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The Killer Angels In the Killer Angels, the author Michael Shaara tells the story of the battle at Gettysburg during the civil war by re-creating events up to and during the battle. Shaara divides the book into four major sections: Jun 29, July 1, July 2, and July 3 of 1863. Throughout the book Shaara recreates the thoughts and individual feelings of both union and rebel soldiers. An interesting element of this battle was the soldiers themselves. This battle took place during the third summer of the war. The army consists of some seventy thousand men.
These men are mostly volunteer s and usually self- equipped. Most soldiers at this time believed that this battle would be the last battle of the war. They at this time they have lost faith in their leaders, but not in themselves. On June 29 th Robert E. Lee, leader of the Confederate Army learns that union soldiers have marched within 200 miles of his position in Pennsylvania. This surprised him because he learns that Union soldiers outnumber him.
On July 1 the battle began with shots fired on dismounted union calvary. On this day Lee is greatly disappointed when he is told that one of his generals, Ewell, did not follow his orders which allowed union soldiers to get a foothold on the battle. On the second day of the battle, July second Lee prepares to attack the Century Hill while Union Cononl Chamberlain was told to defend this place to the last. This leads to a confrontation of both union and rebel soldiers face to face. The battle continued even after news was brought to Chamberlain that the man had given him his orders was dead.
Instead of retreating Chamberlain went after the rebels with vengeance. After loosing half of the 20 th Maine regiment Chamberlain successfully had defended Little Round Top while Lee was being blamed for the defeat. Lee decides to strike the union forces the next day after the arrival of 5, 000 rebels soldiers. Since the union soldiers had been hit on both sides and would be reinforced there he would send his men straight to the center where they would be the weakest.
At Dawn on July 3 rd the battle began in the North. Replacements for the Union soldiers were being sent. Chamberlain s men, who are in dire need of rest and food, will be sent to what seems to be the safest spot on the battlefield, the center. Lee then advises Longstreet to send the men up the hill to attack the Union Soldiers. The problem was that the Union soldiers could see the rebels every move and could also be reinforced from behind the hill without being seen from the low ground. Lee ignores Longstreet believing that union strength could be no more than 5, 000 men in the center.
Lee sent 15. 000 men in. Confederate Cononl Pickett and others lost most of their men in the battle. As they pulled back Lee finally admits he was wrong to Longstreet, who gives the order to retreat During the novel Shaara gives a very accurate and heartfelt account not of the events that took place but also of the mental. Physical, and emotional trials that the Generals and Soldiers took during the battle.
Shaara also sheds light on the Strength, and perseverance of the men who kept going even when the odds seemed unfavorable. Although Shaara represents both sides of the war justly it seems apparent that his bias was for the confederacy, and especially General Lee. It seems as thought Shaara has great respect for both armies and there leaders. He also believed that the battle was a turning point in the civil war. Shaara makes an interesting point in the preface to the reader, which states that reading cold history is not enough. Instead he wanted to know what war was really like.
What was the weather like? , what were the expressions on the soldiers face like? Shaara does this by avoiding historical opinion and using the words of the men themselves from letters and other documents. I believe Shaara does a pristine job in relaying this battle to the reader. Not only are both sides equally represented but also Shaara goes beyond politics to bring to the reader the importance of the war from the Generals and Soldiers point of view. I believe both rebel and Confederate fronts have valid reasoning and position in the war. I am grateful for the Unions victory because it helped to shape the America we know today.
Yet I also believe the civil war in general is remembered for slavery more than anything else is. That is how Lincoln sold the war to the people any way. Clearly this was not the only issue, and in fact not even the most at the time. This was a battle for economics and economical freedom. The Confederacy was a strong force, and in the South, to this day, General Lee is highly revered and greatly loved. The Civil war helped to shape America to what it is today.
I f the Civil war and Gettysburg had not taken place we as a people would not know the stability on the freedom as we do today as Americans.
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