5 Things The Republican Party Can Learn From McDonald's - John Hawkins - Page 1:
"Ultimately, people vote for politicians because they want to MAKE THEIR LIFE BETTER.
Sure, voters may also care about the Constitution, the country, and their kid's future, but most of them are going to vote for the politician they believe will change their life for the better in some fashion -- or at least not make it worse.
So, what are Republicans going to offer?
Will we cut the price of gas?
Will we reduce energy costs?
Will we stop crime in their area?
Will we reduce their taxes?
Will we save their health care?
Principles and big themes matter, but ultimately, we're going to win elections by the same way McDonald's wins customers: by fulfilling the personal wants and needs of the voters."
Saturday, July 06, 2013
June Jobs: An Employment Report Only a Central Banker Could Love
June Jobs: An Employment Report Only a Central Banker Could Love - Ricochet.com:
"1. The economy lost 240,000 full-time workers last month, according to the more volatile household survey, while gaining 360,000 part-time workers.
In other words, the entire increase in the household measure of employment was accounted for by persons working part-time for economic reasons.
The underemployment rate surged to 14.3% from 13.8%."
"1. The economy lost 240,000 full-time workers last month, according to the more volatile household survey, while gaining 360,000 part-time workers.
In other words, the entire increase in the household measure of employment was accounted for by persons working part-time for economic reasons.
The underemployment rate surged to 14.3% from 13.8%."
EPA Pushes Smart-Grid Connections For Refrigerators To Control Energy
EPA Pushes Smart-Grid Connections For Refrigerators To Control Energy - Investors.com
Regulation: No longer the stuff of science fiction, a little-noticed change in energy-efficiency requirements for appliances could lead to government controlling the power used in your home and how you set your thermostat.
In a seemingly innocuous revision of its Energy Star efficiency requirements announced June 27, the Environmental Protection Agency included an "optional" requirement for a "smart-grid" connection for customers to electronically connect their refrigerators or freezers with a utility provider.
The feature lets the utility provider regulate the appliances' power consumption, "including curtailing operations during more expensive peak-demand times."
So far, manufacturers are not required to include the feature, only "encouraged," and consumers must still give permission to turn it on. But with the Obama administration's renewed focus on fighting mythical climate change, we expect it to become mandatory to save the planet from the perils of keeping your beer too cold.
"Manufacturers that build in and certify optional 'connected features' will earn a credit towards meeting the Energy Star efficiency requirements," according to an EPA email to CNSNews.com.
We are both intrigued and bothered by the notion that a utility company, the regulated energy sock-puppet of government, could and probably will have the power to regulate the power we use and how we use it, as long as we're paying our electricity bills, even to the point of turning these devices and appliances off at will.
We're reminded that former EPA director Carol Browner was a big fan of the smart grid and its potential ability to monitor and control power usage down to the thermostat in your home.
"Eventually," she told U.S. News & World Report in 2009, "we can get to a system when an electric company will be able to hold back some of the power so that maybe your air-conditioner won't operate at its peak."
The same year, President Obama, who had won election on a pledge to "fundamentally transform America," signed a stimulus bill to "transform the way we use energy" with a smart grid that would abandon "a grid of lines and wires that dates back to Thomas Edison — a grid that can't support the demands of clean energy."
To make sure we respond properly to the "demands of clean energy," Obama said this "investment will place Smart Meters in homes to make our energy bills lower, make outages less likely and make it easier to use clean energy." It'll also make it easier to monitor and control our energy use.
So if one day you keep your house too cool or your beer too cold and the dials start moving, don't be surprised. Its just a campaign promise being kept.
Botched Paramilitary Police Raids
Botched Paramilitary Police Raids | Cato Institute:
An Epidemic of "Isolated Incidents"
"If a widespread pattern of [knock-and-announce] violations were shown . . . there would be reason for grave concern."
—Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, in Hudson v. Michigan, June 15, 2006.
An interactive map of botched SWAT and paramilitary police raids, released in conjunction with the Cato policy paper "Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids," by Radley Balko. "
An Epidemic of "Isolated Incidents"
"If a widespread pattern of [knock-and-announce] violations were shown . . . there would be reason for grave concern."
—Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, in Hudson v. Michigan, June 15, 2006.
An interactive map of botched SWAT and paramilitary police raids, released in conjunction with the Cato policy paper "Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids," by Radley Balko. "
'Carbon Pollution' and Wealth Redistribution
'Carbon Pollution' and Wealth Redistribution — The American Magazine:
"President Obama’s recently proposed policies will do little to combat climate change — but they will do much for his political and economic objectives."
"President Obama’s recently proposed policies will do little to combat climate change — but they will do much for his political and economic objectives."
Ethanol trade undermines U.S. biofuels policy
Ethanol trade undermines U.S. biofuels policy:
"U.S. policy to boost the use of fuel from renewable sources is generating additional greenhouse gas emissions due to rising trade in ethanol between the United States and Brazil, rather than lowering emissions as intended,"
"U.S. policy to boost the use of fuel from renewable sources is generating additional greenhouse gas emissions due to rising trade in ethanol between the United States and Brazil, rather than lowering emissions as intended,"
How Aspirin Might Stem Cance
How Aspirin Might Stem Cancer - NYTimes.com:
"The scientists studied 13 people with Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in which cells in the esophagus become damaged, usually by acid reflux.
Sometimes the cells become precancerous, and rarely the problem leads to esophageal cancer.
The researchers tracked S.G.A.’s with periodic biopsies over an average of almost 12 years.
Over all, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was associated with a 90 percent reduction in the rate of mutations."
"The scientists studied 13 people with Barrett’s esophagus, a condition in which cells in the esophagus become damaged, usually by acid reflux.
Sometimes the cells become precancerous, and rarely the problem leads to esophageal cancer.
The researchers tracked S.G.A.’s with periodic biopsies over an average of almost 12 years.
Over all, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was associated with a 90 percent reduction in the rate of mutations."
Muskegon one of eight selected statewide for 'redevelopment ready' economic development program
Muskegon one of eight selected statewide for 'redevelopment ready' economic development program | MLive.com:
"If the redevelopment strategy is successful on the initial lot, it can be used to redevelop other vacant lots further east on West Western Avenue, he said.
“The grad students had a goal of attracting 25-34-year-old professionals,” Garner said.
“They are trying to figure out a way to attract a developer and a workable deal for a bank.
But to get there, we’d need some anchor tenants that would be willing to give pre-commitments.”"
"If the redevelopment strategy is successful on the initial lot, it can be used to redevelop other vacant lots further east on West Western Avenue, he said.
“The grad students had a goal of attracting 25-34-year-old professionals,” Garner said.
“They are trying to figure out a way to attract a developer and a workable deal for a bank.
But to get there, we’d need some anchor tenants that would be willing to give pre-commitments.”"
Friday, July 05, 2013
‘Authentic Frontier Gibberish’
‘Authentic Frontier Gibberish’ : The Other McCain
After Gabby has finished making noises about these sidewindin’ bushwackin’ hornswagglin’ cracker croakers, Olson Johnson then stands up to address the assembled citizenry of Rock Ridge:
“Now who can argue with that? I think we’re all indebted to Gabby Johnson for clearly stating what needed to be said. I’m particularly glad that these lovely children were here today to hear that speech. Not only was it authentic frontier gibberish, it expressed a courage little seen in this day and age.”
For some reason, that came to mind today as I was reading President Obama’s statement about the military coup in Egypt. No, it’s not authentic frontier gibberish, but it is certainly as incomprehensible as anything Gabby Johnson said that day in Rock Ridge:
“Core principles . . . universal human rights . . . legitimate aspirations . . . the democratic process . . . we are deeply concerned . . . an inclusive and transparent process . . . Given today’s developments, I have also directed the relevant departments and agencies to review the implications under U.S. law for our assistance to the Government of Egypt.”
Exactly what the hell does this mean? Have the White House speech writers been replaced by a Random Platitude Generator, a computer program that automatically cranks out empty rhetoric, glittering generalities and vague diplomatic argle-bargle?
