Brigadier General
We attended "Chamberlain: A Civil War Romance" at the Maine State Music Theater yesterday afternoon. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (1828-1914) was quite a guy. I'd have to say he was Maine's greatest military hero. He volunteered and joined the Union army and rose to the rank of Brigadier General, after his gallantry at Gettysburg and especially the skirmish at Little Round Top. Along the way he was awarded the Medal of Honor, served four one year terms as the 32nd Governor of our grand state and was a faculty member and later President of his alma mater, Bowdoin College. Oh yes, just as an aside, he was fluent in nine languages!
Now, as for the musical, I thought the complicated love story between he and his wife Fanny was intriguing and kept my interest, however the score was forgettable except for a couple of songs.
MSMT's home is in the Pickhard Theater on the Bowdoin campus, and we pass this sculpture, by Swansville artist Joseph R. Query, of the man on each visit. If you've read the 1974 book, Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, you know all about Chamberlain.
He was a central figure in the historical novel.
The man's life was amazing.
A challenge at every turn
Me?
Today, I'll mow the grass.
The Killer Angels, of course, is my favourite novel. Chamberlain's an unusual subject for a musical- I can't stand musicals- but the man himself was one of the most extraordinary soldiers of that war.
ReplyDeleteGood. Then weedwhack....<3
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot from your post; merci. But I especially loved your last line and Elenka's comment. :))
ReplyDeleteUhhh, sorry, General Chamberlain has escaped my notice. No mowing for me today, though pruning some overgrown shrubs is on the list, along with numerous other tasks.
ReplyDeleteI have met Meghan before, but she was having lunch with a longtime friend of mine, so that made it easier. Like BC, I have made up business cards for myself and my blog and liberally distribute them. It makes it easier to portray myself as a semiserious street photographer instead of a nut case.
NINE Languages?? That alone makes his skills amazing to me.
ReplyDeleteMowing would sometimes seem to me to be challenge enough for one day.
ReplyDeletegreat textures in that statue
ReplyDeletei like the way you photographed the statue
ReplyDeletePeople fluent in nine languages always remind me of my ignorance, love the way you captured the sculpture!
ReplyDeleteSounds like time well spent. Performing arts, history, fellowship.... Perfect!
ReplyDeletei did mine sat & sun so i'm good, today. :)
ReplyDeleteWhen you're finished with the grass mowing, perhaps you'd care to take a photograph of the whole statue?It is rather intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI had only ever heard of Neville Chamberlain.
Some people have so much talent!
ReplyDeleteMust have been an interesting guy. Mowing the lawn is also important work though! ;-)
ReplyDeleteHmmmm. Someone new to learn about.
ReplyDeleteLawn mowing is an excellent meditative practice.
Some people just can't set still. Chill.
ReplyDeleteThe Civil War, most poorly named war in history, will continue to have consequences for our nation for the foreseeable future. Interesting post. Did not know about Chamberlain.
ReplyDeleteBut you are Elenka's Hero.
ReplyDeleteWere you all in Freeport yesterday? I thought I might have caught a glimple of you...