Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain quotes from Gettysburg (1993)

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Don't call me Lawrence.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Gentlemen. We are the flank.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Mutiny. I thought that was a word for the navy.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

It doesn't make sense; hold a gun on a man to get him to fight.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

I'll be damned.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

You men gather round. I've been talking with, uh, Pvt. Bucklin, he's told me about your problem. There's nothing I can do today. We'll be moving out in a few minutes, we'll be moving all day. I've been ordered to take you men with me. I'm told that, uh, that if you don't come, I can shoot you. Well, you know I won't do that. Maybe somebody else will, but I won't, so, that's that. Uh here's the, uh, situation. The whole Reb army is up that road a ways, waitin' for us, so this is no time for an argument like this, I tell ya. We could surely use you fellas, we're now well below half strength. Whether you fight, or not, that's......that's up to you. Whether you come along is, is.....well, you're comin'.You know who we are and what we're doing here, but if you want to fight along side us, there's some things I want you to know. This regiment was formed last summer in Maine. There were a thousand of us then. There are less than three hundred of us now. All of us volunteered to fight for the Union, just as you did. Some came mainly because we were bored at home, thought this looked like it might be fun. Some came because we were ashamed not to. Many of us came because it was the right thing to do. All of us have seen men die. This is a different kind of army. If you look back through history, you will see men fighting for pay, for women, for some other kind of loot. They fight for land, power, because a king leads them or, or just because they like killing. But we are here for something new. This has not happened much in the history of the world. We are an army out to set other men free.America should be free ground - all of it. Not divided by a line between slave state and free, all the way from here to the Pacific Ocean. No man has to bow. No man born to royalty. Here, we judge you by what you do, not by who your father was. Here, you can be something. Here, is the place to build a home. But it's not the land. There's always more land. It's the idea that we all have value - you and me. What we're fighting for, in the end, we're fighting for each other. Sorry, I, uh, didn't mean to preach. You, uh, you go ahead. You talk for awhile. Uh, if you, uh, if you choose to join us, you want your muskets back, you can have 'em. Nothing more will be said by anybody anywhere. If you, uh, choose not to join us, well you can come along under guard, and when this is all over I will do what I can to see you get a fair treatment. But for now, we're moving out. Gentlemen, I think if we lose this fight, we lose the war. So if you choose to join us, I'll be personally very grateful.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

We can't run away. If we stay here we can't shoot. So lets fix bayonets.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Another close one and it could be a hard day for Mother.

I haven't known that many freedmen, but those I knew in Bangor, Portland, you look in the eye, there was a man. There was a 'divine spark', as my mother used to call it. That is all there is to it. Races are men: "What a piece of work is man. How infinite in faculties, in form and moving. How express and admirable. In action, how like an angel." ~ Joshua Chamberlain

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Colonel? Colonel, darlin'. Rise up, me bucko. [Chamberlain groans.] Oh, I'm sorry, darlin', but we've got a bit of a problem here, Colonel, would ye like to hear about it? Would ye wake up, sir? We got a whole company comin', sir. This way. I'll give ye time to wake up, but we've got quite a problem. Altogether, 120 men are comin'. We're to be havin' them as guests.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

What?

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Yeah. Should be here any minute.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Who?

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Mutineers. Mutineers, Colonel, me lad. 120 men from the old 2nd Maine which has been disbanded.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

120 mutineers? [gestures for Kilrain to keep talking.]

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Yes, sir. Ye see, what happened was the enlistment papers on the old 2nd Maine run out. So they were sent home. All except these 120 fellows who'd foolishly signed 3-year papers. 3 years, that is. So these poor fellows, they got one more year to serve, only, you see, they thought they was signin' to fight only with the 2nd Maine and the 2nd Maine only. So, they, uh, quit. They resigned, ye see. 120 men! [Chamberlain puts his head down.] Colonel? Are ye all right?

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Yeah.