19 Reasons To Be Deeply Concerned About The Global Economy
19 Reasons To Be Deeply Concerned About The Global Economy | Zero Hedge:
"Unfortunately, the truth is that everything is not fine.
The world is becoming increasingly unstable, we are living in the terminal phase of the greatest debt bubble in the history of the planet and the global financial system is even more vulnerable than it was back in 2008.
Unfortunately, most people seem to only have a 48 hour attention span at best these days.
They don't have the patience to watch long-term trends develop.
And the coming economic collapse is not going to happen all at once.
Rather, it is like watching a very, very slow-motion train wreck happen. "
"Unfortunately, the truth is that everything is not fine.
The world is becoming increasingly unstable, we are living in the terminal phase of the greatest debt bubble in the history of the planet and the global financial system is even more vulnerable than it was back in 2008.
Unfortunately, most people seem to only have a 48 hour attention span at best these days.
They don't have the patience to watch long-term trends develop.
And the coming economic collapse is not going to happen all at once.
Rather, it is like watching a very, very slow-motion train wreck happen. "
LeAnn Rimes 4th Of July Pics — Shares Family Photo With Eddie Cibrian & Sons
LeAnn Rimes 4th Of July Pics — Shares Family Photo With Eddie Cibrian & Sons - Hollywood Life:
"eAnn shared just how much fun she and her family were all having in Muskegon, Mich. where the country crooner performed a Fourth of July concert.
She brought along her hubby and two “bonus boys,” as she calls her stepsons, and didn’t hold back snapping photos for all of the Twitterverse — and her nemesis Brandi — to see.
“Here’s to a fantastic 4th! From our family to yours! Stay safe and make memories!” LeAnn tweeted along with a photo of her, Eddie, Mason and Jake. "
"eAnn shared just how much fun she and her family were all having in Muskegon, Mich. where the country crooner performed a Fourth of July concert.
She brought along her hubby and two “bonus boys,” as she calls her stepsons, and didn’t hold back snapping photos for all of the Twitterverse — and her nemesis Brandi — to see.
“Here’s to a fantastic 4th! From our family to yours! Stay safe and make memories!” LeAnn tweeted along with a photo of her, Eddie, Mason and Jake. "
Child Rapist Commits Suicide In Courtroom After Conviction
Child Rapist Commits Suicide In Courtroom After Conviction // Mr. Conservative:
"Don’t you just love feel-good, wholesome, inspiring news!?
A man killed himself mere moments after he was convicted of sodomizing a 14-year-old girl."
"Don’t you just love feel-good, wholesome, inspiring news!?
A man killed himself mere moments after he was convicted of sodomizing a 14-year-old girl."
The Scariest Jobs Chart Ever
The Scariest Jobs Chart Ever - Business Insider:"This shows the depth of the recent employment recession — worse than any other post-war recession "
Obamacare requires most insurers to tackle obesity
Obamacare requires most insurers to tackle obesity:
"But now most insurance plans are required to help obese patients try to lose weight under President Obama's health care law."
"But now most insurance plans are required to help obese patients try to lose weight under President Obama's health care law."
Thursday, July 04, 2013
150 years ago today, outnumbered Michigan commander said 'Fourth of July is no day' to surrender
150 years ago today, outnumbered Michigan commander said 'Fourth of July is no day' to surrender | MLive.com:
"This battle could have been one Michigan military unit's Battle of Thermopylae."
"This battle could have been one Michigan military unit's Battle of Thermopylae."
Hundreds of IRS employees work full-time on labor union business
Coburn: Hundreds of IRS employees work full-time on labor union business - Washington Times:
"The Internal Revenue Service spends millions of dollars a year for 200 employees who actually work full-time on labor-union business even as it furloughs employees and cuts taxpayer advice services under the budget sequester"
"The Internal Revenue Service spends millions of dollars a year for 200 employees who actually work full-time on labor-union business even as it furloughs employees and cuts taxpayer advice services under the budget sequester"
Is the United States the Brokest Nation on Earth?
