[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 137 (Saturday, September 28, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11612-S11613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN POST OFFICE BUILDING

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of S. 2153, which was introduced earlier 
today by Senator Cohen.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2153) to designate the United States Post Office 
     building located in Brewer, Maine, as the ``Joshua Lawrence 
     Chamberlain Post Office Building,'' and for other purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. President, at the request of the city of Brewer, ME, I 
am introducing S. 2153, legislation to name the post office building in 
Brewer the ``Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Post Office Building.''
  For the people of Maine, Joshua Chamberlain is a household name--
Civil War hero, four-term Governor of Maine, president of Bowdoin 
College, scholar and professor. He is recognized among many historians 
as one of the most remarkable soldiers in American history. He played a 
crucial role at Little Round Top, on the second day of the Battle of 
Gettysburg, when he led the 20th Regiment Infantry, Maine Volunteers in 
holding the extreme left flank of the Union line against Confederate 
attack. After running out of ammunition and being outnumbered two to 
one, Chamberlain rallied his regiment, charged down Little Round Top 
using bayonets to break up the Confederate attack and took nearly 400 
Confederate prisoners. In 1893, Congress gave him the Medal of Honor 
for his gallantry at Gettysburg.
  He is also remembered for the surrender of Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army 
of Northern Virginia at Appomattox, when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant chose 
Chamberlain to receive the formal surrender of weapons and colors.
  His ancestors migrated from England in the mid 1600's settling in 
Woburn, MA, and made their own significant contributions serving this 
country. His great-grandfathers served in the Revolution, his 
grandfather was a colonel in the War of 1812, and his father acted as 
second in command on the American side in the Aroostook War in 1839.
  Joshua Chamberlain was born in Brewer, ME, in 1828. He attended 
school in Brewer, graduated from Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, ME, in 
1852 and

[[Page S11613]]

completed a course at the Bangor Theological Seminary in 1855. He 
married that year and served as professor of rhetoric, oratory, and 
modern languages at Bowdoin.
  In 1862, he was granted a leave of absence to study abroad but he 
abandoned this plan and enlisted as lieutenant colonel of the 20th 
Maine. He remained in active service until the end of the Civil War, 
taking part in 24 battles including Antietam, Fredericksburg, 
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, 
and Five Forks. He was wounded six times, once almost fatally at 
Petersburg. He was made a brigadier general on the field by Gen. 
Ulysses S. Grant.
  Chamberlain returned briefly to his academic duties at Bowdoin, but 
was soon elected Governor of Maine, a position he served with great 
distinction for four terms. He helped to establish the new agricultural 
and technical college at Orono which eventually grew into the 
University of Maine.
  In 1871 he returned to Bowdoin to serve as president while also 
lecturing on mental and moral philosophy, political science, and public 
law. He died in Portland in 1914 at the age of 85.
  The Civil War, comments historian Geoffrey Ward, ``was a war that 
thrust figures of common clay into monuments of true grandeur.'' How 
well the actions of Joshua Chamberlain affirm this observation. He was 
a man inspired to greatness by the cause he served. I hope my 
colleagues will work with me in passing this legislation as a means of 
paying tribute to the many years of outstanding service Joshua 
Chamberlain gave to the State of Maine and the country.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my colleague 
Senator Bill Cohen in sponsoring legislation to name the U.S. Post 
Office in Brewer, ME, in honor of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. 
Chamberlain, who was born in Brewer on September 8, 1828, and grew up 
there, went on to play an important role in the history of Maine and 
the United States.
  Historians will recognize the name of Joshua Chamberlain, whose 
remarkable military career placed him at some of the most critical 
battles of the Civil War. At the Battle of Gettysburg, Colonel 
Chamberlain commanded the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment which held down 
the extreme left flank of the Union line. Chamberlain and his regiment 
defended Little Round Top until their ammunition ran out, at which 
point he ordered ``fix bayonets'' and led an unexpected charge down the 
hill capturing nearly 400 Confederate prisoners. Chamberlain's 
leadership is credited with contributing significantly to the North's 
victory at the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg.
  During the Civil War, Chamberlain commanded troops in 24 battles as 
well as numerous skirmishes. He was wounded six times and was promoted 
to general on the battlefield by Gen. U.S. Grant. At the war's end, 
General Chamberlain was given the honor of receiving the Southern 
Surrender at Appomattox Court House, ordering his own troops to stand 
at attention and salute the defeated Army of Northern Virginia. General 
Chamberlain was given the honor of first place in the last Grand Review 
in Washington following the Civil War.
  Mr. President, the extraordinary public service of Joshua Chamberlain 
did not end with the Civil War. After he returned to Maine following 
his military career, Chamberlain was elected Governor by the largest 
majority in the State's history. He was subsequently reelected three 
times.
  The people of Brewer and Maine are rightfully proud of their 
distinguished native son. The Brewer City Council and the Brewer-
Orrington Customer Advisory Council have both requested that the memory 
of Joshua Chamberlain be honored by naming the U.S. Post Office in 
Brewer after him. This is a fitting tribute to an outstanding American.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be 
deemed read a third time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table, and that any statements relating thereto be placed at the 
appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (S. 2153) was deemed read the third time and passed, as 
follows:

                                S. 2153

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF JOSHUA LAWRENCE CHAMBERLAIN POST 
                   OFFICE BUILDING.

       The United States Post Office building located at 22 
     Parkway South, Brewer, Maine, shall be known and designated 
     as the ``Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Post Office Building''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, record, 
     or other paper of the United States to the United States Post 
     Office building referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to 
     be a reference to the ``Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Post 
     Office Building''.

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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