The six wounds of Gen. Joshua Chamberlain,Perhaps one of the most interesting figures of the America

The six wounds of Gen. Joshua Chamberlain,Perhaps one of the most interesting figures of the American Civil War, Joshua Chamberlain is known as the “fighting professor” whose stalwart defense of The Little Roundtop helped secure victory for the Union at the Battle of Gettysburg.  Before the war he was a professor at Bowdoin College in Maine, and taught Languages, Rhetoric, and Literature.  He was fluent in nine languages; Greek, Latin, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, and Syriac.  A highly intelligent man, he was also a devoted family man, soft spoken with a very calm demeanor.  Not the kind of man expected to lead soldiers into combat with a degree of badassery not equaled in the Union Army.  Yet Chamberlain knew how to inspire his men to greatness.  A natural born leader, he often marched with his men rather than ride a horse.  He lead from the front, fighting shoulder to shoulder with his own troops.  On the 2nd day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Chamberlain’s 20th Maine Regiment held the flank of Union lines against Confederate assaults.  They were tired, short of food and ammunition, and severely outnumbered. Chamberlain himself was suffering from dysentary and malaria.  Yet they repulsed attack after attack.  Finally when they ran out of ammunition, the 20th Maine fixed bayonets and drove the enemy off the hill.Leading from the front, however, has its risks and Chamberlain was wounded no less than 6 times throughout the war.  He also had numerous close calls, including having 6 horses shot out from under him.Wound #1&2When he gave the famous order to fix bayonets, Chamberlain charged with his men, pistol and saber in had.  During the charge a musket ball struck him in the hip but was deflected by his sword scabbard.  Later, an errant bullet or piece of shrapnel struck him in the foot.  Both wounds were minor, but what took a larger toll was his malaria and dysentery.  After the Battle of Gettysburg he was taken off duty to recover.  He won the Medal of Honor for his actions at Little Round Top.Wound #3&4By 1864 Chamberlain had been promoted to Brigadier General.  At the Second Battle of Petersburg he was again leading his men on an assault  of Confederate lines when he suffered near simultaneous guns shots to his hip and groin.  Despite the incredible pain, he refused to leave the battlefield.  The assault was faltering and his men were close to retreating in panic.  Using his sword to prop himself up he rallied his soldiers and continued the attack, until he passed out from loss of blood.The wound was so terrible that Chamberlain was not expected to survive.  He was given an emergency promotion of Major General personally by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, an act of honor before his impending death. Later his death was reported in newspapers nationwide, but he still lived and hung on to life.  Over several months he recovered, until amazingly, he resumed his command later that year.Wound #5&6At the Battle of Quaker Road Chamberlains brigade attacked Confederate defenses outside of Richmond.  Chamberlain was shot in the chest, but a miracle happened.  Chamberlain always kept a framed picture of his wife in a pocket inside his coat.  The bullet passed through the neck of his horse, struck the picture frame, was deflected into his skin and then followed around a rib until it exited out his armpit.  While the wound was probably nasty looking and painful, it was not life threatening.  He rallied his men and ordered a charge, at which point he was shot again in the left arm.  Despite his wound Chamberlain and his brigade were able to repulse the enemy.On April 9th Gen. Chamberlain was the first to learn that the war was over when he was approached by a Confederate staff officer holding a white flag.  Lee would officially surrender two days later.  After the war Chamberlain made a career as professor and president of Bowdoin College.  He would later be elected as Governor of Maine.  The wounds he sustained during the war never entirely healed, and he suffered chronic pain throughout his life as a result.  He died in 1914 due to complications of his hip and groin wound at the age of 85. -- source link

More pics about