Customer Reviews

Bayonet! Forward: My Civil War Reminiscences

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you want to learn more about Joshua L. Chamberlain, what better way to do it than to read his first hand accounts and speeches. This book is a compilation of several articles he wrote for a magazine and a number of speeches he gave after the war. Bear in mind that the magazine articles were heavily edited by the editor of the magazine, much to the chagrin of Chamberlain, who was quite angry! One of his speeches at the dedication of the Gettysburg monuments very succinctly outlines his reasons for volunteering for the Union Army and the ideology that kept him going back to the field, even after a horrible wound that should have killed him. Chamberlain wrote very eloquently about his experiences and his speeches are extremely moving. A must read for any Chamberlain fan!

As an avid reader of Civil War history, I found the book interesting, but not quite as exciting as I would have suspected. Chamberlain's description of battles are a little heavy and confusing; some of which, no doubt, has to do with 19th century semantics and the fact that he had been a professor of rhetoric, oratory and modern language (not to mention that I am not an infantryman!). His descriptions, however, bear the special benefit of this hero's personal experiences in battle and are probably made more humble than they should be judging by the man's character.

These United States of America have more pretenders to the title than genuine heroes. Revisionist historians often inform us that our idols have feet of clay. George Washington, the "father of our country," was too proud to shake the hand of ordinary American citizens. Thomas Jefferson, "author of the Declaration of Independence," held others in servitude. Abraham Lincoln was subject to deep bouts of depression. George Patton was a bully incapable of showing compassion for psychologically wounded soldiers. It is even whispered that "Ike," the very symbol of 1950s family stability, may have had an affair during WWII, while Mamie patiently waited at home for the return of her soldier. The list goes on.

That on-going litany of real world disappointments is what makes Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain so important to the American story. In Chamberlain, we find one of the few genuine heroes, so far revealed in our short, national history.

In this volume, we read Chamberlain's (mostly) post-war speechs and reports on some of the most critical actions of the Civil War. Despite his meteoric rise from Lieutenant Colonel to Major General in four, awful years, Chamberlain does not turn the spot light upon himself. Despite being awarded the Medal of Honor, Chamberlain does not see himself as special. Instead, in speech after speech, Chamberlain gives credit (by name) to his soldiers and to his God. Like Alvin York, another American hero who would follow him 50 years later, Chamberlain was truly humble, and in his humility could be found the seeds of his heroism.

This book, like Chamberlain's other writings is a magnificent primer for those who would seek to give selfless service to their nation, their God, or both.

This book is a mixed bag. The book is NOT a true autobiography. It is a collection of writings and/or speeches he gave about his experiences. As a result the story is sort of chopped up. There are also huge blocks of time in the story that are not talked about at all. Other things in history are skipped over but he talks about at length.

This book is a must for the die hard civil war fan. There is nothing quite like hearing it from someone who was there. Also, Joshua Chamberlain was a College Professor. He was a very smart man. As a result his writings are very advanced. The flow is slow at times. He talks about things that don't seem to relate. However this is history. It is like talking to a person of the past.

The pieces give you a perspective that can't be remade elsewhere. You get a taste of what is going through his head, what moved him, what stood out to him. You get a sense of the emotion of the moment no third party source can get. This angle helps you not only learn about the event but to feel the event.

You also get a day to day feel. This book goes over things that are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. This attack or that attack happens, people die but the war didn't end. Then the same thing happens again. Through that you see how war was an every day thing. Soldiers did not see a future through those things. You also see what they think is big then. He goes over in some detail about the Battle of Five Forks. That is the final battle that pushes out Lee from Petersburg. History gives it a quick pass. There you can catch how history sees things differently.

This is a good reference book for serious students. This isn't an entertaining read though.

Nothing beats Chamberlain in his own words. He's the measure of a man to me. Just great stuff, his prose lures you in and before you know it, you've read 30 pages. Great, moving stuff.

This book, written by Civil War hero Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, is an interesting first person look at his experiences in the war. While some of his passages are self-serving and do not necessarily reflect what actually happened (e.g., his and the 20th Maine's actions at Little Round Top during the battle at Gettysburg), this is a good rendering of one person's account of his experiences.

The book provides a tour of Chamberlain's part in the War, beginning with his engagement at Fredericksburg, through the violence at Gettysburg, to the battle at Petersburg (where he was badly wounded), to White Oak Road and Five Forks (and his dramatic encounters with the fiery Phil Sheridan), to Appomattox. The book concludes with the story of the Army of the Potomac's grand review in Washington D. C. after hostilities had ended.

