Clearly General Lee is fed up with the lack of intelligence; "I know nothing," he is thinking; Lee believed he could depend on the troops but "…can you count on the generals?" (173). On July 1, when all this activity began Lee ordered General Ewell to "take" the Powell Hill. Lee did say in the novel that Ewell should take the hill if it is "practicable" to do so (181). Lee was committed to taking the two "rounded hills" above Gettysburg, but it was not to be.
Ewell's excuse to Lee (as to why he didn't take the hill) was that it wasn't "practical" to do so and that Ewell's forces were "…waiting, ah, for many reasons" (226). Ewell went on to admit that he was perhaps too cautious, too careful (236). And it turned out to be a big mistake that Ewell was too cautious, and failed to follow his orders. It should also be noted that General Lee, an aging, somewhat feeble but very intelligent leader, made a mistake in terms of engaging the Union army out in the open, hoping to overpower the north. The Civil War was a time when long-distance artillery and rifles that shot longer distances than previous weaponry were used; this advantage of the Union army helped defeat Lee's tactics.
The ill-timed strategy that General Pickett followed was another enormous reason that the Confederate army lost the battle of Gettysburg. Pickett had been ordered to advance and take Cemetery Ridge on July 3, 1863, although General Longstreet was uncertain that this was the best strategy. As Pickett raised his sword and hollered that his men should charge this hill for their wives, their girlfriends, and for Virginia, the disaster was about to unfold. It is worthy at this point to quote Shaara (532-33) in describing the vicious attack that Pickett's men were forced to face. "…Millions of metal balls whirring through the air like startled quail, murderous quail… eyes [were] sick with fear…" as a "long blue line of Union boys" were "firing from the right." There was no yell by...
On July 3, Generals Lee and Longstreet continue to face-off, creating strife within their own troops. The political problems that Lee and Longstreet embody are mirrors for the brother-fighting-brother theme that is central to any civil war. Thus, Shaara presents another paradox of war: when is it reasonable to fight and kill one's bretheren? Also, Lee is in charge of the Confederate Army but General Longstreet still has a
Killer Angels by Michael Shaara (1993) gives a detailed account of the Battle of Gettysburg -- the war that lured the dueling North and South to the tiny town of Gettysburg and was the first step in splitting the Union. Shaara gives his readers a view of the Battle of Gettysburg as seen by generals and men who were at the heart of the battle. "The Killer Angels" is a
Killer Angels: A Novel by Michael Shaara. Specifically it will contain a summary and analysis of the book. "The Killer Angels" is a work of fiction that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1975. It tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg from the viewpoints of two of the generals fighting there -- Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet. Shaara says he wrote the book because he wanted people
Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels is a historical novel set during the Civil War, focusing on the Battle of Gettysburg. This decisive and historic battle has since determined the course of events in American history, leading to the eventual abolition of slavery and demise of the Confederacy. In fact, with its direct references to actual events and people, The Killer Angels blurs the line between fiction and non-fiction. The narrative
Gettysburg The Civil War was a battle that tore the United States into two dividing loyalties and families across the states. That it is a scar that still rankles the North and South cannot be doubted and yet, one event during the war is remembered over all others -- the Battle of Gettysburg. The battle took place for three days and yet, even today we see almost 1.3 million people visit
James Longstreet, January 9, 1821 -- January 2, 1904, was one of the foremost generals of the American Civil War, who later enjoyed a successful post-war career working as a diplomat and administrator for the government of his former enemies. Longstreet was born in Edgefield District, South Carolina, grew up in Augusta, Georgia, and at the age of twelve, his father died and the family moved to Somerville, Alabama. In 1838, he
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