"Buster" Kilrain - real or fictional?

[Fritz1255]

He is one of the more interesting characters in the "Gettysburg" movie and "The Killer Angels", but I have never seen reference to him anywhere else. I have books which pertain to the 20th Maine, including Truelock's book, another called simply "The 20th Maine" (Pullen), and another called "The Passing of the Armies" (I think written by Chamberlain himself), but no mention of this person. His story seems to be a little too "pat" to be real, but I don't know. Does anyone know if he was a real person? If he was indeed real, are the details fictionalized?

[johan_steele]

Check the Roster of the 20th MN... IIRC in the Movie he was the Regimental Sgt Major.

Probably fictionalized.

[hoosier]

Buster Kilrain was fictional. There was no one by that name in the 20th Maine. Those who go to Gettysburg and look for a grave marked "Kilrain" in the Maine section of the National Cemetery will look in vain.

The fictional Kilrain may possibly have been based on a composite of real-life characters, but if so, I don't know who they were.

[Fritz1255]

What is odd is that during the intro to the movie "Gettysburg", when they are comparing pictures of actors to what the real people looked like (Jeff Daniels/Chamberlain, Martin Sheen/Lee, etc.), they have a picture of a Civil War soldier next to Kevin Conway's picture. I had assumed this meant that he was portraying a real person, but the evidence says no. 20th Maine roster is not posted anywhere on the internet that I am aware of, although supposedly available in a book about Maine in the Civil War.

[tomh]

Buster was a composite character and his lines in the book/movie were actually compiled from letters and documents written by several soldiers. He turned out to be one of the most memorable characters in the book/movie and people are constantly asking the battlefield guides where he was wounded, where he died, where his marker is in the cemetery, etc. Fictional or not, he has brought people to the park and that is a good thing in my opinion.

I believe that the only "real" soldiers in the portrayal of the 20th Maine were the Chamberlain brothers and Ellis Spear.

Just a humble opinion,
TomH

[Nelly28]

Supposedly, Buster Kilrain was the only fictional main character in Gettysburg (I'm not sure about Gods and Generals). I've also heard that his name came from the title The Killer Angels. Whether any of that is true, I'm not sure. I would also be interested to know who that soldier was whose picture was compared to Kevin Conway's picture during the opening credits of the movie.

[Nelly28]

Many regimental rosters can now be found on the Internet in the Civil War Soldiers & Sailors System:

http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/index.html

A roster for the 20th Maine can be found there, as well as the rank of each soldier and the company to which he belonged.

[chuck71]

Buster Kilrain was a fictional character based upon a person named George
Washington Buck, a sargeant in the 20th Maine who was demoted to private
for a petty situation involving a captain. During the defense of LRT, he was
mortally wounded. As he lay dying, Chamberlain promoted him back to his
original sargeant rate. The terms "buck private" and "buck sargeant" remain
to this day.

[hikimenwaza]

My teacher said that Kilrain was a real person but was demoted (before Gettysburg) because he had a problem with alcohol.

[max]

In the Gettysburg movie did the scolding that General Lee gave General Stuart upon his return to the AONV ever really take place?

Max

[tomh]

Max,

When Stuart did finally show up for the dance he was dressed down by General Lee. I have seen a couple of versions of what was actually said and doubt whether there is an exact quote available, but the concensus is that Lee told Stuart that he had disappointed him. Apparently Stuart offered his resignation and Lee responded "There is no time for that!", or something to that effect.

Some historians question whether the dressing down led to the charge that took place on the 3rd day when Stuart was assigned the task of riding around the north of the Federal line to attempt to get in their rear. The ensuing battle at the East Cavalry Field was marked by several saber charges by both sides (the most memorable being Custer's Wolverines slamming into the center of the CS column). One of the very few saber and pistol charges conducted through the entire war (another being on the same day at the South Cavalry Field, where Federal troopers slammed into the remains of Hood's Division on the Slyder farm, resulting in a rout of the Federal Cav).

Just a humble opinion,
TomH

[blue_zouave]

Hikimenwaza, don't rely on your teachers, do your own research. Kilrain is as real a person as Tom Sawyer or Scarlett O'Hara, which means that his creators made him live for us and seem more real than the "real" people in "The Killer Angels" and "Gettysburg." BTW, if you haven't read "The Killer Angels," you're in for a great experience.

Yes, even the Zouave has read it.

Regards,
Zou

[maryingettysburg]

I believe that the only "real" soldiers in the portrayal of the 20th Maine were the Chamberlain brothers and Ellis Spear.
TomH

Actually Tom, the Merrill brothers, Private Foss, Sargeant Owen, Andrew Tozier, Estabrook & Capt. Clark , all of which were mentioned in the movie, were all real.

[tomh]

maryingettysburg,

Thanks for correcting me on that point.

Were the Merrill brothers the two soldiers who prefered to fire standing?

I don't remember any of the other characters mentioned, I guess I need to watch the movie again.

Thanks,
TomH

[dadaken]

As efficient and documentarian as Col. Chamberlain was I would fine it hard to believe that anyone he knew as intimately as he seem to know "Buster" Kilrain
and vice-versa, Col. Chamberlain would have mentioned him somewhere in his memoirs. He is a fictional character, who shall we say, been blessed with the
best traits and humaity of those men i and around the 20th Maine.

