Killer Angels Essay

Killer Angels Sparknotes
Killer Angels
The pain, joy, bloodshed, death, and sorrow of the Civil War are all contained in the book called,
"The Killer Angels." This book will show you the thoughts, feelings and actions of many of the
leaders of both armies. By reading this book you will get an in depth view of the bloodiest days of
the Civil War. Even if you know absolutely nothing about this war, you can still read and
understand everything that is portrayed. This story not only gives you the view of many of the
major leaders, but it also gives you the maps an strategies used in this war. It also shows you the
conflicts in making these strategies. This book has inspired many, but the true question is will it
inspire you? Reading this book will cause...show more content...
Those details keep the reader in the game, so to speak. Another one of the author's man ideas is
using the leaders in separate points of view. In every chapter there was a different leader and his
point of view. This showed how everyone felt about each battle or occurrence. The author did not
attempt to sway the reader to one army or the other. He let the reader choose whose side he or she
was on. Michael Shaara does not ever describe army or the other as the "bad guys" or the "good
guys." The strategies and tactics used during this war were described in detail. The more important
thing described, however, is not the actual strategy, but who made these strategies and what the other
leaders thought of them. When General Lee decided to attack the enemy head on instead of going
around them, not everyone agreed with the plan. Longstreet, for one, thought that they should have
gone around the enemy and hit them from the back. These conflicts were great to see because it
showed that everything was not going in perfect unison. It showed that these strategies we not
always etched in stone. These plans had the potential to be changed many times. No successful
strategy has gone uncontested and unchanged. All of the things that were said and done in the book
are all at least somewhat true. Although, many of the
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When an author writes a book he has a message that he is trying to get across to the reader. This
message is called a theme. In The Killer Angels Shaara's theme was freedom for the slaves. The
Northerners truly believed that the slaves deserved to be free, and their desire to set slaves free was
the cause of the Civil
War. Just before the Battle of Gettysburg, Colonel LawrenceChamberlain of the
20th Maine gave a speech to a group of mutineers. He told them that the war in which they were
fighting was unlike any war in history. The war in which they were fighting was not for money,
property or power. It was a war to set other men free. After the battle began, Sergeant Tom
Chamberlain asked a group of prisoners why...show more content...
The Battle of Gettysburg exhausted both armies; greatly decreasing their reserves of ammunition
and soldiers. The North had more than twice as many men as the South, and since the North was
industrialized, they could replenish their supplies of men and ammunition fairly quickly. The South,
however, could not replenish their supplies quickly because of the lack of industrialization and
manpower. The supplies lost in the Battle of Gettysburg ultimately lost the war for the South.
I also learned that Confederate General Robert E. Lee was not a good military tactician. Evidently, he
thought that, as in most of the previous battles, the Confederate army could win this one with a
series of charges. On the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Lee ordered the first charge. In this
charge,
Confederate troops would make an uphill attack in an attempt to take a ridge from the Federal army.
With an uphill advantage, the Federal troops drove the
Confederate army into retreat. On the third day of battle, Lee ordered a charge that would take
his army across more than a mile of open field. On the other side of the field, however, Federal
troops released a continuous bombardment of artillery as the Confederate troops made their way
across. The Federal army wiped out most of the Confederate troops before they were halfway across
the field. By the time the remaining Confederates reached the Federal army

