This documentary provides the fascinating story of Chamberlains military career both before and after the battle, but the focus is on the circumstances that put the once and future Bowdoin College professor in command of the extreme left flank of the Union defensive position on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Using the traditional combination of historic photographs, contemporary film, battle maps, and talking heads, this documentary walks us through the fateful engagement from the perspectives of Chamberlain and two armies clashing at a small Pennsylvania crossroads town. The bottom line is that I enjoyed this documentary even though I already knew pretty much the entire story.
Other videos in this six-part sub-series look at the role of Union cavalry commander John Buford (again, a key part of the film "Gettysburg") and the death of Jenny Wade, the one civilian killed during the battle by a stray bullet. There is also a four-volume series of tapes from "The Unknown Civil War" on the Battle of Gettysburg that is probably the most comprehensive documentary on the pivotal battle produced to date.
