Ellis Spear | |
|---|---|
 Bvt. Brig. Gen. Ellis Spear | |
| Born | (1834-10-15)October 15, 1834 Warren, Maine, US |
| Died | April 3, 1917(1917-04-03) (aged 82) St. Petersburg, Florida, US |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States Union |
| Service | United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel BrevetBrigadier General |
| Unit | 20th Maine Infantry Regiment |
| Commands | 20th Maine Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade, 4th Division,V Corps |
| Battles / wars | |
| Other work | Patent attorney |
| Signature | .png) |
Ellis Spear (October 15, 1834 – April 3, 1917) was an officer in the20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment of theUnion Army during theAmerican Civil War. On April 10, 1866, theUnited States Senate confirmedPresidentAndrew Johnson's February 24 nomination of Spear for appointment to the grade ofbrevetbrigadier general to rank from April 9, 1865. He wasUnited States Commissioner of Patents in 1877–1878.
Spear was born on October 15, 1834, inWarren, Maine[1] where he grew up on his family's farm and attended aPresbyterian church Sunday School. Spear received his higher education atBowdoin College, graduating in 1858.[1] Spear taught in local schools for four years while also studying law.
During the second year of the Civil War he became a recruiter and formed Company G of the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Spear was commissioned as acaptain of the regiment, August 29, 1862.[1] At theBattle of Fredericksburg, the 20th Maine took part in the assault at Marye's Heights but were repulsed. Spear recalled the night on the battlefield:
Night came not unwelcome. Exposure and discomfort in a hopeless adventure, defeat and humiliation, the loss we knew not how many of good men, discouragement, and increased distrust in the commanding general, all this was worse than the danger 1,000 times, and covered us with gloom.[2]
He was promoted tomajor, August 28, 1863.[1] He was appointed brevetlieutenant colonel, to rank from September 30, 1864, for his service at theBattle of Peebles' Farm.[1] Spear was appointed brevetcolonel, to rank from May 29, 1865, for his service at theBattle of Lewis's Farm and to the substantive full grade of colonel, to rank from the same date.[1] He took command of Brigade 2, Division 4,V Corps,Army of the Potomac on June 29, 1865.[1] He was mustered out of the volunteers on July 16, 1865.[1]
On February 24, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Spear for appointment to the grade ofbrevetbrigadier general of volunteers, to rank from April 9, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on April 10, 1866.[3]
After the war, Spear became a patent attorney and eventually became theUnited States Commissioner of Patents, 1877–1878.[1] He also wrote about the war. His book,The Civil War Recollections of General Ellis Spear was published posthumously in 1998.[1]
Spear wrote that he believed that many members of the 20th Maine, particularly ColonelJoshua Lawrence Chamberlain, exaggerated their roles at theBattle of Gettysburg actions atLittle Round Top and atBattle of Fredericksburg.[4] Nevertheless, Spear and Chamberlain remained close friends until Chamberlain's death in 1914.[5]
Spear died inSt. Petersburg, Florida on April 3, 1917.[1] He was buried atArlington National Cemetery.[1][6] His papers were later published by his grandson, Abbot Spear.
Spear was played byDonal Logue in the 1993 filmGettysburg and by Jonathan Maxwell inGods and Generals.