The Killer Angels Book Review
Katie Cline
The Killer Angels Book Review
June 21, 2012 The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara: The Random House Publishing Group, New
York, 1974.
The Killer Angels is a stunning recollection of the telltale battle of the Civil War: the Battle of
Gettysburg. Set from June 29 to July 3, 1863 and told from the vantage points of several soldiers
and commanding officers from both sides, including Lee, Longstreet, and Chamberlain, Michael
Shaara effectively paints a picture of the war that divided America, from the tactical planning to the
emotional hardships The book opened with a sodden Confederate spy as he blazed through the
Union lines in the dead of night on June 29, 1863 toward the headquarters of Confederate general
Robert E. Lee with...show more content...
During one such moment, Chamberlain is reminded of a Shakespearean speech: "What a piece of
work man is...in action how like an angel!" (page 126). Upon hearing this, Chamberlain's father
commented, "Well, boy, if he's an angel, he's sure a murderin' angel." (page 126). From this
interaction, Chamberlain came up with "Man: the Killer Angels", a thought he often revisited over
the course of the Battle of Gettysburg, and from which the book acquires its title. Chamberlain acted
with the intention of getting something positive out of the war. He never treated the Confederates
as though they were less than him: " Chamberlain put out a hand. 'Sir' he said. The Alabama man
nodded slightly. His voice was so low Chamberlain could hardly hear it. 'Do you have some water?'
'Certainly.' Chamberlain offered his own canteen." (page 243). It is even known that he had his
troops salute the surrendering South at Appomattox. Overall, I found Michael Shaara's The Killer
Angels an interesting book; it shed a new and different light on the Battle of Gettysburg by showing
it from multiple points of view. I believe that Shaara was successful in writing in the diction of his
chosen narrators; he used slang and dropped "g's" for the Confederate soldiers and used proper
grammar and British terminology for the Englishman, Freemantle. I was also impressed by his
knowledge of military terms and the effectiveness of which he used them. The terms were used
enough that

The Killer Angels Essay examples
The Killer Angels Mine eyes have seen the glory . . . The spy was the first to see the Union army
march through the valley. He noted that the army was moving fast and marching in extreme heat.
His intentions now were to return and report this information to the General Robert E. Lee.
Lieutenant General James Longstreet received him back at camp, and the spy let him know of the
information, which he had obtained. Longstreet found it useful information to pass on to Lee. Both
Lee and Longstreet were skeptical of this information, but if the spy was right they would be in
extreme danger. After viewing the map, Lee decided to go ahead and move his army towards
Gettysburg, which would be the direction in which the Union army would...show more content...
All he needed to do was hold the hill till morning when reinforcements would arrive.
Wednesday, July 1st, 1863 . . . of the coming of the Lord On this morning Lee spoke with
Longstreet, about how he would like for him to stay behind in the battle so that he would not lose
him. Longstreet agreed but also brought notice to Lee about the Union cavalry was already in
Gettysburg. Lee was caught by surprise; being told earlier that only militia was seen there. Lee
reported that it was John Buford, and that infantry was soon to come if the cavalry was already
there. Longstreet thought of taking the defensive end and waiting for Buford to attack. Lee on
the other hand disagreed with the defensive tactic and wanted to attack Buford. Of course Lee
was above Longstreet and would get his way. Buford woke in the morning only to smile and
smirk as he heard General Heth's men trying to put up a fight and take his hill. He was not
worried of Heth, but worried of what was to arrive behind Heth. Buford knew that if Lee were to
arrive and attack, then he would lose the battle and also the hill on which he stood. Major General
Reynolds arrived shortly after the battles that were going on that morning. Buford was very glad to
see him and his infantry. Later that day in another short battle, Buford caught a glimpse of Reynolds
as he rode into battle, only to later turn and see Reynolds dead on the ground. The battle still

Killer Angels Essay
The novel The Killer Angles, by Michael Shaara, gives a story like depiction of the American
Civil War at the Battle of Gettysburg. In this novel we see the views of both Confederate and
Union armies. The officers for both sides in this novel used to go to war with each other but are
now on different sides according to their political views. In the end both armies realized the war had
accomplished nothing but all the deaths of soldiers.
During the novel, the armies are going to war against their opponents and not necessarily their
enemies.Despite the fact that the Confederate and Union armies were entirely concerned with
defeating their opponent, many times they were fighting against relatives and friends. For instance,
General...show more content...
These two men were at one time friends. Again during the war, officers make a realization about the
war.
Longstreet realizes that Armistead and Garnett are dead and that Kemper was dying (P.358). Then
he sees the true facts that this war had accomplished nothing but the deaths of great men.Shaara's
theory was that the war accomplished nothing but deaths. This theory has been considered before by
many men, most likely the men of the war. George Pickett knows the war is not just about slavery
(P. 71). In the Battle of Gettysburg thousands of men died for almost nothing.
Of course the main cause of the war was slavery, but other circumstances contributed to the cause of
the civil war, such as the election of Abraham Lincoln.This book contributes a detailed description
and story of the Battle of Gettysburg. Many books about Gettysburg give a biography about the
battle and the commanders, but this book makes the commanders and soldiers come to life. It shows
actual feelings about the war. While most books give a narrative monologue of the battle.
This book brings characters to life and gives a detailed description of the battle.This novel has
raised questions in my mind because I was unaware of the real battle; but it raises no new
questions to society such as Hofstadter's writings. This novel gives a very accurate description of
the Battle of Gettysburg. This novel also shows the importance of each battle and each division in
each of these battles. Moreover

