Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels
The Killer Angels
The Killer Angels, written by Michael Shaara, is a gripping novel about the turning point in the Civil War. In this novel, Shaara, follows the Generals and Colonels of both the Union and Confederate armies from June 29, 1863 until July 3, 1863. The book discusses the strategy and logic used by each of the commanding officers of either army, along with the non-war side of each officer. In this historical novel, based on the battle of Gettysburg, the characters and events are, for the most part, historically accurate, however Shaara, who was not actually present at Gettysburg, had to fictionalize what the character's thoughts and conversations were. In "To The Reader", Shaara writes "The interpretation of character is my own." Sharra also states "I have therefore avoided historical opinions and primarily gone back to the words of the men themselves, their letters and other documents." Shaara is stating that the character's interactions were based on the letters and other documents that were written by those men that fought in the battle of Gettysburg. The difference between this and an actual historical account is simply the fact that Shaara wrote a book that has plot and a story line to it, and although it has an inevitable …show more content…
ending and the outcome of each battle is set in the history books, Shaara has put his own analysis on the battles. If he was to write a historical account he could not have used any fictionalized conversations or thoughts in the book. This would have limited him to writing the book without opinion and to sticking strictly to the facts. Shaara's descriptions of the battle scenes are not entirely accurate because there was not adequate photography at that time, and he was not present, however they are very detailed. He also describes the men's emotions vividly, but one can only assume that this must be based on letters and other documents, and partially fictionalized. General Robert E. Lee was the commander of the Confederate Army and was a brilliant tactician. Lee has a traditional outlook on war which often conflicts with that of Longstreet's. Lee constantly implies the importance of offensive warfare. He was born into a military family, attended Westpoint, and was almost predestined to become an officer in the army. He was a devoted Christian and when it came to war he conducted himself accordingly. Lee presented himself as a very moral man. "What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world." In fact on December 13, 1862, Robert E. Lee, while commanding the Army of Northern Virginia at the battle of Fredericksburg, turned to General James Longstreet and said, "It is well that war is so terrible, or we should get too fond of it." Shaara states that Lee did "not own slaves, nor believe in slavery, but he does not believe that the Negro, in the present stage of his development,' can be considered the equal of the white man." It does not seem like Lee is fighting the war for any other purpose than the fact that he did not believe that any black man or woman should be considered equal to the white man. Lee may not have been fighting for the same cause as the rest of the Confederate Army, however he was fighting for a cause his own belief in the inferiority of the Negro. He would have disagreed with Forster's statement, "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country" as he was a devout Christian and a moral man who "loved Virginia above all". General Lee felt that the war was sacred and holy because he was fighting for the freedom of the people of Virginia, and all supporters of the Southern cause. For this reason he would agree with Woodrow Wilson's statement: "When men take up arms to set other men free, there is something sacred and holy in that warfare." After the battle of Gettysburg Lee asks to be relieved of command due to his physical health, and failure to defeat the Northern Army. Lee comments upon the battle by saying "No blame can be attached to the army for its failure to accomplish what was projected by me I alone am to blame, in perhaps expecting too much of its prowess and valor could I have foreseen that the attack on the last day would fail, I should certainly have tried some other course " Although Lee's request was not accepted and he fought out the duration of the war, it seemed as though he learned his lesson, and did not perform any offensive actions for the remaining time he was in command. At the end of the war, Lee did not hold a grudge against the Union, and asked his men to lay down their arms. Lee sadly was never pardoned by Congress, and died of heart disease in 1870. Some historians believe that Lee suffered a minor heart attack during the battle of Gettysburg.