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Well, the point is, sir, these Maine fellows; they won't fight no more. And nobody can send them home and nobody knows what to do with them. Til they thought of us. Being as we are the only other Maine regiment in the Fifth Corps. So they've been assigned to us. Yes, sir. I've a message here from the new commanding general. George Meade, sir, that's right! Our very own general of our very own corps has been promoted to command of the whole army. The latest, if ye keep track of them as they go by. [pulls out message, reads] The message says, uh, they'll be arrivin' this mornin', and they're to join us, oh, and if they refuse to follow orders, please feel free to shoot 'em.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

To... to shoot 'em?

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Yes, sir.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

These are Maine me?

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Mm-hm.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

"You are hereby authorized to shoot any man who refuses to do his duty." Buster, are these all Maine men?

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Yes, sir, and fine big fellows they are, too.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Mutiny. I thought that was a word for the navy.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

What's your name?

I don't feel too kindly, Colonel.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Yes, well, I'm not usually this informal. I just, uh, just took command of this regiment a few days ago, so somebody ought to welcome you to my, uh-- to our outfit. They, uh, they tell me that, uh, they're holding you fellas because you signed 3-year papers-- I'm sorry, would you like some coffee? [Bucklin shakes his head] You sure? Go ahead, sit down, Mister...

Bucklin.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Bucklin.

Joseph Bucklin. Listen, Colonel, I've been in eleven different engagements. How many have you been in?

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Not that many.

It ain't the papers. I done my share. We all have. Damn good men. Should not to be used this way. Lookee here. [Bucklin pulls up his pants leg to reveal a bullet wound scar] Went clean through.

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Colonel, we got a courier comin'. [walks off]

Listen, Colonel, I'm tired. You know what I mean? I'm tired. I've had all this army, and all these officers, this damn Hooker, this damn idiot Meade. All of them. The whole bloody, lousy rotten mess of sick-brained, potbellied scareheads that ain't fit to lead a johnny detail! They ain't fit to pour pee out of a boot with instructions written under the heel. I'm tired. We are good men and we had our own good flag. These damn idiots used us like we were cows or dogs or worse. We ain't gonna win this war. We can't win no-how with these lame-brain bastards from West Point. These damn gentlemen, these officers!

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Tell me something, Buster. What do you think of Negroes?

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Well, if you mean the race, I don't really know. This is not a thing to be ashamed of. The thing is, you cannot judge a race. Any man who judges by the group is a pea-wit. You take men one at a time.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

To me, there was never any difference.

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

None at all?

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

None at all. Of course, I haven't known that many freed men, but those I knew in Bangor, Portland, you look in the eye, there was a man. There was a "divine spark," as my mother used to call it. That is all there is to it. Races are men. "What a piece of work is man. How infinite in faculties, in form and moving. How express and admirable. In action, how like an angel."

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Well, if he's an angel, all right then. But he damn well must be a killer angel. Colonel, darling, you're a lovely man. I see a great vast difference between us, yet I admire you, lad. You're an idealist, praise be. The truth is, Colonel, there is no "divine spark." There's many a man alive no more of value than a dead dog. Believe me. When you've seen them hang each other the way I have back in the Old Country. Equality? What I'm fighting for is the right to prove I'm a better man than many of them. Where have you seen this "divine spark" in operation, Colonel? Where have you noted this magnificent equality? No two things on earth are equal or have an equal chance. Not a leaf, not a tree. There's many a man worse than me, and some better, but I don't think race or country matters a damn. What matters, Colonel, is justice. Which is why I'm here. I'll be treated as I deserve. Not as my father deserved. I'm Kilrain, and I damn all gentlemen. There is only one aristocracy, and that is right here. [taps his temple] And that's why we've got to win this war.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Sergeant Owen, let's get these fellows some muskets.

Sgt. Owen

There are no muskets, sir.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

You just wait here for a bit. There'll be guns available in a little while.

Lt. Thomas Chamberlain

The boys from the 2nd Maine are being fed, Lawrence.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Ye- Don't call me Lawrence.