Killer Angels Essay
The Killer Angels
The Battle of Gettysburg brought the dueling North and South together to the small town of
Gettysburg and on the threshold of splitting the Union. Gettysburg was as close as the United States
got to Armageddon and The Killer Angels gives the full day–to–day account of the battle that shaped
America's future. Michael Shaara tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of the
generals and men involved in the action of the battle. The historical account of the Battle of
Gettysburg gives the reader a chance to experience the battle personally and not the history book
manner taught in schools. A historical novel gives the facts straightforward and provides no
commentary by the people involved in history. The...show more content...
Shaara, through his commentary on General Lee, explains that Lee did not want to fight the war
but had to. Lee felt it was his duty to fight for his fellow countrymen, but not for a cause, land, or
slavery. "So it was no cause and no country he fought for, no ideal and no justice. He fought for his
people, for the children, and the kin, and not even the land, because the land was worth the war,
but the people were," General Lee says (Shaara 263). General Lee fights for himself and has no
choice but to fight, knowing in the end that he might be wrong with his cause and pay the price
someday. General Lee is not a proponent of war, but he will serve his country with honor and duty if
necessary.
A man of ideals and honor represent the character of Union Colonel Joshua Chamberlain. Being a
man of education, Chamberlain knows the demeaning and repulsive nature of slavery and has
come to fight to end it. Chamberlain hates the whole idea of the Civil War and the death and
destruction that goes along with it. "I used my brother to plug a hole. Did it automatically as if he
were expendable," says Chamberlain (Shaara 304). He hates the idea that men, including his
brother, are dying out in the fight for slavery. The only reason he believes in the Civil War is that
if he the North did not fight freedom would be tarnished and a great travesty would occur.
Chamberlain is not a man of war and blood and doesn't relish war and its qualities. The idea of war
in general to

Killer Angels Sparknotes
The Killer Angels is an historical novel about the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. The
book captures the human nature of many historical figures over three fateful days in rural
Pennsylvania in 1863. North and South, Yankee and Confederate; The Killer Angels provides a
glimpse into the hearts and souls of some of the men who fought in this infamous battle and their
own reasons for being in a fight to the death against their fellow countrymen.
The Civil War was a very significant time in American history. The Civil War was fought between the
Confederate States of America and the United States of America. Most people say the Civil War
was a war that was fought to end slavery, which it was for most of the population. The Civil War
was fought from 1861 to 1865 to determine the survival of the Union. The South wanted slaves to
help run there farming plantations. Southern slave owners did not want their way of life
threatened or changed, life had been the same for them for generations. Those Americans from the
North were considered more progressive and had more influence from other cultures which helped
open their eyes to the horrors of slavery. But for many of the men, going to war was a chance to
escape boredom and some came because it was the right thing to do (p. 28).
After the four year war the death toll was over 600,000 Union and Southern men. The war fought
mostly in the south and left it in ruins. The Killer Angels tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg.

