In recent years, one of the more famous heroic figures of the American Civil War — popularized by the Pulitzer-winning novel Killer Angels and the movie rendition Gettysburg — citizen-professor-soldier Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain was born on September 8, 1828. Today is the 181st anniversary of his birth.
Chamberlain, of course, was the hero of Gettysburg’s Little Round Top (1863) as commander of the 20th Maine, was wounded six times in battle, the general who presided over the surrender of the Confederate Army at Appomattox, Governor of Maine from 1867 to 1871, and President of Bowdoin College. If you want to learn more, I recommend In the Hands of Providence, a very good Chamberlain biography.
In the Hands of Providence is an excellent book. I give an enthusiastic second to Ben’s recommendation.