Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Biography

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, born in 1828, earned lasting renown as a college professor turned Union officer, rising to brigadier general after his courageous stand with the 20th Maine at Little Round Top and receiving the nation’s gratitude for safeguarding the Gettysburg line.

Following the Civil War he returned to Bowdoin College, served as its president, governed Maine with a steady hand, and remained a beloved teacher whose friendship and intellect inspired countless young citizens; Pine Grove Cemetery now honors his legacy of bravery, scholarship, and civic devotion.