With a Flash of His Sword: The Writings of Major Holman S. Melcher 20th Maine Infantry

xii, 331 pp. "...while Chamberlain has received justifiable praise for his wartime achievements, until now the intrepid gallantry of a young officer named Holman S. Melcher has been largely obscured by Chamberlain's legendary status. It was Melcher, not Chamberlain, who "with a flash of his sword" precipitated the desperate counterattack that saved Little Round Top for the Union. In compiling Holman Melcher's wartime letters, William Styple traces the career of this unsung hero whose merit resulted in promotion through the ranks from corporal to major."