Why was the 2nd Maine added to the 20th Maine before the Battle of Gettysburg?
Actually, the 2nd Maine was a 2 year regiment. The 120 2nd Maine men who Col. Joshua Chamberlain was able to convince to stay and fight with the 20th had accidentally signed 3 year conscription papers, and so they were handed over to the nearest Maine regiment, which happened to be the 20th. The addition of these men to the 20th probably saved the battle of Gettysburg because without their rifles on the line, Little Round Top would have fallen to the Confederates.