General James Longstreet became Lee's second in command after the death of "Stonewall" Jackson. Shaara describes Longstreet as a stubborn man whose more visionary tactics on war often conflicted with those of Lee's. Longstreet is portrayed by Shaara as a man ahead of his time, someone who has seen the future of warfare and knows that it will be won through the proper use of technology. Longstreet was quoted as saying "Why do men fight who were born to be brothers." This quote shows Longstreet's more sympathetic side, as opposed to the stubborn man that is portrayed in the book. When Longsteet and Lee arrived in Gettysburg and found the Union Army had already taken the high ground, Longstreet felt that it would better serve the Confederate Army to retreat from Gettysburg and take hold of a better position where they could entice the Union Army into attacking them on ground of their own choosing. Shaara states that, "He did not believe in offensive warfare when the enemy outnumbered you and outgunned you and would come looking for you anyway if you waited somewhere on your own ground." General Longstreet, after the war was over, was also quoted as saying "I hope to live long enough to see my surviving comrades march side by side with the Union veterans along Pennsylvania Avenue, and then I will die happy." What these quotes show is that Longstreet was morally opposed to war and he did not look at the Union as his enemy. Although there may have been a softer side to Longstreet he made sure it did not conflict with his decisions on the battlefield. Shaara often commented on the fact that Longstreet was not as jovial as normal due to the fact that his three children had passed away from scarlet fever earlier that winter. From that point on it seemed that Longstreet was fighting for a personal reason - his kids. General Longstreet would have agreed with Forster's quote, "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country." Shaara describes Longstreet's beliefs when he states, "He did not think much of causes.
He was a professional: the Cause was Victory." "The war had come as a nightmare in which you chose your nightmare side. Once chosen, you put your head down and went on to win." Because Longstreet was a professional and clearly did not believe in causes his concern would have been for humanity, not for the issues that were dividing a nation. He would have chosen a friend over his country for this
reason. Longstreet was fighting for something more than the right to keep slaves. He was fighting for the freedom of his people. "You must tell them, and make it plain, that what we are fighting for is our freedom from the rule of what is to us a foreign government. That's all we want and that's what this war is all about. We established this country in the first place with the strong state governments just for that reason, to avoid a central tyranny" Longstreet did not disagree and makes it clear that the he will not stand to see his men fail. He wants to see the South secede from the Union. Just like Lee, Longstreet asked to be relieved of his command, but not for the same reasons. Longstreet felt that the South could no longer win the war. Longstreet stayed with the Confederate Army until the end of the war, and afterward was labeled a traitor for becoming a Republican,, and attempting to join Ulysees S. Grant in rebuilding the South. Longstreet stated his opinion after the war was over, by saying that Lee lost the war. Longstreet was referred to by Southern newspapers as "the most hated man in the South." He will be forever remembered as a man whose war tactics were years ahead of his time. He gave society a new outlook on warfare; one that was not recognized during his time. Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain is the main Union character in the book. Chamberlain, who left a professorship at Bowdoin College to become a soldier in the United States Army, brought a different outlook on the war to the Union. Chamberlain joined the Union Army because he felt a strong urge to fight to save the Union. On June 29, Chamberlain is sent 120 mutineers from Maine, and is given orders to shoot any one of them that does not respond. Chamberlain responds by saying that he could never shoot a man from Maine, because that is where he is from. Shaara refers to Chamberlain's outlook on war on page 30, where Chamberlain says "This is a different kind of army. If you look at history you'll see men fight for pay, or women, or some other kind of loot. They fight for land, or because a king makes them, or just because they like killing. But we're here for something new. I don't . . . this hasn't happened much in the history of the world." What one could interpret by this quote is that Chamberlain recognizes the change in warfare but also realizes that it is changing for the better. Shaara addresses Chamberlain's views in Chapter 2 when he says, "The fact of slavery upon this incredibly beautiful new clean earth was appalling, but more even than that was the horror of old Europe, the curse of nobility, which the South was transplanting to new soil. They were forming a new aristocracy, a new breed of glittering men, and Chamberlain had come to crush it." Chamberlain is less concerned with slavery than he is with the Southerners, transplanted from Europe, who are re-creating the idea of European aristocracy exactly what they had left behind when they