Chamberlain seemed to recognize the sacrifices of these other soldiers. Although his new command had fought well, it was a relatively recent addition to the Army of the Potomac. Chamberlain asked if he could be reunited with his old comrades — the 1st Division’s 3rd Brigade — for this one day. This was to be a crowning incident of history and I thought these veterans deserved this recognition, Chamberlain later wrote.

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His request was approved. For a single day, Chamberlain was back among the soldiers of the 20th Maine, 83rd Pennsylvania and 16th Michigan. Chamberlain looked up old friends and prepared his former comrades for one last gesture of chivalry.

On the morning of the appointed day, Maj. Gen. John Gordon led the first group of Confederates up to the Surrender Triangle to lay down their arms and battle flags. Dejected, heads hanging low, Gordon and his men marched slowly forward. As they rounded the final turn, overcome by emotion and memories, oblivious to their surroundings, the sudden bark of a bugle pierced the air. Instantly the Federal troops lining the road snapped to carry arms. Gordon, wrenched from his thoughts as he recognized the significance of Chamberlain’s salute, wheeled his horse and then gracefully brought his sword point down to his boot toe. Gordon then ordered his own troops to carry arms, two honorable gestures signifying the respect those fellow Americans felt for each other.

So ended the last page in the heroic story of the Little Round Top Regiments. The men went back to their wives and sweethearts, their farms and fishing boats. They had been involved in a great enterprise and had succeeded. Many had died before the goal had been achieved, but in a way they had succeeded also. The Union was preserved — at a cost that the survivors of the Little Round Top Regiments knew all too well.

This article was written by Jim Heenehan and originally appeared in the September 1999 issue of America’s Civil War magazine. For more great articles be sure to subscribe to America’s Civil War magazine today!

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