Is the United States the Brokest Nation on Earth? | Power Line:
"Mark Steyn refers to the U.S. as the brokest nation in history, and in purely quantitative terms–$17 trillion–the proposition is not debatable.
But Cato’s Dan Mitchell takes the analysis a step further.
This chart, from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, suggests that the U.S. is in worse fiscal condition than any developed country other than Japan and New Zealand. Greece?
We should be so lucky!"
"Mark Steyn refers to the U.S. as the brokest nation in history, and in purely quantitative terms–$17 trillion–the proposition is not debatable.
But Cato’s Dan Mitchell takes the analysis a step further.
This chart, from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, suggests that the U.S. is in worse fiscal condition than any developed country other than Japan and New Zealand. Greece?
We should be so lucky!"
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
Electricity Prices Highest on Record for May
Electricity Prices Highest on Record for May | CNS News:
"The price of electricity in the United States for May was 13.1 cents per kilowatt hour (KWH), which is the highest it has been on record for that month, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which tracks the price going all the way back to 1984."
"The price of electricity in the United States for May was 13.1 cents per kilowatt hour (KWH), which is the highest it has been on record for that month, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which tracks the price going all the way back to 1984."
14,000 Abandoned Wind Turbines in the USA
14,000 Abandoned Wind Turbines in the USA:"The US has had wind farms since 1981, what the left and the green movement don't want to talk about regarding windmills is (as usual) the truth.
The truth is: windmills, like solar panels, break down.
And like solar panels, windmills produce less energy before they break down than the energy it took to make them.
That's the part liberals forget: making windmills and solar panels takes energy, energy from coal, oil, and diesel, energy that extracts and refines raw materials, energy that transports those materials to where they will be re-shaped into finished goods, energy to manufacture those goods.
More energy than those finished windmills and solar panels will ever produce."
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
Gettysburg Pickett's Charge
Longstreet looked for ways
to avoid ordering the charge by attempting to pass responsibility to young Col.
Alexander, but he eventually did give the order himself non-verbally; when
Alexander notified Pickett that he was running dangerously short of ammunition—"Come
quick or my ammunition will not let me support you properly"—Longstreet
nodded reluctantly to Pickett's request to step off. For Pickett, there was
virtually no Confederate artillery with ammunition available to support his
assault directly.[21]
Infantry assault
Cemetery Ridge, looking
south along the ridge with Little Round Top and Big Round Top in the distance.
The monument in the foreground is the 72nd Pennsylvania Infantry Monument.
The entire force that stepped off toward the Union positions at
about 2 p.m.[14] consisted of about 12,500 men.[22] Although the attack is
popularly called a "charge", the men marched deliberately in line, to
speed up and then charge only when they were within a few hundred yards of the
enemy. The line consisted of Pettigrew and Trimble on the left, and Pickett to
the right. The nine brigades of men stretched over a mile-long (1,600 m)
front. The Confederates encountered heavy artillery fire while advancing nearly
three quarters of a mile across open fields to reach the Union line and were
slowed by fences in their path. These obstacles played a huge role in the large
number of casualties the advancing Confederates faced. The ground between
Seminary Ridge and Cemetery Ridge is slightly undulating, and the advancing
troops periodically disappeared from the view of the Union cannoneers. As the
three Confederate divisions advanced, awaiting Union soldiers began shouting
"Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!" in reference to the
disastrous Union advance on the Confederate line during the 1862 Battle of
Fredericksburg. Fire from Lt. Col. Freeman McGilvery's concealed artillery
positions north of Little Round Top raked
the Confederate right flank, while the artillery fire from Cemetery Hill hit
the left. Shell and solid shot in the beginning turned to canister and musket fire as the Confederates came
within 400 yards of the Union line. The mile-long front shrank to less
than half a mile (800 m) as the men filled in gaps that appeared
throughout the line and followed the natural tendency to move away from the flanking
fire.[23]
On the left flank of the attack, Brockenbrough's brigade was
devastated by artillery fire from Cemetery Hill. They were also subjected to a
surprise musket fusillade from the 8th Ohio Infantry regiment. The 160
Ohioans, firing from a single line, so surprised Brockenbrough's
Virginians—already demoralized by their losses to artillery fire—that they
panicked and fled back to Seminary Ridge, crashing through Trimble's division
and causing many of his men to bolt as well. The Ohioans followed up with a
successful flanking attack on Davis's brigade of Mississippians and North
Carolinians, which was now the left flank of Pettigrew's division. The
survivors were subjected to increasing artillery fire from Cemetery Hill. More
than 1,600 rounds were fired at Pettigrew's men during the assault. This
portion of the assault never advanced much farther than the sturdy fence at the
Emmitsburg Road. By this time, the Confederates were close enough to be fired
on by artillery canister and Alexander Hays' division unleashed very effective
musketry fire from behind 260 yards of stone wall, with every rifleman of the
division lined up as many as four deep, exchanging places in line as they fired
and then fell back to reload.[24]
Trimble's division of two brigades followed Pettigrew's, but made
poor progress. Confusing orders from Trimble caused Lane to send only 3½ of his
North Carolina regiments forward. Renewed fire from the 8th Ohio and the
onslaught of Hays's riflemen prevented most of these men from getting past the
Emmitsburg Road. Scales's North Carolina brigade, led by Col. William L. J.
