Civil War General Joshua Chamberlain's Medal of Honor discovered at church sale
BRUNSWICK, Maine Civil War general Joshua Chamberlain's original Congressional Medal of Honor has arrived back in Brunswick.
The medal Chamberlain received in 1893 for his heroism at Little Round Top during the Battle of Gettysburg is at the Pejepscot Historical Society. Chamberlain received the Medal of Honor in 1893 for "distinguished gallantry" in that battle, according to the organization.
The historical society received the medal in an anonymous package in July but questioned its authenticity.
But historians verified that the medal was real. The Brunswick home where the Maine native lived more than 50 years is now a museum.
"The timing couldn't be better, since the medal was awarded for Chamberlain's distinguished service in the Battle of Gettysburg, whose 150th anniversary we mark in 2013," said Pejepscot Historical Society director Jennifer Blanchard in a press release. "Our gratitude to the donor who discovered this treasure, and knew its importance to us and to the state of Maine, knows no bounds."
The Times Record reports that the medal was given to his granddaughter, whose estate was donated to the First Parish Church of Duxbury, Mass., following her death in 2000.
Someone found the medal in the pages of a book bought from the church and returned it to Brunswick.
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