Little Round Top

Stop on Gettysburg Battlefield Historic Tour, a free self-guided tour.

This rocky, wooded hill anchored the left flank of the Union line and was the scene of desperate fighting on July 2nd. Had the Confederates captured Little Round Top, they could have placed artillery here to enfilade the entire Union position, likely winning the battle. Union engineers recognized its importance just in time, and troops rushed to defend it. The most famous action occurred when the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment, commanded by Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, held the extreme left of the Union line. Running low on ammunition after repelling multiple Confederate assaults, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge down the slope that broke the Confederate attack and saved the position. Chamberlain later received the Medal of Honor for his leadership. Today, visitors can walk the same rocky terrain and see the boulders that provided cover for defending soldiers. The summit offers spectacular views of the battlefield. Multiple monuments commemorate the units that fought here, including striking sculptures and markers. The Little Round Top experience is essential for understanding how terrain influenced tactics and how individual courage and quick thinking at the regimental level could determine the outcome of entire battles.