separated from Britain in America. Not only is Chamberlain fighting against this new Southern aristocracy, but he is also fighting to preserve what the Revolutionary War was fought for, for the land of the people. That is exemplified by Shaara in the following: "And so it was not even patriotism but a new faith the American fights for mankind, for freedom; for the people, not the land." Chamberlain would have agreed with E.M. Forster when he said, "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country." This is exemplified in the above quote and also by Shaara when he states, "This was the first place on earth where the man mattered more than the state." Friendship and humanity meant more to Chamberlain than loyalty to a country. Chamberlain's beliefs in mankind are in agreement with the quote by Woodrow Wilson, "When men take up arms to set other men free, there is something sacred and holy in that warfare." Chamberlain shows this when he states, "We're an army going out to set other men free." "This is free ground No man has to bow. No man born to royalty. Here we judge you by what you do, not by what your father was It isn't the land-there's always more land. It's the idea that we all have value, you and me, we're worth something more than the dirt. I never saw dirt I'd die for What we're all fighting for, in the end, is each other." Chamberlain was the most accomplished man on the side of the Union. After being recognized for his role on Little Round Top, he is given a brigade. After being badly wounded, he returns to service and becomes "one of the most remarkable soldiers in American history." Chamberlain was finally promoted to Brigadier General by Ulysees S. Grant, and later promoted to Major General. He was selected by Grant to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomatox, where he calls his men to attention to salute the defeated South. Chamberlain eventually received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his performance on Little Round Top. He was then elected Governor of Main ad served for three terms. In 1876 he was elected President of Bowdoin College where he had taught before he left to fight the war. France then gave him the medal of honor for distinguished efforts in international education. He retired from Bowdoin and died of his wounds in June, 1914. Chamberlain led an incredible life and is one of the most renowned soldiers of the Civil War, if not all time. General John Buford, Union general, was the first man to arrive in Gettysburg with his cavalry. Upon reaching Gettysburg and realizing that he had the opportunity to take the high ground, he did so and called on Reynolds for support. Buford is described by Shaara as being a man that knows war and the tactics of war but is tired of military greed, politics and stupidity. Buford is a good soldier who does his job well, but is low on faith in the competence of his superiors. He feels as though the Civil War is sick and appalling. "What was worse was the stupidity. The appalling sick stupidity that was so bad you thought you would go suddenly, violently, completely insane just having to watch it." Buford was bitter due to the fact he had been let down before and he will not be able to handle it if he gets let down again. Even though there is this chance for failure and let down, Buford still fights hard. "Buford did not hate. He was a professional. The only ones who even irritated him were the cavaliers, the high-bred, feathery, courtly ones who spoke like Englishmen and treated a man like dirt." Shaara shows in this quote that Buford was fighting for his own reasons. Not for the cause. Buford is a man who feels a strong sense of duty towards his country, and more importantly to the Union Army. He is a man who serves as a professional to his cause and believes that his country is more important than his friends. Buford would have disagreed with the quote by E.M. Forester. Buford is also a soldier who sees nothing sacred and holy in this war. Buford is in the war for one reason and that is to serve and win. He does not have any ideals or freedom to protect. The only remorse that Buford shows in the book if they loose is the fact that he will no longer be able to travel to the South to fish. "It would be a great shame if you could never go south any more, for the fishing, for the warmth in winter." Therefore Buford would not agree with Woodrow Wilson's quote. Buford, although he died in combat, was never recognized for his part in choosing the high ground and holding off Confederate soldiers long enough for Reynolds to bring support. If it were not for his valiant efforts the Confederates would have taken the high ground and the Union would most likely have lost that battle. General Lewis Armistead was a "man of honor, man of duty. He was one of the men who would hold ground if it could be held." This would lead one to think that he believed in war as a useful tool to resolve conflicts. Armistead was an old soldier who simply followed orders. Shaara describes him as: "a grave and courtly man, soldier all his life." " but he was a good soldier, a dependable soldier " He has no control over the plans but he will bear the brunt. Armistead's way to deal with this fact is simply not to think about it: "But he did not want to think about the attack right now. All the plans were laid, the thing was set, the others had planned it now he would carry it out."
