On that, I agree. LRT was important but not the be-all, end-all that it sometimes is portrayed. That said, Chamberlain performed outstandingly on July 2nd and should receive all the praise possible. An untried commander with a regiment that had seen only brief combat at Fredericksburg and who has to deal with 100 very unhappy soldiers from the 2nd Maine is told that he is the end of the Union line and to hold his position. After 30-odd minutes of extremely intense fighting and with no ammunition remaining, his brigade commander has been shot, and knowing that he can't hold back another attack, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge. From a veteran commander, these events would be remarkable.
Ryan