Lowrance, started with a heavier disadvantage—they had lost almost two-thirds
of their men on July 1. They were also driven back and Lowrance was wounded.
The Union defenders also took casualties, but Hays encouraged his men by riding
back and forth just behind the battle line, shouting "Hurrah! Boys, we're
giving them hell!". Two horses were shot out from under him. Historian Stephen
W. Sears calls Hays's performance "inspiring".[26]
On the right flank, Pickett's Virginians crossed the Emmitsburg
Road and wheeled partially to their left to face northeast. They marched in two
lines, led by the brigades of Brig. Gen. James L. Kemper on the right and Brig.
Gen. Richard B. Garnett on
the left; Brig. Gen. Lewis A. Armistead's
brigade followed closely behind. As the division wheeled to the left, its right
flank was exposed to McGilvery's guns and the front of Doubleday's Union
division on Cemetery Ridge. Stannard's Vermont Brigade marched forward, faced
north, and delivered withering fire into the rear of Kemper's brigade. At about
this time, General Hancock, who had been prominent in displaying himself on
horseback to his men during the Confederate artillery bombardment, was wounded
by a bullet striking the pommel of his saddle, entering his inner right thigh
along with wood fragments and a large bent nail. He refused evacuation to the
rear until the battle was settled.[27]
As Pickett's men advanced, they withstood the defensive fire of
first Stannard's brigade, then Harrow's, and then Hall's, before approaching a
minor salient in the Union center, a low stone wall taking an 80-yard
right-angle turn known afterward as "The Angle." It was defended by
Brig. Gen. Alexander S. Webb's Philadelphia Brigade.
Webb placed the two remaining guns of (the severely wounded) Lt. Alonzo Cushing's Battery A, 4th U.S.
Artillery, at the front of his line at the stone fence, with the 69th and 71st
Pennsylvania regiments of his brigade to defend the fence and the guns. The two
guns and 940 men could not match the massive firepower that Hays's division, to
their right, had been able to unleash.[28]
Two gaps opened up in the Union line: the commander of the 71st
Pennsylvania ordered his men to retreat when the Confederates came too close to
the Angle; south of the copse of trees, the men of the 59th New York (Hall's
brigade) inexplicably bolted for the rear. In the latter case, this left
Captain Andrew Cowan and his 1st New York Independent Artillery Battery to face
the oncoming infantry. Assisted personally by artillery chief Henry Hunt, Cowan
ordered five guns to fire double canistersimultaneously. The entire
Confederate line to his front disappeared. The gap vacated by most of the 71st
Pennsylvania, however, was more serious, leaving only a handful of the 71st,
268 men of the 69th Pennsylvania, and Cushing's two 3-inch rifled guns to
receive the 2,500 to 3,000 men of Garnett's and Armistead's brigades as they
began to cross the stone fence. The Irishmen of the 69th Pennsylvania resisted
fiercely in a melee of rifle fire, bayonets, and fists.
