What dilemma did Chamberlain face regard to the 120 deserters? ?

Question

i have a study guide for the book Killer Angels... please help

Answer 1

He was handed them because they were all from Maine. They'd refused to fight but hadn't actually deserted; they'd never run away.

Since this was a time of war, a smaller number would have almost certainly have been shot. In fact, Chamberlain was told he could do just that. But since they were fellow Mainers, his own men might have rebelled themselves. Since they were heading toward Gettysburg and a battle everyone knew was going to be crucial, he had to act fast and on his own.

So, his dilemma was to shoot and risk revolt that way or take them along and trust them to not make his own men ready to stop fighting.

Answer 2

They weren't deserters; they refused to carry out their duties, believing their terms of enlistment were up and they wanted to go home.   The rules had been changed and the Army said they could not go home.  Chamberlain had to decide whether to punish them for refusing further military orders or find an alternate solution.