MAJOR GENERAL JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 09/26/1868 - HFSID 262815

JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN
As Governor of Maine (1868), he solicits agricultural statistics to include in an upcoming speech.
ALS: "J.L. Chamberlain" as Governor of Maine, 1 page, 5x8. Brunswick, 1868 September 26. To S.L. Goodale Esq. In full: "Can I get any recent statistics of Agriculture? Mr. Boardman telegraphed me last night that the State Fair was postponed one week. That being the case I can do a little more in my address in the way of inference of recent statistics. Can you give me anything? I would be extremely glad also if you would make any suggestions in regard to my line of remark in the coming address. I am glad to have your son for a neighbor." Joshua L. Chamberlain (1828-1914), formerly a college professor, commanded the 20th Maine regiment at the Battle of Gettysburg, where he held the extreme left flank on Little Round Top, a service for which he was later awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Assigned to brigade command in June 1864, he was wounded 12 days later in the assault on Petersburg. Chamberlain was promoted to Brigadier General on the spot by General Grant, then carried to the rear, where a surgeon declared that he would certainly die from the wound; he did, 50 years later (the last solider to die of Civil War wounds). At Appomattox, Chamberlain was given the honor of commanding the troops that formally accepted the surrender of the Confederate Army. After serving four terms as Governor of Maine, Chamberlain became President of Bowdoin College. Fine condition.