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The Killer Angels Essay

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“The Killer Angels” is a historical fiction novel published by Michael Shaara and details the Battle of Gettysburg as described by generals on both Union and Confederate sides - all based on real Civil War figures. The story begins with the events leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg. General James Longstreet, second in command to Confederate general Robert E. Lee, is informed by a spy that the Union army is moving, contrary to what has previously been told. Believing they must move north in order to catch the Union army by surprise, the Confederate army begins their journey to Gettysburg. Meanwhile, Union general John Buford discovers the presence of Confederate troops and begins preparing for a potential battle, aligning his soldiers alongside …show more content…

Chamberlain encounters an escaped slave, which prompts him to think about the cause of the war and what they are truly fighting for. Meanwhile, Lee and Longstreet argue over their strategy and methods of attacking the Union line - eventually agreeing on attacking the left flank, which results in major casualties on both sides. Knowing both flanks of the Union army have been weakened, Lee decides to hone in on the middle and split the army in two. July 3rd comes and Lee remains intent on attacking the Union army, regardless of Longstreet’s pleas to retreat and swing back to Washington, D.C as he feels Lee’s plan will ultimately fail. With General George Pickett in charge of the assault, the Confederates begin their attack with an artillery barrage in order to weaken Union artillery. However, Chamberlain’s regiment still stood strong as Confederates shot too high - therefore wasting some of their artillery that would later become much needed. The Confederate soldiers began to march, but were faced with firing cannons and Union soldiers opening fire. Pickett, having lost 60% of his regiment, calls for retreat - therefore marking the end of the Battle of

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The Killer Angels was a book based on The Battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Gettysburg was a battle that lasted three days. The Battle of Gettysburg is named what it is named because the north won because the names were often what the victor called the battle and the north named battles by nearest town and the south named them after geological landmarks. There are multiple main characters in this book.

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Griffin 1 The Killer Angels Review Michael Shaara was born in June 23, 1929. He was raised by a southern mother and had roots back to Thomas Jefferson. Michael was a teacher at Florida State University and taught a writing class there. He wrote multiple books but The Killer Angels was definitely one of his most successful books he wrote. The Killer Angels tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg.

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Chamberlain eyes were opened during this time, as he saw the toll of the war. He knew he would have to lead and be strong, because others might not be. Chamberlain’s first real engagement was at the Battle of Fredericksburg. The attack was intense and severe, as they fought the Confederates fortified at Marye's Heights.

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Killer Angels, is a historical novel that was written detailing the events that took place just before and during the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. It highlights the trials and hardships that each soldier and officer faced throughout the three-day battle. Throughout the novel, Shaara presents a thesis about the human dimension of war and its impact on the individual and their struggles. How the Battle of Gettysburg was the turning point in the war, and he aims to explore the motivations, fears, and complexities faced by both Union and Confederate soldiers during this crucial moment in the history of the United States. While this book only focuses on a couple of higher-ranking individuals, you can get a sense of what the

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If the Confederates gained the land, than they could rain fire on the Union troops below. The 20th Regiment of Maine was responsible for defending the extreme left side of Little Round Top at all costs (Official Records). Joshua Chamberlain was told that his Regiment was most likely going to be attacked (Official Records). It was probably going to be a dire attack. Chamberlain’s 20th Regiment of Maine had roughly 250 men at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg (The Killer Angels).

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It ended with the retreat of the Confederate Army after the failure of General George Pickett’s last charge. The Civil War would last another two more years until General Lee’s surrender at the Battle of Appomattox Court House. Michael Shaara’s book, The Killer Angels, tells the story of the Battle of Gettysburg and gives great insight on why soldiers fought, their motivations, and how they face death. Each soldier had their own reasons to fight, but one common theme stands out overall, soldiers fight for freedom. During the war soldiers looked for motivation before and during battles, they often find that motivation from their officers.

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Chamberlain held strong even through the hardest of times, and he did it all to help his men move along. He not only mentally prepared every soldier for battle, but he also did a fantastic job leading his army on Little Round Top. “The Twentieth Maine, led by Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain, valiantly repulsed a Confederate assault despite being out of ammunition. This prevented Longstreet from turning the Army of the Potomac's left” (“Gettysburg”). This shows how great of a job he did in pushing back the Confederates, which significantly influenced the overall outcome of the battle at Gettysburg.