Essay on Killer Angels
1. What role does honor play in the novel? Honor played a major role in novel, Killer Angels.
Throughout the book, Honor was a concept that remained important to members of the armies,
regardless of whether they were supporting the Union or the Confederacy. Every action and decision
was made with the intention of being heroic and as honorable as possible. 2. From your reading of
Killer Angels, what do you think was the main reason the Civil War was fought? While the North
lightly interpreted the United States Constitution, and while pursuing industrialization and the
expansion of cities, the South remained mostly agricultural. During this period in America, it
seemed as if there was a major divide in the country and even completely...show more content...
In my opinion, Stuart was a "show boat" hero given that a genuine hero would never leave in the
middle of his mission. 5. What was Freemantle's purpose in traveling with Longstreet and the
Confederate Army? What did he hope to learn? Freemantle was a British man who traveled with
Longstreet and the Confederate Army for three months to observe the South, for which he
frequently compared to England. He returned to England and published a book about his
experience during the Civil War and he predicted that the Confederates would win the war.
Throughout his stay, he gathered information about General Lee and the Confederate Army, for
whom he considered to be devious and tactful. 6. How does Shaara portray General Lee in this
work, especially Lee's decision to attack at Gettysburg, despite Longstreet's advice not to? Why
doesn't Longstreet want to fight at this particular spot? Michael Shaara depicted General Lee as a
widely respected, admired and wise commander who was decisive, regardless of whether the odds
were in his favor or not. The decision to attack at Gettysburg had tremendous disapproval however
Lee felt as if he had two choices–– fight in the enemy's face or retreat. Longstreet advised the
General against the assault on Gettysburg given that the position of an uphill battle on open ground
would be disastrous; however Lee was insistent that it be done. While the Confederate Army lost the
Civil

Killer Angels Essay
History 1301 1. Were soldiers religious? What did they think about God? What sorts of religious
viewpoints do we see in this book? 2. Why did soldiers fight? Did the motivations of men on the
two sides differ? What enabled men to fight in the face of death? 3. What thesis does the author
argue as to why the Confederacy was defeated at Gettysburg? What evidence does he present to
make his point? Do you agree or disagree with him? Trevor Jenke Professor Lockwood History
1301: M–W 12:30 2 December, 2013 Killer Angels Book Review 1.During the Civil War, there were
two sides, the Confederate Army and the Union Army. While the Confederates fought for slavery,
the Union fought for their freedom. While the...show more content...
They believed that slavery could not co–exist in a country that was founded on the ideology of
freedom. However, they eventually found themselves fighting to help free the slaves rather than
fighting for each other. The Confederate Army was fighting to maintain its grip on slavery as it
was ever so important to their economy and way of life. They depended on it so greatly that they
would be willing to risk their lives on order to hold on to it. Col. Chamberlain talks about his view
on the war, and what it meant to him as he was trying to convince the imprisoned troops from the
2nd Maine Division to fight with him. He believed that this war was far different than any other
war ever waged in the history of mankind. He believed that what we were fighting for was the value
of man, that they were fighting for each other. "This is free ground. All the way from here to the
Pacific Ocean . . . . Here we judge you by what you do, not by what your father was . . . . .What
we're all fighting for, in the end, is each other." (Pg. 32 / 33 – Killer Angels, Michael Shaara)
However, there were still men in the Union who were fighting for themselves rather than the idea
of a free nation. In personal discussion, Kilrain says that the reason he, personally, is fighting is
"to prove I'm a better man than many" (Pg. 188). He says, "It's the aristocracy I'm after" (Pg. 189).
He wants to be treated fairly, as he deserves, no matter what his father deserved.

Michael Shaara's Killer Angels
Throughout the novel, Killer Angels, Michael Shaara does a terrific job presenting Joshua
Chamberlain of the 20th Maine Regiment as a person of mighty innovative leadership. On day one
of the battle, Joshua Chamberlain is told by his good friend Buster Kilrain that their regiment will
be receiving one hundred and twenty mutineers from the old Second Maine Regiment. Joshua is
also authorized the right to shoot any man who refuses to fight. At first Chamberlain was a bit
skeptical of what he was going to say to the men, but being a professor rhetoric at Bowdoin College,
a prestigious school, he knew what had to be done. After first walking up to the men and seeing that
they were hungry and exhausted, Chamberlain asked the men when they last