It is written in the style of the times, which seems somewhat overblown and overstylized today. Nonetheless, it provides one soldier's perspective on the War.

In addition, there are a series of Appendices that flesh out Chamberlain's story (such as his comments at the dedication of the 20th Maine's monument at Gettysburg in 1889, Chamberlain's report on his and the 20th Maine's role at Gettysburg, his rendering of the last salute of the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox. The volume ends with a memoriam to Chamberlain upon his death.

All in all, a useful book to gain a sense of the perspective of an important soldier in the Union Army, although flawed to some extent by some self-serving discussion.

I received this as a gift from my Dad several years ago but it went unread until I became interested in the Civil War this past summer. After reading a couple of lengthy secondary histories I wanted to read some primary texts from actual participants and dug this out of the pile.

Chamberlain is a talented writer- of his time. The reader should be prepared to endure some hefty dependent clauses. At times the prose is so purple as to be a little nauseating. In these dark moments it's worth remembering two things: one, Chamberlain wrote in the style of his century, and two, he nearly died several times in defense of his country, so, deal with it.

Once acclimated, however, the reader is treated to some fascinating stuff. Chamberlain's "Bivouac with the Dead" - his description of the horrifying night he spent in front of Marye's Heights at Fredericksburg, where he and his men stacked the bodies of their dead comrades up in piles to act as barricades against Confederate bullets - is unforgettable.

His descriptions of the Battle of Five Forks are similarly vivid. Chamberlain describes leading a near-suicidal charge against a heavily fortified Confederate position with a good eye for detail. After being seriously wounded and left for dead by his own men Chamberlain observed the battle prone, belly up, and relates the curious view of men charging past him, guidons flapping, then staggering back, whipped and bloodied, all within his constrained window of vision. If for nothing else, the book should be read for these portions.

Of course most of the book's readers will be looking for Chamberlain's account of the 20th Maine's heroic defense of Little Round Top, and only the most voracious Civil War buffs will find the effort unsatisfying. Compiled as it appears to be from a speech he gave to fellow veterans, the account is dramatic, engrossing, and at times almost stream-of-consciousness. His depiction of the fighting's climax is surprisingly modern in this sense.

There are some problems with this account, however: namely, that Chamberlain gives no credit at all to the forgotten Lt. Melcher who is probably the one who initiated the famous "Bayonet, Forward!" charge in the first place. Chamberlain manages a little softshoe in his description, claiming that he was already planning the charge when Melcher approached him to ask permission to move forward their lines in order to claim their dead and wounded. Other accounts maintain that Melcher in fact charged brazenly forward in the heat of the fight, exhorting his comrades to follow him so that they could claim their dead and wounded. At the far remove of the present we will never know with certainty what really happened that day, and who really initiated the famous charge which saved the Army of the Potomac. Nevertheless the reader should keep in mind that Chamberlain, a politician of consummate skill, was no doe-eyed innocent, and like many veterans of his time played up his war record for political gain.

I was pleased with the quality and scrupulousness of the book's accompanying maps and diagrams, which do a good job of illustrating the action. The simple black and white illustrations are handsome and practical. Some of them I wish I could frame and hang up in my apartment. But us Civil War buffs are a strange, socially inept breed.

I would not recommend this book to someone who does not love deeply the study of the American Civil War. On the other hand, for those who are looking for primary sources on the conflict I think this is an excellent resource. I found the text to be quite useful in my own study of the battles. Fortunately for us, Chamberlain fought valiantly at several major engagements, rendering Americans a double service: his time in the field, and his memoirs.

An excellent read. Chamberlain brings himself to you for examination. He hides nothing while bringing you through some very vivid accounts of the Civil War. If this book is not in your library, you should consider getting your hands on it. Enjoy!

I cannot read enough about this man. He is truely an American Hero, not only in what he did for our country but because of the way he looked at life and others. The part I liked the best in this book was the oration on the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln that he gave in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 12, 1909, especially since this is the two hundreth anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln. Well done.

I became acquainted with the story of Joshua Chamberlain after reading Shaaras' "Killer Angels" and wanted to learn more about him. This book has been an overwhelming dissapointment. For a man who was present at a number of important and exciting events in US history and an authentic American hero, his narrative is plodding and dull. His battle decriptions and his attention to minor troop movements are confusing and essentially unreadable. The maps he provides are completely inadequate in providing a better understanding what took place. The maps can be excused by the fact that they are provided with 19th century technology, his muddled writing style cant be. If you're looking for an enjoyable reading experience that will help you learn more about Chamberlain, I suggest you look elsewhere.