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The American Civil War is a defining moment in the United States’ history, marked by a series of pivotal battles that helped shape the outcome of the conflict. Among these battles, the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of Vicksburg are frequently singled out for their important roles in determining the war's course. As the significance of these two battles continues to be analyzed and debated, it becomes evident that they each contributed in distinctive ways to the Union’s ultimate victory. By delving into the complexities of both battles and evaluating their extensive impact on the Union’s strategic objectives, a direct understanding emerges regarding which battle holds more significance for the Union war effort. In terms of strategic importance,

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Gettysburg (1993) eventually became difficult to sit through. The movie started off strong and fell short as the production dragged on for a duration of four-and-one-quarter hours, following a story that spans a full three days, and aligning with the plot line of the book The Killer Angels, by Michael Shaara. From the beginning, Gettysburg makes a point to align itself with factual historical figures, but misrepresents or ignores some important aspects of the real happenings from which it claims to draw source. The film spans three days revolving around The Battle of Gettysburg: focusing on the viewpoints from John Buford (Sam Elliot), Joshua Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels), and James Longstreet (Tom Berenger).

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The Killer Angels, written by American author Michael Shaara, is a constant third person narrative, which is about the Battle of Gettysburg (a small town in Virginia). The novel begins on the date of July 1, 1863, during the time of the Civil War where the Confederate army, and the Union army, fought the most substantial sized battle of the American Civil War. In my research based outside of the book, I discovered that several of the characters in the novel are based on real historical figures. Those characters include, General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate army; General James Longstreet, Lee’s second in command; and Union Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain, who participated in one of the most famous segments of the Battle of Gettysburg,

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Who- Robert E. Lee , James Longstreet, George Pickett, were leading the Confederate troops. General George Meade led the Union troops. What- The Battle of Gettysburg was a very bloody battle where the Union and the Confederacy clashed in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

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“On the afternoon of July 2,1863, the second day at Gettysburg, Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain led the 20th Regiment Maine Volunteers, fewer than 500 officers and men, up the steep slope of Little Round Top and into the pages of history.” ( Longacre ) . In May 1863, Gettysburg had begun with General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia's second invasion of the North. On its second day, Lee ordered an attack on Union forces just south of Gettysburg. His men, fresh off a successful first day of fighting, stormed the Union army’s left flank, but they were repelled as a result Chamberlain’s famous bayonet charge down Little Round Top.

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The Battle of Gettysburg was a three day fight in which an estimate of 51,000 soldiers were killed in total, but besides all of the casualties, what else makes this battle special? The Battle of Gettysburg was a huge factor in the abolishment of slavery. It is one of the most important battles because it created new war strategies and was the turning point in the Civil War, which led to the Gettysburg Address. The Confederate general, Robert E. Lee, was very confident because of his army utmost victory.

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During his conversation with Belize, Louis blatantly states, “…there are no gods here, no ghosts and spirits in America, there are no angels in America…” (Kushner 98). Analyzing this statement, taking the whole play into account, one may argue that this statement is supported. Oftentimes, the presence of gods, angels, and even spirits implies that there is the possibility for these entities to improve the lives of various individuals by lessening their hardships. However, the fact that things such as AIDS, Harper’s insanity, the falling apart of relationships, and Joe’s homosexuality, even exist and have to be suffered by individuals throughout the play hints that these “magical beings” don’t exist.

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In Dennis B. Fradin's The Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate soldiers lacked skill and the aid, furthermore the troops could not be supplied efficiently, thus leaving them little resources to fend off of. At the start of the War in it's whole, the Confederate troops were convinced they could take on the Union troops, underestimating the strength of the North, later being provided with the increase in deaths throughout the war. The North, or Union Army, did however switch Commanders, mentioning the number of losses at the beginning of the war, however, when Ulysses S. Grant was appointed as General Commander of the Union Army, he utilized the right skills in defeating Lee. When it all had finally come to what seemed like an end, Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia, therefore, Ulysses S. Grant was the man responsible for leading the Union to victory over the

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