Analysis Of ' The Killer Angels '
Bravery can make a big difference in the outcome of a battle as this has been demonstrated in the
book we read, The Killer Angels. Though sometimes bravery can also be a very foolish act, such
as when you don't make the best decisions for everyone as a whole. Foolishness when making
important decisions can comeback and cost you later, possibly causing loss of lives and changing
the momentum of a battle. There are some cases in this book, The Killer Angels, that prove
bravery can be a good thing and that it can make a huge difference. I think that bravery is a good
characteristic for leaders to have especially when the leaders use their actions to set an example and
inspire bravery among those soldiers who may be hesitant to fight.
There are multiple examples, throughout this book, of bravery and how courage has changed the
outcome of a battle or prevented disaster. In the beginning of this book, Sorrel the spy who is hired
by General Longstreet, to spy on the Union spots the enemy troops less than 200 miles from their
camp. He hurries back to warn General Robert E. Lee that their army must move to prevent
complete disaster and the destruction of the Confederate Army. He travels through the night in the
enemies territory to get this urgent news to General Lee. This was a brave act on Sorrel part as he
was traveling at night and he traveled across enemy lines through the Picket Line which are the
people that guard a armies cap to make sure they are not attack by surprise.

Essay On The Killer Angels
The Wounded Angels Since the beginning of time we Americans have always fought for what
we stand by. The Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War is just one example; the Union was
fighting to end slavery and the Confederacy was fighting to keep it. In order to fight you need
people, us Americans had the choice of joining/volunteering or if not enough civilians joined
there would be a draft. There will always be a price to pay when going into battle as is shown in
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, which gives you an insight to the point of views of both
sides and the struggles in the military. Robert E. Lee, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and John
Buford are just a very small portion of the military personnel who suffered the price/hardships.
Commanding General Robert E. Lee Robert E. Lee was the leader of the Confederate Army. Lee
was the most beloved man in either army (The...show more content...
They ended up being killed or severely wounded. Robert E. Lee, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, and
John Buford are just a very small portion of the military personnel who suffered the price/hardships.
We will forever honor the path they took and their devotion to our country. Works Cited Shaara,
Michael. The Killer Angels: the Classic Novel of the Civil War. Ballantine Books Trade Paperbacks,
2011. Civil War Medicine https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/inline
–pdfs
/Civil_War_Medicine.ppt "The Killer Angels– РЁР°Р°СЂР° РњР°Р№РєР» – Р§РёС‚Р°С‚СЊ."
Libros.am, www.libros.am/book/read/id/121318/slug/the–killer–angels. Hand, Abbey. "Chapter
7–Buford." Prezi.com, 12 May 2015, prezi.com/aav0qqg–_l0–/chapter–7–buford/. "Chamberlain."
APEL – All Parents Engaged in Learning, www.apelslice.com/books/0–00–Bookshare
/0–345–34810–9/p3ch4.htm. "The Killer Angels Characters." Quizlet,

In The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara fictionally illustrates the historical facts of the battle at
Gettysburg. Shaara gives action and words to characters of another time, and then places these
players on the stage of this great battle. Through the use of powerful biblical and non–biblical
imagery and themes the epic nature of the battle at Gettysburg and its characters are enhanced. Such
imagery and themes, combined with Shaara's fictionalization, help to contribute to why this single
battle holds such monumental significance and influence upon the lives of Americans over a century
removed from its occurrence.
In the Foreword, before the battle begins, Shaara starts with a list of the principle players in the
upcoming...show more content...
This helps to give the entire event a timeless characteristic. The Confederates tend to fill the aspects
of biblical imagery and themes in more numerous ways than that of the Union side. This is due, in
part, to the fact that the Confederate Army had a more unified religious belief system as well as a
"solid", devotional–like "faith" in Lee as their leader. (Shaara ix)
Lee is the pinnacle of the Confederate hierarchy. He is like "an angel of the Lord" (Shaara 67) in
the presence of his men. On the first day of battle he is prompted from within himself to ride out
to merely be seen by his soldiers in the midst of battle in order to boost morale. (Shaara 112) Not
only is Lee aware of the importance he holds in the eyes of his men and the strength that he gives
them, but also in his weakness and weariness. He does not attribute to himself qualities that
superseded God. Shaara emphatically states that Lee believed "absolutely in God". (Shaara x) Lee's
"divinity" is attributed to him by his men. For instance, Longstreet conveyed to Arthur Fremantle a
conversation concerning Darwin's theory of evolution. He stated that even though those discussing
the issue agreed that Darwin's theory was probably true, one person spoke out that Lee "didn't
come from no ape". (Shaara 138) This implies that in the eyes of his men, Lee was viewed as being
apart from mere mortals. Although Lee alone