Lt. Thomas Chamberlain

Darn it, Lawrence, I'm your brother.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Well, just be careful about the name business in front of the men, alright? Just because you're my brother- It looks like favoritism.

Lt. Thomas Chamberlain

God Almighty, General Meade's got his own son as his aide-de-camp.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Well, that's different. Generals can do anything. Nothing quite so much like God on Earth as a general on a battlefield.

Lt. Thomas Chamberlain

Well, what are you gonna do with 'em, huh, sir? Colonel, sir. You can't shoot 'em, you'll never go back to Maine if you do that.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

I know that, I know that. I wonder if they do.
Your government will never ally itself with a Confederacy that had the institution of slavery. You know that, and so do I.

Col. Strong Vincent

The whole reb army is down there, and coming up around our flanks. They could be here any minute. We've got to hold this place. We've got to hold it. Well, all right. I place you here. Put your colors here, and set your regiment to the left of this line. The rest of the brigade will form on your right. Understood?

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Yes. Ellis, this is the point.

Cpt. Ellis Spear

Yes, sir.

Col. Strong Vincent

Now, your regiment is to the left of this point. Colonel, sir, you're the end of the line.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Yes.

Col. Strong Vincent

You're the extreme left of the Union army. Understood? The line runs all the way from here back to Cemetery Hill, but it ends here.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Understood.

Col. Strong Vincent

You cannot withdraw under any condition. If you go, this line will be flanked. If you go, the enemy will sweep up over the hillside and take this entire army from the rear. You must defend this place to the last.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Yes, sir.

Col. Strong Vincent

Now we'll see how professors fight.

I tell you, Lawrence... I sure was fond of that man.

Lt. Thomas Chamberlain

Lawrence. I just got back from the hospital. Godawful mess. They got no room. They got no shade, they got men lyin' everywhere! They're cuttin' off arms and legs right out there on front of everybody. They oughta not do that in public, Lawrence. Men oughta have some privacy at a time like that.

Col Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

You see Kilrain?

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Well, how is he?

Lt. Thomas Chamberlain

Well...Lawrence... he died. [takes off kepi] Yeah... He died this morning, 'fore I got there. A couple o' the fellows, they, they was with 'im. [looks at his brother] He said to tell you goodbye... And that he was sorry.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Yeah.

Lt. Thomas Chamberlain

I tell you, Lawrence... I sure was fond of that man.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Yeah.

Cpt. Ellis Spear

Colonel, sir! Half our men are down. Most of the rest are wounded. The left is too thin, sir.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

How are we fixed for ammunition?

Cpt. Ellis Spear

It’s almost gone.

Sir! We’re running out. We don’t have much let to shoot with. Some of the boys got nothing at all.

Cpt. Ellis Spear

Sir-sir! What do we do for ammunition?

Sir, my boys are picking up Reb muskets, firing back with them.

Sir, we oughta pull out!

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

No, we can’t do that.

Cpt. Ellis Spear

We can’t hold them again, you know that.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Well, if we don’t, they go on by, and the whole flank caves in.

Pvt. Buster Kilrain

Sir… here they come.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

We can’t run away… If we stay here we can’t shoot, so let’s fix bayonets. [pauses as his officers stare at him] We’ll have the advantage of moving down the hill. They gotta be tired, the Rebs. They gotta to close to the end if we are, so fix bayonets. Ellis, wait Ellis, you take the left wing, I’ll take the right, I want a right wheel forward of the whole regiment.

Cpt. Ellis Spear

What, you mean charge?

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Yes! But here’s what we do: we’re going to charge swinging down the hill. Just like we pulled back this left side of this regiment? Now we’re going to swing it down. We swing like a door. We’re going to sweep them down the hill, just as they come up. You understand? [turns to the rest of the officers] Does everybody understand?

Yes, sir!

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Okay, Ellis, you take the left wing and when I give the command, I want the whole regiment to go forward swinging down to the right.

Cpt. Ellis Spear

Alright, sir.

Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain

Move. [Ellis and the other officers move out] BAYONETS!!!