On June 26, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, gave the U.S. Senate and President Obama a short history lesson on the Battle of Gettysburg and Joshua Chamberlain, who at different times served as colonel of the 20th Maine regiment, Bowdoin president and Maine governor. The battle’s took place July 1-3, 1863. Roll Call described King as “literally sketching out a battle map…on an easel and an over-sized pad of paper.” King also at one point acts out the agonizingly long wait soldiers had in between firing shots (they could unload just four shots a minute).

“At the Battle of Gettysburg, Mr. President, the Southern army came in from the North and the Northern army came in from the South,” King noted. “They met almost by accident in this town.” He goes on to tell the whole story.Video: Sen. King Takes the Floor to Lecture on Gettysburg (Roll Call)