The Killer Angels Essay
Angels on the Battlefield
In the Battle of Gettysburg that took place on July 1, 1863, and ended on July 3, many casualties and
injuries resulted from the fighting between those few days, leading to the victory of the Union Army.
As mentioned in the Killer Angels, the hospitals were tents where soldiers were treated for their
wounds on the battlefield, in the view of anyone and everyone. Amputations were almost every
physician's immediate response to bullet wounds shattering bones, amongst other types of injuries.
Medicine was not as advanced back then as it is now, especially in the battlefield. Often, physicians
and other medical professionals did not use proper hygienic techniques, which led to further
complications due to bacteria and...show more content...
Immediately after hearing the news about Kilrain's death due to his injuries, the Confederates began
to open fire. Chamberlain hid behind the stone wall, where he goes in and out of consciousness due to
blood loss from his foot. Had Chamberlain properly got his wound treated, according to
ehistory.osu.edu, the treatment would have been at least a day or two, at the most. The surgeon
would then clean/wash out the wound with a cloth and then prod the wound with his finger,
searching for any remnants of the cloth, tissue, or bone. Furthermore, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov explains that
the regimental surgeon would then dress the wound, and would later be carried out in an ambulance
driven by the Marine Corps to be taken to a division level field hospital for surgical treatment, if
needed. Consequently of Chamberlain not getting required treatment, as also stated by
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, this consequence would eventually lead to "...gross tissue destruction that was an
excellent medium for infection." Also mentioned by muttermuseum.org, gunshot wounds to the
ankle would often do very well, but would require long treatment. Although Chamberlain's wounds
were not to the ankle, but to the foot, his mortality rate would be low, because amputation would
always be another probable answer if treatment did not work.
Secondly, Private Kilrain is friend of

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara is not just a telling of the Battles of Gettysburg, but includes
fictional accounts on a real event. It takes you back in time to some of the bloodiest battles in our
nation's history, where one side fought for freedom, and the other fought for a new way of life. The
novel takes you on a journey through the eyes of various leaders from the Union and Confederate
sides, including Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, Arthur Fremantle, John Buford, and Joshua
Lawrence Chamberlain. The book includes the four days both leading to and including the most
courageous and nation changing battles of America's history. I would recommend this book to all
high school readers and any readers who have a desire to read a...show more content...
Shaara does an excellent job of bringing the fact that these people were real into perception, and had
to go through outstanding difficulties. They had to make decisions that would make their goals into
a reality, and with that came casualties. Shaara also spends a perfect amount of time explaining each
person in the story, and then includes what occurred in their past to make them have the beliefs they
fight for in the war. The Killer Angels doesn't only focus on the physicality of the war, but the
mental and emotional factors that all participants had to deal with. It allowed the reader to
understand why each person was on the side they were on, despite the reader's personal opinion
of what was the right side. It truly brings the fact that these events and people were real into
perspective, and that these people were not just pawns in the war but had families and people who
cared for them at home. They had problems every person has, but also had a war they had to fight
for. The Killer Angels shows the difficult aspects of imposing morals, especially when it was
between former friends and even family members. The war had many effects on American society,
including relationships being destroyed. The author really makes the reader understand the reality of
the Civil War, and how it was not just about the physical