[maryingettysburg]

Were the Merrill brothers the two soldiers who prefered to fire standing?


Thanks,
TomH

Yes, Tom, that was them. I've watched the movie at least 85 times this year alone....guess I know it TOO well. And after having watched it so much, I've found alot of "bloopers". And would be interested in hearing about any I may have missed. Perhaps I'll start a blooper thread. As for the Merrills, they are probably in two of the unmarked graves up in the cemetery. There are MANY unmarked 20th's in the Maine plot. One of those is likely George Washington Buck. there are alot more than I thought of Chamberlain's boys buried up there that never got to go home.
Private Foss is up there (the guy who was praying in the movie), his grave is marked.

[tomh]

maryingettysburg,

Thanks for the info.

If you haven't already, try to get a copy of the "Director's Cut" of the film. More bloopers than the release version. my favorite is as the CS troops step off in PPT's assault there is a clearly visible white panel truck driving by in the background. Must have been one of those legendary CS stealth vans <grin>.

TomH

[ole]

maryingettysburg;

I heard of another, although I've not seen it or, if I did, thought nothing of it. My nephew tells me that when a priest was blessing the Irish Brigade, he made the sign of the cross wrong. On your 86th viewing, look for it. I don't much care, but you did ask for bloopers that you might've missed ...

The biggest bloopers were those ridiculous beards on Longstreet and Stuart. I can't watch either with a straight face. Maybe it's the absinth.

[cwreader]

In response to TomH,

Watched "Gettysburg" again the other night and caught these names of men in the 20th Maine. By checking on the Civil War Soldiers and Sailors website cited above I came up with the following:

Capt. Clark (Atherton W.)
Sgt. Owens (William H) (also a John Owens listed as Corporal)
Pvt. Foss (there are ten Foss's listed - I think John Foss is listed on the 20th
Maine memorial as having been kia at Little Round Top but will have to
check on that)
Merrill Brothers - there are 6 Merrills listed and one is named William

Sgt. Estabrook - two listed George and Glazier (I think Glazier was mentioned
in the movie)
Sgt. Tozier - listed as Andrew J. Tozier - rank out as 1st Sgt.

I could not find any of the 2nd Maine men named in the movie:
Pvt. Bucklin (spelling?)
or Dan Burns (even though there are two other Burns's listed.)

It was surprising to find so many of the names listed there. That's a great site for looking up soldiers!

[chuck71]

Another person who was fictional was 'Captain Brewer' of the 118th PA.
He was the OIC of the detail that delivered the 120 2nd ME mutineers to
Chamberlain. The last time I was at G'burg, I looked on the PA Monument.
They have every regiment listed from PA that fought at the battle. The
118 was definitely there, but no 'Captain Brewer' was listed. Michael
Shirra may have used literary license for his name, due to the fact that
JLC was born in Brewer, ME. Just a thought. Chuck71.

[blue_zouave]

Regarding making the sign of the cross wrong, Fr. Corby did so if he were blessing himself. He was, however, blessing the troops. When you bless somebody else, it's backward to you.

Anybody want to know about the conditional absolution which was being given in that scene, just ask. O

Zou

[IronBrigade'63]

Aye, Buster Kilrain was fictictious, a character invented by Shaara to represent the "grizzled old NCOs" that appeared in so many regiments. Of course, not all those killed at Gettysburg lie in rest at the Cemetary there, but no plot exists for him and, as stated above, he does not appear on the regimental muster roll.

They are correct in stating that some characters mentioned did indeed exist, including Pvt. Foss, who's grave I have seen.

Reading the above posts, I picked up a few other things though, so thanks folks!

Regards,
-IronBrigade'63

[Old Hickory]

I beleive Color Sgt. Tozier was mentioned by Chamberlain by name in the movie. In the actual battle for Little Round Top Tozier tucked the flag staff into the hollow of his left arm while firing a musket. The 20th's center was badly mauled and Chamberlain thought of the Colors, he turned only to see Tozier standing upon the very rock the 20th's momument stands on today, loading and firing at the enemy. Chamberlain sent Tozier some help in securing the regiment's center, (Tozier was not exactly alone in the center, but seeing his Color Sgt. loading and firing with the Colors tucked into his shoulder must have rattled Chamberlain's witts a little).

[K Hale]

Apparently Stuart offered his resignation and Lee responded "There is no time for that!", or something to that effect.

The only time this exchange ever took place was in the mind of Michael Shaara. If you've read somewhere in a non-fiction book that Stuart ever offered to resign from the Army of Northern Virginia for any reason whatever, I'd love to know where you read it. Stuart was never so foolish.

As for Buster Kilrain, Jeff Shaara spoke at the 145th Gettysburg reenactment and one of the things he said was that the Kilrain character was intended by Michael Shaara to be an embodiment of himself.

[TerryB]

maryingettysburg;

I heard of another, although I've not seen it or, if I did, thought nothing of it. My nephew tells me that when a priest was blessing the Irish Brigade, he made the sign of the cross wrong. On your 86th viewing, look for it. I don't much care, but you did ask for bloopers that you might've missed ...

The biggest bloopers were those ridiculous beards on Longstreet and Stuart. I can't watch either with a straight face. Maybe it's the absinth.

Amen to the bad beards. And the sentry who conducted Harrison through the picket lines is just a little too well-fed by any army's standards.