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Gettysburg's Heroes

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Gettysburg's Heroes
Most people think of the Civil War as a military battle between the North and South; and the Battle of Gettysburg as the turning point in the war. Without actual knowledge the subject, they do not appreciate the people that make up this historical event. The Battle of Gettysburg was an emotional roller-coaster for both the North and South. Up to this point in the Civil War, the Confederates had dominated the Union, winning any battle they participated in. At the Battle of Gettysburg Michael Shaara portrays the terrible butchery of the three days fighting through the vividly rendered thoughts and emotions of men in his book The Killer Angels. The men in which Shaara brings to life are that of General Robert E. Lee, Major General John Buford from The South and from the North, Brigadier General Lewis Armistead, and Colonel Joshua Chamberlain. Shaara’s rendition leading up to the battle and the battle itself presents the views, thoughts, and relationships of the officers on each side. Carol Reardon’s depiction of the events on the third day of battle are pulled from many accounts from privates to generals. It describes the reasons behind the events and shows how we can only estimate the exact details of what really happened that day.
The Civil War started because of the secession of southern states but many men fought for different reasons other than to reunite the states. Robert E. Lee one of the most predominant leaders of the Confederate army. Never lost a battle in the war until the battle of Gettysburg, which he paid for dearly. Lee was a very devote man of God. He always placed everything in the hands of God. "God's will. My trust in Thee. Oh Lord, bless You and thank You." (P. 107) Lee did not fight for anything that started the conflict. "So it was no cause and no country he fought for, no ideal and no justice." (p .263) He fought for the thing he loved most people. "He fought for his people, for the children and the kin, and not even the land...
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