Maine Senator Angus King, Jr. took to the Senate floor on Wednesday to remember Col. Joshua Chamberlain and the 20th Maine’s heroic stand on Little Round Top on July 2, 1863. I think he has seen the movie, “Gettysburg” one too many times. You will get a kick out of his maps.
Remembering Gettysburg on the Senate Floor
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To be sure, his history is really shotty. The 15th and 47th Alabama are going to sweep up over Little Round Top and roll up the entire Sixth U.S. Army Corps? It is all really silly. To be fair however, he isn’t claiming to have any extensive knowledge of the campaign, he was simply trying to commemorate Maine’s service in the war and this was the only way he knew how.
At least he isn’t professing to have any deep understanding of the conflict.
LIke this fraud: http://www.amazon.com/The-Real-History-Civil-War/dp/1402763905
Nathan Towne
Axelrod wrote a history of the Crater a few years ago, which is absolutely atrocious.
It goes without saying that I never bothered getting a copy of his Crater study. His recent title, the one I linked above, I saw at the local bookstore when I was there back in January. I picked it up and opened to his coverage of the Fredericksburg Campaign. I noted a dozen blatant errors, at least, in about a page and half. Hence, I put it back on the shelf in disgust.
Nathan Towne
I just have to say that I thought our (Independent) Senator presented a great history lesson! I totally loved his charming drawings and flip pages. And, please note: he did not have to study up for this presentation. Joshua Chamberlain is his life’s blood, as you can tell by his mustache and the fact that he lives only a couple of block’s from Joshua Chamberlain’s house, here in Maine.
Senator King even teaches a guest course in Leadership at Bowdoin College (or at least he used to, before he got his new job). And good job to give a shout out to activist/writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, who used to have Chamberlain eating out of her hand here at Bowdoin, at her weekly readings of Uncle Tom’s cabin. Good job Senator! And good job, 20th Maine.
If anyone wants to join in, ther will be a special commemoration at the Joshua Chamberlain statue (right in front of his house) at 12:00 on Tuesday!
I love Chamberlain’s story, I have a picture of him in my office, but Strong Vincent’s ancestors need to rise up in protest. O’Rouke’s, too.
As a federal employee, I know firsthand how sequestration has affected the government. But still… you’d think Congess could have at least afforded some of the excellent Steven Stanley maps.
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/maps/gettysburg-devils-den-and.html
I guess you didn’t appreciate the topographical detail of Little Round Top? 🙂