Webb, mortified that the 71st had retreated, attempted to bring the 72nd
Pennsylvania (a Zouave regiment) forward,
but for some reason they did not obey the order, so he had to bring other
regiments in to help fill the gap. During the fight, the severely wounded Lt.
Cushing was killed as he shouted to his men, three bullets striking him, the
third in his mouth. The Confederates seized his two guns and turned them to
face the Union troops, but they had no ammunition to fire. As more Union
reinforcements arrived and charged into the breach, the defensive line became
impregnable and the Confederates began to slip away individually, with no
senior officers remaining to call a formal retreat.[29]
The infantry assault lasted less than an hour. The supporting
attack by Wilcox and Lang on Pickett's right was never a factor; they did not
approach the Union line until after Pickett was defeated, and their advance was
quickly broken up by McGilvery's guns and by the Vermont Brigade.[30]
While the Union lost about 1,500 killed and wounded, the Confederate
casualty rate was over 50%. Pickett's division suffered 2,655 casualties (498
killed, 643 wounded, 833 wounded and captured, and 681 captured, unwounded).
Pettigrew's losses are estimated to be about 2,700 (470 killed, 1,893 wounded,
337 captured). Trimble's two brigades lost 885 (155 killed, 650 wounded, and 80
captured). Wilcox's brigade reported losses
of 200, Lang's about 400. Thus, total losses during the attack were 6,555, of
which at least 1,123 Confederates were killed on the battlefield, 4,019 were
wounded, and a good number of the injured were also captured. Confederate
prisoner totals are difficult to estimate from their reports; Union reports
indicated that 3,750 men were captured.[31]
The casualties were also high among the commanders of the charge.
Trimble and Pettigrew were the most senior casualties of the day; Trimble lost
a leg, and Pettigrew received a minor wound to the hand (only to die from a
bullet to the abdomen suffered in a minor skirmish during the retreat to
Virginia).[32] In Pickett's division, 26 of
the 40 field grade officers (majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels) were
casualties— 12 killed or mortally wounded, nine wounded, four wounded and captured,
and one captured.[33] All of his brigade commanders
fell: Kemper was wounded seriously, captured by Union soldiers, rescued, and
then captured again during the retreat to Virginia; Garnett and Armistead were
killed. Garnett had a previous leg injury and rode his horse during the charge,
despite knowing that conspicuously riding a horse into heavy enemy fire would
mean almost certain death. Armistead, known for leading his brigade with his
cap on the tip of his sword, made the farthest progress through the Union
lines. He was mortally wounded, falling near "The Angle" at what is
now called the High Water
Mark of the Confederacy. Ironically, the Union troops that fatally
wounded Armistead were under the command of his old friend, Winfield S. Hancock,
who was himself severely wounded in the battle. Per his dying wishes, General
Longstreet delivered Armistead's Bible and other personal effects to General
Hancock's wife, Almira.[34] Of the 15 regimental commanders in
Pickett's division, the Virginia Military
Institute produced 11 and all were casualties—six killed, five
wounded.[35]
Stuart's cavalry action in indirect support of the infantry
assault was unsuccessful. He was met and stopped by Union cavalry under the
command of Brig. Gen. David McM. Gregg about three miles
(5 km) to the east, in East Cavalry Field.[36]
As soldiers straggled back to the Confederate lines along Seminary
Ridge, Lee feared a Union counteroffensive and tried to rally his center,
telling returning soldiers and Gen. Wilcox that the failure was "all my
fault." General Pickett was inconsolable for the rest of the day and never
forgave Lee for ordering the charge. When Lee told Pickett to rally his
division for the defense, Pickett allegedly replied, "General Lee, I have
no division."[37]
Gov. Rick Snyder: Buena Vista, Inkster school dissolution will start in 'days, not months'
Gov. Rick Snyder: Buena Vista, Inkster school dissolution will start in 'days, not months' | MLive.com:
"a Detroit News report Tuesday indicated Pontiac schools may not be able to complete the school year because of $34 million in unpaid bills to a host of agencies and businesses."
