Several weeks ago I listed four of my top Maine heroes: Harold Alfond, George Mitchell, Kenneth Roberts and E.B. White.

Here's a nomination for another hero, submitted by commenter "Drew," who has emerged as the Conscience of Accuracy for Cabin Country. He suggested Joshua Chamberlain, hero of Gettysburg and general luminary of 19th century Maine.

Chamberlain won the rarely given Medal of Honor for bravery (and success) for holding his position at the Battle of Gettysburg (1863) in the Civil War. Born in Brewer, educated at Bowdoin, speaker of nine languages and a capable outdoorsman, Chamberlain emerged as one of the most honored Federal generals of the war.

An aside: Your Scribe has been to Little Roundtop at Gburg, where Chamberlain had his greatest success (my sister and my father both went to Gettysburg College). The area has been preserved, and one can agree with historians that Chamberlain and the Maine 20th had a very strong defensive position when it came to repulsing Pickett's charge and other incursions.

(Aside No. 1: It has always baffled me how soldiers can be inspired to opening themselves to certain death generated by suspect tactics. The Rebel forces had to charge about 500 yards across an open farmer's field before they even got to the well-fortified woods where Chamberlain and his men waited behind huge boulders and powerful artillary. Thousands died that day - in Chamberlain's encounter, most were Southerners.)

(Aside No. 2: Gen. Robert E. Lee was evidently a daring but poor poor strategist. I just finilshed a book titled "How the South Could Have Won the War," and many historians say that Lee's weakness was insisting on aggressive charges on enemy lines, even if they were well dug in. At Gettysburg, Southern Gen. Longstreet urged Lee to wage a defensive battle, because the Yankees held the high, well-fortified ground. But Lee said, "No, we will attack. The enemy is here and we will attack him directly." Gettysburg represented a major loss for the South and a singular victory for the then unsung Gen. Chamberlain. Lee was beloved by his troops but his aggressive, head-on tactics resulted in many unnecessary Southern casualties.).

When Chamberlina returned to Maine, he served four one-year terms as governor. He also was president of Bowdoin from 1871-93 and served as a trustee at Bates College as well (1867-71). The (by this time) legendary Chamberlain also served as surveyor of the port n Portland. He died in Portland in 1914.

Maybe Joshua wasn't a "cabin" guy per se. He left a house in Brunswick, and the comfortable tourist attraction is no run-down camp lacking in amenities. But he was a icon and renaissance man in Maine's 19th century, and that qualifies him as one of my Maine heroes.

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