American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

Within the film, Gettysburg, Joshua Chamberlain wears the shoulder boards of a lieutenant colonel in the opening scenes and then the boards of a full colonel during the action on Little Round Top. Chamberlain's promotion occurred in June when Aldebert Ames assumed brigade command in the XI Corps of the Army of the Potomac, technically relinquishing his command of the 20th Maine to Chamberlain, although I do not know the exact date. Does anyone know if Chamberlain was actually wearing his eagles on July 2nd, 1863?

Also I'd like to know how many club members, if any, took part in the making of the film, Gettysburg.

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General Jos. C. Meyer, ACWGC
Union Army Chief of Staff
Commander, Army of the Shenandoah
Commander, Army of the Tennessee
(2011-2014 UA CoA/GinC)

His Medal of Honor citation issued in 1893 says that he was a full Colonel on the date that he performed the action for which awarded the MOH (2 July 1863). What was he actually wearing that date - sorry, he didn't tell me and I can't find any pictures. We probably have a couple of old buzzards around here that were there and could tell you though.

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Gen Ned Simms
2/XVI Corps/AotT
Blood 'n Guts hisself, a land lovin' pirate. Show me some arty tubes and we'll charge 'em.
VMI Class of '00

His biography shows him a Colonel at Gettysburg:
http://pejepscothistorical.org/chamberl ... hamberlain

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General Ernie Sands
President ACWGC -Sept 2015- Dec 2020
7th Brigade, 1st Division, XVI Corps, AoT
ACWGC Records Site Admin

"If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there."

Perhaps, he was promoted to full colonel on the march to Gettysburg. You know, those movie guys never get the historical facts wrong!

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Brig. Gen. Rich Walker
AotW I/3/4
Scenario Designer:
Franklin, Shiloh, Chickamauga, Antietam, Atlanta, Chancellorsville, Petersburg and Shenandoah

I will say with 95% surety that as soon as the Army, corps, division, whatever, got the word that he had been promoted, [b]somebody [b] would have found a pair of eagles for him. When I became an NCO my platoon sgt scrounged a set of pin ons for me from a fellow NCO and gave them to me in the field, and based on that I always made sure my guys got their insignia as soon as the order was out. Not much has changed. It's just what you do.

Sifakis, in his book, "Who Was Who in the Civil War," states that Chamberlain's DOR was 20 May 63, the same date that the 20th Maine's original commander, Adelbert Ames, was promoted to Brigadier. That is almost six weeks before Round Top, so we can be pretty certain that Joshua was borne to Gettysburg on wings of eagles.
John Ferry
Col 20th Corps

Thank you, John!

Then my hat's off to Ron Maxwell and his attention to detail within that incredible film.

Now when is someone going to bring history alive again with a first-class production of Chickamauga and/or Missionary Ridge?

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General Jos. C. Meyer, ACWGC
Union Army Chief of Staff
Commander, Army of the Shenandoah
Commander, Army of the Tennessee
(2011-2014 UA CoA/GinC)

As soon as hell freezes.
When Hollywood hasn't the guts to make "The Last Full Measure" I doubt any other huge CW battle is covered by a movie.

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Lieutenant General Christian Hecht
Commander I Corps, Army of the Potomac

"Where to stop? I don't know. At Hell, I expect."