"a Detroit News report Tuesday indicated Pontiac schools may not be able to complete the school year because of $34 million in unpaid bills to a host of agencies and businesses."
Thorium nuclear reactor trial begins, could provide cleaner, safer, almost-waste-free energy
Thorium nuclear reactor trial begins, could provide cleaner, safer, almost-waste-free energy | ExtremeTech: "....thorium fuel, which is safer, less messy to clean up, and not prone to nuclear weapons proliferation, could quench the complaints of nuclear power critics everywhere."
Gettysburg - Chamberlain´s Charge-150 years ago today
July 2, 1863
On the western slope he placed the 16th Michigan, and then proceeding counterclockwise were the 44th New York, the 83rd Pennsylvania, and finally, at the end of the line on the southern slope, the 20th Maine. Arriving only ten minutes before the Confederates, Vincent ordered his brigade to take cover and wait, and he ordered Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, commander of the 20th Maine, to hold his position, the extreme left of the Army of the Potomac, at all costs. Chamberlain and his 385 men[11] waited for what was to come.[12]
Battle of Little Round Top[edit]
The approaching Confederates were the Alabama Brigade of Hood's Division, commanded by Brig. Gen. Evander Law. (As the battle progressed and Law realized he was in command of the division, Col. James L. Sheffield was eventually notified to assume brigade command.) Dispatching the 4th, 15th, and 47th Alabama, and the 4th and 5th Texas to Little Round Top, Law ordered his men to take the hill. The men were exhausted, having marched more than 20 miles (32 km) that day to reach this point. The day was hot and their canteens were empty; Law's order to move out reached them before they could refill their water.[13] Approaching the Union line on the crest of the hill, Law's men were thrown back by the first Union volley and withdrew briefly to regroup. The 15th Alabama, commanded by Col. William C. Oates, repositioned further right and attempted to find the Union left flank.[14]
The left flank consisted of the 358 men of the 20th Maine regiment and the 83rd Pennsylvania. Seeing the Confederates shifting around his flank, Chamberlain first stretched his line to the point where his men were in a single-file line, then ordered the southernmost half of his line to swing back during a lull following another Confederate charge. It was there that they "refused the line"—formed an angle to the main line in an attempt to prevent the Confederate flanking maneuver. Despite heavy losses, the 20th Maine held through two subsequent charges by the 15th Alabama and other Confederate regiments for a total of ninety minutes.[15]
On the final charge, knowing that his men were out of ammunition, that his numbers were being depleted, and further knowing that another charge could not be repulsed, Chamberlain ordered a maneuver that was considered unusual for the day: He ordered his left flank, which had been pulled back, to advance with bayonets in a "right-wheel forward" maneuver. As soon as they were in line with the rest of the regiment, the remainder of the regiment charged, akin to a door swinging shut. This simultaneous frontal assault and flanking maneuver halted and captured a good portion of the 15th Alabama.[16]
Recently published research[17] has presented claims that Lt. Holman S. Melcher initiated the charge, although Chamberlain has been credited by most historians for ordering the advance. Chamberlain's version of the story is that he decided to order the charge before Lt. Melcher requested permission to advance the center of the line toward a boulder ledge where some of the men were wounded and unable to move. Admiring the lieutenant's bravery and compassion, Chamberlain agreed and sent him back to his company, telling him that he was about to order the entire regiment forward. As Melcher returned to his men, the shouts of "Bayonet!" were already working their way down the line.[18]
During their retreat, the Confederates were subjected to a volley of rifle fire from Company B of the 20th Maine, commanded by Captain Walter G. Morrill, and a few of the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters, who had been placed by Chamberlain behind a stone wall 150 yards to the east, hoping to guard against an envelopment. This group, who had been hidden from sight, caused considerable confusion in the Confederate ranks.[16]
Thirty years later, Chamberlain received a Medal of Honor for his conduct in the defense of Little Round Top. The citation read that it was awarded for "daring heroism and great tenacity in holding his position on the Little Round Top against repeated assaults, and carrying the advance position on the Great Round Top."[19]
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