Armistead believed in the cause and would have disagreed with Forster's quote which is demonstrated by Shaara's description of Armistead as a man who "would die for a word. He was a man to depend on, and there was this truth about war: it taught you the men you could depend on." Shaara also shows this by pointing out the fact that Armistead goes into Gettysburg, knowing that he will meet his long time friend, a general for the Union Army, Winfield Scott Hancock, in battle. This proves his loyalty to the South and not to his best friend. Armistead is portrayed as a religious man who feels that war is in God's hands. "But Win understands. I have to come now. All in God's hands. Father, into your hands " For this reason one could assume that Armistead would agree with the statement by Woodrow Wilson. After all, Armistead was fighting this war to set the South free from the North, and that, to him, was the most holiest of causes. Armistead fatally wounded during Pickett's charge, when he faced his best friend. His relationship with Hancock shows how this war destroyed friends and families. When Armistead was shot, he was brought into the Union lines and taken to a surgeon, where he was told he was dying. Armistead then spoke these words: "Say to General Hancock for me, that I have done him, and you all, a grievous injury, which I shall always regret." I have always felt that Lee was a great military commander, fighting for the wrong side. Lee was among the greatest military minds of his time, but his one crucial mistake at Gettysburg cost him the Civil War. I knew a lot about General Lee before reading The Killer Angels, due in part to my dad being a Civil War buff. However I did not know the details of his tactics, or the fact that his and General Longstreet's opinions on strategy often conflicted. This book has reinforced my previous view on Robert E. Lee. One fact that I found very interesting was that Lee was told by Longstreet that there was no way the Confederate Army could defeat the Union Army if they did not have the high ground. After hearing this Lee still insisted on attacking the Union Army when he could have taken Longstreet's advice and retreated to ground between Washington and the Union lines. This would have forced the Union to attack them on Lee's terms. Lee is quoted in the book as saying to Longstreet: "Napolean once said, "The logical end to defensive warfare is surrender." This exemplifies Lee's views on offensive warfare. I believe that The Killer Angels makes a strong anti-war statement. Shaara paints a grim and seemingly accurate picture of war showing the most vivid, negative aspects of war. " too much smoke, couldn't see, the attack failed, couldn't withdraw, lay there all night in the dark, in the cold among the wounded and dying. Piled-up bodies in front of you to catch the bullets, using the dead for a shield;" Shaara uses the relationship between Armistead and Hancock to illustrate the destruction that the war has on friendship. Armistead vows to Hancock, "If I lift a hand against you, friend, may god strike me dead." Armistead did not start the war, but the fact that he felt obligated to defend his home forced him to take up arms against his lifelong friend. This book also demonstrates the conflicts that existed between men fighting for the same side. For example, Lee's view that the enemy was in front of them and the Army of Virginia must go on the offensive and attack the Army of the Potomac immediately. "The enemy is here, General. We did not want the fight, but the fight is here." This opposed to Longstreet's opinion that the Army of Virginia move to the south and position themselves on higher ground between the Army of the Potomac and Washington, D.C., assume defensive positions and make the Army of the Potomac come to them. "Longstreet said, If we move south, toward Washington, we could fight on ground of our choosing.'" Shaara shows the reader the darkest side of war rather than painting a picture of heroism and glory.
ENDNOTES
The Killer Angels, written by Michael Shaara, is a gripping novel about the turning point in the Civil War. In this novel, Shaara, follows the Generals and Colonels of both the Union and Confederate armies from June 29, 1863 until July 3, 1863. The book discusses the strategy and logic used by each of the commanding officers of either army, along with the non-war side of each officer. In this historical novel, based on the battle of Gettysburg, the characters and events are, for the most part, historically accurate, however Shaara, who was not actually present at Gettysburg, had to fictionalize what the character's thoughts and conversations were. In "To The Reader", Shaara writes "The interpretation of character is my own." Sharra also states "I have therefore avoided historical opinions and primarily gone back to the words of the men themselves, their letters and other documents." Shaara is stating that the character's interactions were based on the letters and other documents that were written by those men that fought in the battle of Gettysburg. The difference between this and an actual historical account is simply the fact that Shaara wrote a book that has plot and a story line to it, and although it has an inevitable …show more content…
ending and the outcome of each battle is set in the history books, Shaara has put his own analysis on the battles. If he was to write a historical account he could not have used any fictionalized conversations or thoughts in the book. This would have limited him to writing the book without opinion and to sticking strictly to the facts. Shaara's descriptions of the battle scenes are not entirely accurate because there was not adequate photography at that time, and he was not present, however they are very detailed. He also describes the men's emotions vividly, but one can only assume that this must be based on letters and other documents, and partially fictionalized. General Robert E. Lee was the commander of the Confederate Army and was a brilliant tactician. Lee has a traditional outlook on war which often conflicts with that of Longstreet's. Lee constantly implies the importance of offensive warfare. He was born into a military family, attended Westpoint, and was almost predestined to become an officer in the army. He was a devoted Christian and when it came to war he conducted himself accordingly. Lee presented himself as a very moral man. "What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world." In fact on December 13, 