Killer Angels 3 Essay, Research Paper

This is an outstanding book about the Battle of Gettysburg, even though it is fictional. The Killer Angels The Battle of Gettysburg brought the fighting North and South together to the small town of Gettysburg and on the edge of splitting the Union. Gettysburg could closely be compared to Judgement Day and this book gives a day-to-day account of the battle that made America s future. The historical account of the Battle of Gettysburg in Killer Angels, uses the facts of the battle as seen through the eyes of Generals Joshua Chamberlain, Robert E. Lee, John Buford, and James Longstreet. The Author, Michael Shaara, explains the story of the Battle of Gettysburg through the eyes of the men who endured the pains of battle. This up close and personal account of the Battle of Gettysburg gives the reader the feeling that they themselves were apart of the battle. Many historical novels give the facts straightforward and provide no information of the people involved in history. The feelings and deep thoughts of each of the Generals and the conditions of the battle are seen, heard, and felt by the reader.

Men were fighting against their own family and friends. These men were fighting for their morals and ideals, they were dying to win an unseen reward. Men were so blinded by their views that they strayed from their family life to help the cause. Even men who were not willing to participate were taken from their women and children, for the sake of fighting someone else’s battle. War and the killing of others did not interest General Robert E. Lee and he felt sympathy for the Union. Lee had inconsistent feelings towards war and says, He was not only to serve in it but he was to lead it, to make the plans, and issue the orders to kill and burn and ruin he could not do that (Shaara 263). The author says Lee s reason for fighting the Civil War was, He found that he had no choice Lee could not raise his hand against his own. And so what then? To stand by and do nothing? It had nothing to do with causes; it was no longer a matter of vows (Shaara 263). 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, says General Lee (Shaara 263). The fortunate men who survived the war, moved on to other battles. However, the battle scars, both physical and psychological, remained eternally.