Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels

The Killer Angels is a novel written by Michael Shaara about the events, battles and story behind the Confederate army and its participants during the American Civil War. Throughout the novel, the tension and suspense is on a constant rise as you learn about the many obligations and challenges that the soldiers, spies and generals had to undergo to fight for independence, or unity.
The Confederates (also referred to as the “South” or the “Grays”) are led by a gentleman who values and morals are waivered by no outside influence; his name is General Robert E. Lee, also known as “the Old Gray Fox”. He is a very religious man who takes time to observe what is happening and waits to make a decision and sequentially allows his actions to unfold with the support of his trusted underlings and his God. “’…General Lee makes decisions and he moves,’” (Shaara 251). **As well as all of these, Lee was passionate and determined about winning the war. ** He truly cared for all that worked with him before and during the war as seen in chapter two, part three, after learning of Reynolds’s death, Reynolds“…his mind flashed a vision of Reynolds. A neat trim man. A gentleman, a friend. Lee shook his head…Reynolds dead. Gone.” (Shaara 104).
The Union troops
The North (Union) fought on for the sake of keeping the country united under one flag and one leader. Their ideas were like those of the northern abolitionists – they opposed the ideas of slavery being continued and fought to give the blacks the freedom that they ever so rightfully deserved. This reason to go to war, although just, was a very weak call to arms for many of the union soldiers. They constantly debated on whether it was really worth putting their lives on the line for a union that was already broken. The South fought for the people dwelling within – for their families and neighbors. “He fought for his people, for the children and the kin,” (Shaara