1862, Robert E. Lee, while commanding the Army of Northern Virginia at the battle of Fredericksburg, turned to General James Longstreet and said, "It is well that war is so terrible, or we should get too fond of it." Shaara states that Lee did "not own slaves, nor believe in slavery, but he does not believe that the Negro, in the present stage of his development,' can be considered the equal of the white man." It does not seem like Lee is fighting the war for any other purpose than the fact that he did not believe that any black man or woman should be considered equal to the white man. Lee may not have been fighting for the same cause as the rest of the Confederate Army, however he was fighting for a cause his own belief in the inferiority of the Negro. He would have disagreed with Forster's statement, "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country" as he was a devout Christian and a moral man who "loved Virginia above all". General Lee felt that the war was sacred and holy because he was fighting for the freedom of the people of Virginia, and all supporters of the Southern cause. For this reason he would agree with Woodrow Wilson's statement: "When men take up arms to set other men free, there is something sacred and holy in that warfare." After the battle of Gettysburg Lee asks to be relieved of command due to his physical health, and failure to defeat the Northern Army. Lee comments upon the battle by saying "No blame can be attached to the army for its failure to accomplish what was projected by me I alone am to blame, in perhaps expecting too much of its prowess and valor could I have foreseen that the attack on the last day would fail, I should certainly have tried some other course " Although Lee's request was not accepted and he fought out the duration of the war, it seemed as though he learned his lesson, and did not perform any offensive actions for the remaining time he was in command. At the end of the war, Lee did not hold a grudge against the Union, and asked his men to lay down their arms. Lee sadly was never pardoned by Congress, and died of heart disease in 1870. Some historians believe that Lee suffered a minor heart attack during the battle of Gettysburg.
General James Longstreet became Lee's second in command after the death of "Stonewall" Jackson. Shaara describes Longstreet as a stubborn man whose more visionary tactics on war often conflicted with those of Lee's. Longstreet is portrayed by Shaara as a man ahead of his time, someone who has seen the future of warfare and knows that it will be won through the proper use of technology. Longstreet was quoted as saying "Why do men fight who were born to be brothers." This quote shows Longstreet's more sympathetic side, as opposed to the stubborn man that is portrayed in the book. When Longsteet and Lee arrived in Gettysburg and found the Union Army had already taken the high ground, Longstreet felt that it would better serve the Confederate Army to retreat from Gettysburg and take hold of a better position where they could entice the Union Army into attacking them on ground of their own choosing. Shaara states that, "He did not believe in offensive warfare when the enemy outnumbered you and outgunned you and would come looking for you anyway if you waited somewhere on your own ground." General Longstreet, after the war was over, was also quoted as saying "I hope to live long enough to see my surviving comrades march side by side with the Union veterans along Pennsylvania Avenue, and then I will die happy." What these quotes show is that Longstreet was morally opposed to war and he did not look at the Union as his enemy. Although there may have been a softer side to Longstreet he made sure it did not conflict with his decisions on the battlefield. Shaara often commented on the fact that Longstreet was not as jovial as normal due to the fact that his three children had passed away from scarlet fever earlier that winter. From that point on it seemed that Longstreet was fighting for a personal reason - his kids. General Longstreet would have agreed with Forster's quote, "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country." Shaara describes Longstreet's beliefs when he states, "He did not think much of causes.
He was a professional: the Cause was Victory." "The war had come as a nightmare in which you chose your nightmare side. Once chosen, you put your head down and went on to win." Because Longstreet was a professional and clearly did not believe in causes his concern would have been for humanity, not for the issues that were dividing a nation. He would have chosen a friend over his country for this
reason. Longstreet was fighting for something more than the right to keep slaves. He was fighting for the freedom of his people. "You must tell them, and make it plain, that what we are fighting for is our freedom from the rule of what is to us a foreign government. That's all we want and that's what this war is all about. We established this country in the first place with the strong state governments just for that reason, to avoid a central tyranny" Longstreet did not disagree and makes it clear that the he will not stand to see his men fail. He wants to see the South secede from the Union. Just like Lee, Longstreet asked to be relieved of his command, but not for the same reasons. Longstreet felt that the South could no longer win the war. Longstreet stayed with the Confederate Army until the end of the war, and afterward was labeled a traitor for becoming a Republican,, and attempting to join Ulysees S. Grant in rebuilding the South. Longstreet stated his opinion after the war was over, by saying that Lee lost the war. Longstreet was referred to by Southern newspapers as "the most hated man in the South." He will be forever remembered as a man whose war tactics were years ahead of his time. He gave society a new outlook on warfare; one that was not recognized during his time. Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain is the main Union character in the book. Chamberlain, who left a professorship at Bowdoin College to become a soldier in the United States Army, brought a different outlook on the war to the Union. Chamberlain joined the Union Army because he felt a strong urge to fight to save the Union. On June 29, Chamberlain is sent 120 mutineers from Maine, and is given orders to shoot any one of them that does not respond. Chamberlain responds by saying that he could never shoot a man from Maine, because that is where he is from. Shaara refers to Chamberlain's outlook on war on page 30, where Chamberlain says "This is a different kind of army. If you look at history you'll see men fight for pay, or women, or some other kind of loot. They fight for land, or because a king makes them, or just because they like killing. But we're here for something new. I don't . . . this hasn't happened much in the history of the world." What one could interpret by this quote is that Chamberlain recognizes the change in warfare but also realizes that it is changing for the better. Shaara addresses Chamberlain's views in Chapter 2 when he says, "The fact of slavery upon this incredibly beautiful new clean earth was appalling, but more even than that was the horror of old Europe, the curse of nobility, which the South was transplanting to new soil. They were forming a new aristocracy, a new breed of glittering men, and Chamberlain had come to crush it." Chamberlain is less concerned with slavery than he is with the Southerners, transplanted from Europe, who are re-creating the idea of European aristocracy exactly what they had left behind when they separated from Britain in America. Not only is Chamberlain fighting against this new Southern aristocracy, but he is also fighting to preserve what the Revolutionary War was fought for, for the land of the people. That is exemplified by Shaara in the following: "And so it was not even patriotism but a new faith the American fights for mankind, for freedom; for the people, not the land." Chamberlain would have agreed with E.M. Forster when he said, "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country." This is exemplified in the above quote and also by Shaara when he states, "This was the first place on earth where the man mattered more than the state." Friendship and humanity meant more to Chamberlain than loyalty to a country. Chamberlain's beliefs in mankind are in agreement with the quote by Woodrow Wilson, "When men take up arms to set other men free, there is something sacred and holy in that warfare." Chamberlain shows this when he states, "We're an army going out to set other men free." "This is free ground No man has to bow. No man born to royalty. Here we judge you by what you do, not by what your father was It isn't the land-there's always more land. It's the idea that we all have value, you and me, we're worth something more than the dirt. I never saw dirt I'd die for What we're all fighting for, in the end, is each other." Chamberlain was the most accomplished man on the side of the Union. After being recognized for his role on Little Round Top, he is given a brigade. After being badly wounded, he returns to service and becomes "one of the most remarkable soldiers in American history." Chamberlain was finally promoted to Brigadier General by Ulysees S. Grant, and later promoted to Major General. He was selected by Grant to receive the Confederate surrender at Appomatox, where he calls his men to attention to salute the defeated South. Chamberlain eventually received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his performance on Little Round Top. He was then elected Governor of Main ad served for three terms. In 1876 he was elected President of Bowdoin College where he had taught before he left to fight the war. France then gave him the medal of honor for distinguished efforts in international education. He retired from Bowdoin and died of his wounds in June, 1914. Chamberlain led an incredible life and is one of the most renowned soldiers of the Civil War, if not all time. General John Buford, Union general, was the first man to arrive in Gettysburg with his cavalry. Upon reaching Gettysburg and realizing that he had the opportunity to take the high ground, he did so and called on Reynolds for support. Buford is described by Shaara as being a man that knows war and the tactics of war but is tired of military greed, politics and stupidity. Buford is a good soldier who does his job well, but is low on faith in the competence of his superiors. He feels as though the Civil War is sick and appalling. "What was worse was the stupidity. The appalling sick stupidity that was so bad you thought you would go suddenly, violently, completely insane just having to watch it." Buford was bitter due to the fact he had been let down before and he will not be able to handle it if he gets let down again. Even though there is this chance for failure and let down, Buford still fights hard. "Buford did not hate. He was a professional. The only ones who even irritated him were the cavaliers, the high-bred, feathery, courtly ones who spoke like Englishmen and treated a man like dirt." Shaara shows in this quote that Buford was fighting for his own reasons. Not for the cause. Buford is a man who feels a strong sense of duty towards his country, and more importantly to the Union Army. He is a man who serves as a professional to his cause and believes that his country is more important than his friends. Buford would have disagreed with the quote by E.M. Forester. Buford is also a soldier who sees nothing sacred and holy in this war. Buford is in the war for one reason and that is to serve and win. He does not have any ideals or freedom to protect. The only remorse that Buford shows in the book if they loose is the fact that he will no longer be able to travel to the South to fish. "It would be a great shame if you could never go south any more, for the fishing, for the warmth in winter." Therefore Buford would not agree with Woodrow Wilson's quote. Buford, although he died in combat, was never recognized for his part in choosing the high ground and holding off Confederate soldiers long enough for Reynolds to bring support. If it were not for his valiant efforts the Confederates would have taken the high ground and the Union would most likely have lost that battle. General Lewis Armistead was a "man of honor, man of duty. He was one of the men who would hold ground if it could be held." This would lead one to think that he believed in war as a useful tool to resolve conflicts. Armistead was an old soldier who simply followed orders. Shaara describes him as: "a grave and courtly man, soldier all his life." " but he was a good soldier, a dependable soldier " He has no control over the plans but he will bear the brunt. Armistead's way to deal with this fact is simply not to think about it: "But he did not want to think about the attack right now. All the plans were laid, the thing was set, the others had planned it now he would carry it out."
