from illness, he participated in the Siege of Petersburg and was seriously wounded in June 1864. Not expected to live, Chamberlain recovered and resumed command in November. Late in March 1865, he was again seriously wounded, but he recovered to participate in the formal surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House. In a poignant and dramatic gesture, Chamberlain called his troops to attention, as the defeated Confederates marched past to stack their arms. Confederate General John B. Gordon acknowledged the tribute and many years later called Chamberlain “one of the knightliest soldiers of the Federal Army.” Promoted to major general of volunteers, Chamberlain returned to Maine and served four successive one-year terms as a Republican governor of the state from 1867 to 1871. He then returned to Bowdoin College, where he was appointed president, a position he held from 1871 to 1883. After resigning from Bowdoin due to his war wounds, Chamberlain practiced law in New York City, served as surveyor of the Port of Portland, Maine, and engaged in a variety of business initiatives.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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