The Killer Angels Book Report
The Killer Angels is a very interesting and intriguing novel about The Civil War and gives us day
by day actions through out it all. That is what really interested me in the way this book was set
up. Every day, there was a diary from different characters. Because of this, we get to see different
views from different characters and how each one of them have their own stories in the war and
how they got through the war. At the very beginning of the story, we meet a spy named Harrison,
who loves his Shakespeare. He sees that the Union Army is coming, because he sees about twenty
thousand men all at once. He is so scared and surprises and runs to tell the two generals, General
Longstreet and General Lee. This is our introduction to the character I will talk about...show more
content...
I think that he was definitely the most religious ones out of all the characters in the book. He
relied on God for the actions that happened in his life and what was happening in the way. This is
why I was very drawn to him in the first place. I am very religious myself and I rely on God for
many of the same reason Lee did. In the book, there was a passage that really stood out to me.
"He believed in a Purpose as surely as he believed that the stars above him were really there. He
thought himself too dull to read God's plan, a servant only. And yet sometimes there were
glimpses" (3.6.13). When I read that sentence in the book, I automatically wrote it down. That
passages says to me that he believed in something that is supposed to happen, and will happen if it
is God's plan. Another thing that stood out to me about General Lee was that he was not a big fan
of slavery. He had command of Northern Virginia during the Civil War, so it does make sense. Lee
through out this book shows his love for Virginia. Let's face it, he is solely in this war because
Virginia made the decision to leave the Union. He is very loyal to his home state, and it shows
through out the

Wars have been fought for many different reasons through the years, and that holds true for the
American Civil War (1861–1865). In Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer
Angels, the reasons for fighting the war are brought about through the officers and soldiers at a
famous battle site of the Civil War, Gettysburg. Gettysburg was one of the most documented
battles of the whole war. It took place over a span of three days and can be viewed as a turning
point from Confederate prominence to Confederate demise. As in any conflict, there are two sides
to the story. The Union and the Confederacy each had their own views as to why they were fighting
the war. Victors write the history so too often only the Union side is...show more content...
An interesting conflict of Northern morals is discovered. The North is portrayed as wanting to set
black men free, but they practiced economic slavery on the Southern states. The Civil War was really
more politically complex with regards to Abraham Lincoln and his Republican party's actions. The
South fought this war as the Second American Revolution. The cause of the South was equated to
that of their forefathers who had fought and won their freedom from Great Britain less than 100
years earlier. If it was a war to set men free, it was the Southern farm boy that wanted his freedoms
guaranteed under the original constitution. The Northern states' politicians were aggressively
attempting to implement a monarchial form of government, which was precisely what the early
colonists had fought against in the American Revolution. The Northern states were taking advantage
of their superior numbers in the federal government and were using their advantage to implement
unfair tariffs against the South. Enormous amounts of money were taken from the South and
funneled into the Northern states. Most of the revenue taken from the Southern states was used to
run government programs. This brought about the argument of "State's Rights" and a weaker central
government by the South. The main cause of the war was Lincoln's rejection of the right to
peaceable secession of the eleven sovereign states and subsequently

