The Virginia in the Civil War Message Board

Joshua L. Chamberlain's attack on Field's Div.

Everyone has heard of the attack of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery at Petersburg on June 18, 1864. But how many know about Joshua L. Chamberlain's attack further to the south?

There are two schools of thought on where the attack occurred. According to Chamberlain himself he attacked the front held by Maj. Gen. Charles Field's Div. Many people believe Chamberlain's story and in fact a marker was recently placed at the site of the supposed attack.

I contacted four Civil War scholars who either have written a book on a brigade in Field's division or who intend to write one. I asked each of them whether an attack occurred on the front held by their brigade on June 18th.

They were:

John Schmutz regarding Hood's Texas Brigade; Henry Persons regarding G.T. Anderson's Georgia Brigade; Andy Johnson regarding Benning's Brigade; Gary Laine regarding Law's Alabama Brigade.

I researched Bratton's Brigade and also read Charles Field's own account of the Campaign of 1864 and 1865 which appeared in the Southern Historical Society Papers.

In all of the cases, everyone said there was no attack on June 18th.

Bryce A. SUderow

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Joshua L. Chamberlain's attack on Field's Div.
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