Armistead believed in the cause and would have disagreed with Forster's quote which is demonstrated by Shaara's description of Armistead as a man who "would die for a word. He was a man to depend on, and there was this truth about war: it taught you the men you could depend on." Shaara also shows this by pointing out the fact that Armistead goes into Gettysburg, knowing that he will meet his long time friend, a general for the Union Army, Winfield Scott Hancock, in battle. This proves his loyalty to the South and not to his best friend. Armistead is portrayed as a religious man who feels that war is in God's hands. "But Win understands. I have to come now. All in God's hands. Father, into your hands " For this reason one could assume that Armistead would agree with the statement by Woodrow Wilson. After all, Armistead was fighting this war to set the South free from the North, and that, to him, was the most holiest of causes. Armistead fatally wounded during Pickett's charge, when he faced his best friend. His relationship with Hancock shows how this war destroyed friends and families. When Armistead was shot, he was brought into the Union lines and taken to a surgeon, where he was told he was dying. Armistead then spoke these words: "Say to General Hancock for me, that I have done him, and you all, a grievous injury, which I shall always regret." I have always felt that Lee was a great military commander, fighting for the wrong side. Lee was among the greatest military minds of his time, but his one crucial mistake at Gettysburg cost him the Civil War. I knew a lot about General Lee before reading The Killer Angels, due in part to my dad being a Civil War buff. However I did not know the details of his tactics, or the fact that his and General Longstreet's opinions on strategy often conflicted. This book has reinforced my previous view on Robert E. Lee. One fact that I found very interesting was that Lee was told by Longstreet that there was no way the Confederate Army could defeat the Union Army if they did not have the high ground. After hearing this Lee still insisted on attacking the Union Army when he could have taken Longstreet's advice and retreated to ground between Washington and the Union lines. This would have forced the Union to attack them on Lee's terms. Lee is quoted in the book as saying to Longstreet: "Napolean once said, "The logical end to defensive warfare is surrender." This exemplifies Lee's views on offensive warfare. I believe that The Killer Angels makes a strong anti-war statement. Shaara paints a grim and seemingly accurate picture of war showing the most vivid, negative aspects of war. " too much smoke, couldn't see, the attack failed, couldn't withdraw, lay there all night in the dark, in the cold among the wounded and dying. Piled-up bodies in front of you to catch the bullets, using the dead for a shield;" Shaara uses the relationship between Armistead and Hancock to illustrate the destruction that the war has on friendship. Armistead vows to Hancock, "If I lift a hand against you, friend, may god strike me dead." Armistead did not start the war, but the fact that he felt obligated to defend his home forced him to take up arms against his lifelong friend. This book also demonstrates the conflicts that existed between men fighting for the same side. For example, Lee's view that the enemy was in front of them and the Army of Virginia must go on the offensive and attack the Army of the Potomac immediately. "The enemy is here, General. We did not want the fight, but the fight is here." This opposed to Longstreet's opinion that the Army of Virginia move to the south and position themselves on higher ground between the Army of the Potomac and Washington, D.C., assume defensive positions and make the Army of the Potomac come to them. "Longstreet said, If we move south, toward Washington, we could fight on ground of our choosing.'" Shaara shows the reader the darkest side of war rather than painting a picture of heroism and glory.
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