Essay On Killer Angels
Killer Angels is a 1974 historical novel by Michael Shaara. The book tells the story of the Battle
of Gettysburg in the American Civil War. The novel is told through the voices of both Union army
and Confederate Army of Northern Virginia leaders who were in battle there. The novel is laid out
in days and each new chapter for the day gives a number and the name of the man who is the focus
of the chapter. In Killer Angels, theArmy of Northern Virginia's demise is highlighted by a few
different features. The failing health and age of Robert E. Lee served to distract him from military
obligations, the advantage point the Union side had over Confederate Army at the Battle of
Gettysburg, and the most significant reason for demise, was the...show more content...
Throughout Killer Angels, Lee is described in a way as taking it easy because of his heart
condition. "Lee sat down against a rail fence" (106). "Lee took a quick nap" (143). It's easy to see
the Lee was doing a lot of resting because of his heart condition. An army cannot be effectively led
if the commander is sitting, preoccupied with the pain of a health condition, and taking it easy.
Another problem Lee had was that he was seen as a father figure to most of the men and treated
them softly. Stuart was supposed to be gathering information for Lee, but instead he was out "joy
riding" which left the Army of Northern Virginia basically blind as to where the North regiments
were positioned. Longstreet said "When Stuart comes back you ought to court martial him" (82).
However, Lee believed reproach, letting Stuart know how badly he let them down, would make
him a good soldier. When dealing with Stuart Lee "spoke as you speak to a child" and wanted to
reassure him. He treated Stuart softly (256–266). Lee's age, failing health, and softness on his men
was one reason the Army of Northern Virginia lost the Battle of Gettysburg. Next, the Union had an
advantage over the Confederates in the Battle of Gettysburg.
Gettysburg is in Pennsylvania which was part of the North, so they were in home territory and had
a home field advantage. In chapter 7 of July 1, 1863, Buford for the Union, had secured the best
high ground Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, and Little Round Top. In

The Killer Angels Analysis
During the American Civil War, the worst battle was the battle of Gettysburg. During the battle the
Union and the Confederacy collectively lost over 51,000 men to either death, injury, or they were
missing. Michael Shaara wrote The Killer Angels. The author goes into the story by telling why each
of the major characters were fighting the war and their viewpoints. The author also tells the story
though the letters and other documents and not using the historical opinions of the battle. The
Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia is General Robert E. Lee. General Robert E. Lee at
the time of the battle is 57 years of age. General Robert E. Lee does not own slaves nor does he
believe in slavery, though he does not believe the Negro could be equal to the white man. At the
time the war started he was a soldier in the Union Army but chose to fight in the war with
Confederacy, due to his home state of Virginia succeeding from the Union. General Lee knew that
he could not lead an army to fight a war against his...show more content...
He also often thought that the Confederacy and the Union were never really that different and had
more in common than not. He also does not seem to have an opinion about slavery, but feels that
it is a duty to fight for his country and not fight against it. He also plays a very critical role in
securing victory for the Union during the battle. He holds hill tops during battles with the
Confederacy, as the Union assembles in other key locations. The author makes John Buford seem
like a real person by pointing out that even in the middle of a battle, he is thinking of his future and
where he is going to retire. He is described as thinking about fishing in the south and beating the
colder weather of the Midwest for the warmer weather in the south but, fears he will not be able to
return to the south due to the

Essay about Killer Angels
Wars have been fought for many different reasons through the years, and that holds true for the
American Civil War (1861–1865). In Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer
Angels, the reasons for fighting the war are brought about through the officers and soldiers at a
famous battle site of the Civil War, Gettysburg. Gettysburg was one of the most documented battles
of the whole war. It took place over a span of three days and can be viewed as a turning point from
Confederate prominence to Confederate demise. The Union and the Confederacy each had their own
views as to why they were fighting the war.
The propaganda pitch the Union gave was they were fighting to free the slaves. This was not true! It
was said Southerners...show more content...
The Federal government needed the income from the South so they were forced into fighting to save
the tax coming from the South. Without consulting Congress, Lincoln sent great armies of
destruction to the South. The Southern people had no choice but to defend themselves from this
invasion. The South fought, simply, for their independence, as theUnited States federal government
of the northern states refused to allow the South to leave peacefully. The men of the South did not
fight to win their freedom; they fought to keep it! For all intents and purposes, if the North had not
invaded the South, there would have been no war. The name "civil war" implies that
two, or more, groups of people within a country take up arms against each other in a struggle for the
government. This was not what took place in the South between 1861 and 1865. It was an invasion
of one nation into another independent, sovereign nation. The struggle is properly called "The
War For Southern Independence," as that is the most correct description of the reasoning
behind the war. The Southern soldier fought to protect his home, State, and Nation from the invading
United States army. He fought in honor of his forefathers who had fought against British tyranny.
The soldiers of the Confederacy were not traitors. Some historians have branded any man

Killer Angels Essay

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