Late June 1863 General Robert E. Lee invades Pennsylvania. * deliver a devastating blow in the north it will help raise the confeds Couse for the war. * The Union army hurries to get between the confeds and the national capital
On 1 July 1863 word goes out for the 20th Main commanded by Col Joshua L. Chamberlain to press on the Gettysburg where the union army had engaged the confederates. * They arrived at Gettysburg on 2 July, after marching more than 100 miles if five days. * They only had 2 hours sleep and no hot food during the previous 24 hours.
20th Main was preparing to get into a defensive position when orders came down for them to occupy a little hill (known as little round top) at the extreme southern end of the union line (left flank). * If the confederates gain the hill they will have artillery advantage over the Union Army. * Col Chamberlain was ordered to “HOLD AT ALL HAZARDS”
Once situated Col Chamberlain showed a skill common to good tactical leaders. * He mentally rehearsed possible countermoves against imagined threats to his unit’s flank. * Since he considered his left flank highly vulnerable and send a company to guard it.
Col Champerlain even motivates fourteen soldiers from the 2d US sharpshooters, previously separated from their own unit to join in.
They had only been in their positions for a few minutes when the 15th &47th Alabama attacked. * The 20th held their ground until one of Chamber spots a large body of confederate soldiers moving laterally behind the attacking force. * He knew that if they outflanked him his unit would be pushed off its location. * The tactical manuals didn’t offer a solution suitable for the occupied terrain so he had to create a new stock solution to execute NOW and under PRESSURE. * They was in a defensive line two ranks deep and he ordered