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Leadership Lessons from a Civil War Colonel

By Mark Beese
May 27, 2010

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was 34 years old when he left a prestigious and safe professorship at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME, in 1862. Chamberlain was married with five young children. He earned two university degrees, one from Bowdoin and a graduate theology degree from Bangor Theological Seminary. He spoke six languages and taught college philosophy. He was passionate about the ever-expanding United States of America and was moved to action when he learned of the secession of the Confederate States.

Though he lacked a military education and background, Chamberlain left Bowdoin to join the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment, which was about to depart for Washington to join the Army of the Potomac in the War Between the States. Initially, he was assigned the rank of Colonel, but because of his lack of experience, he asked to start as a Lieutenant Colonel. Within months, his brigade fought in some of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War, including those in Antietam and Fredericksburg. But it was at Gettysburg, the high-water mark of the war, that now Colonel Chamberlain met his greatest challenge.

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