Passing Through the Fire: Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in the Civil War

A Soldier From Maine

Joshua Chamberlain (1828 -- 1914) commanded the 20th Maine in its stirring defense of Little Round Top on July 2, 1863 during the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. His heroism and that of his soldiers became the stuff of legend following Michael Scharaa's novel, "The Killer Angels", Ken Burns' documentary "The Civil War", and the film, "Gettysburg". Studies of Little Round Top have tried to separate the facts from the embellishments.

Brian Swartz's recent book "Passing through the Fire: Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and the Civil War" (2021) is a short biography of Chamberlain that places his actions on Little Round Top within the context of his life and Civil War service. The picture of Chamberlain that emerges is one of a dauntless commander, devoted to the Union, and, with his flaws and tendency toward self-aggrandizement, a hero. Swartz is a reporter, editor and journalist from Maine and a lifelong student of the Civil War. Thomas Desjardin, a historian who has written extensively about Little Round Top, wrote the Foreword to this volume.

Chamberlain had been a minister and college professor at Maine's Bowdoin College when he volunteered for service in the Civil War and found his calling. Swartz portrays Chamberlain's military leading up to Little Round Top before devoting a chapter to that famous fight. But Swartz's book is most valuable for the attention it gives to Chamberlain's service after Little Round Top. On June 18, 1864, Chamberlain led a bold attack at Petersburg. He was severely and painfully wounded and almost lost his life. With his wounds and his earlier exposure to malaria he went home to Maine where he could have lived a quiet life. He returned to battle and played a large role in the climactic battle of Five Forks at Petersburg and in the Appomattox Campaign. At Appomatox, Chamberlain presided over the surrender parade of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Swartz writes eloquently and well. He describes the complex military actions, especially at Five Forks, together with the Chamberlain's roles. The book moves from the battlefields to Maine and Chamberlain's family and his decision to return to the War following his injury. Swartz describes Chamberlain's role in the Army as in proceeded to Washington, D.C. and learned of the assassination of Lincoln. A concluding chapter briefly describes Chamberlain's post-Civil War life as a four-term governor of Maine and president of Bowdoin College. Appendices on a driving tour of Chamberlain's presence in Maine, his difficult relationship with his wife, Fanny, and on Chamberlain's continued significance and on the historical debate about Little Round Top enhance the text. The book concludes with a short annotated bibliography.

This book is suitable for students and for those readers with little prior background in the Civil War as well as for readers with a strong interest in the subject. In a time of difficulty for our country, Chamberlain remains an inspiration.

"Passing Through the Fire" is part of a series of books on the Civil War in the Emerging Civil War Series, which aims to present the conflict to a broad audience. The publisher, Savas Beatie, kindly sent me a review copy.

Robin Friedman