The Army of Northern Virginia and The Army of the Potomac warred for three years. Some soldiers fought over slavery; others fought to uphold the constitution. Despite the different reason for fighting, both armies succeeded in devastating destruction and death in the city of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In the novel The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara gives readers an inside look into The Battle of Gettysburg by expressing the emotional struggles and internal conflicts of the soldiers involved. By using dialogue and internal monologues to show different perspectives, Shaara brings the Battle of Gettysburg to life. There was no one reason the armies fought, and there was no one reason the Confederacy lost the battle. Geography and strategy
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Jackson’s death altered the formation and mindset of the Rebels. Lead Commander Robert E. Lee is a prideful man plagued with troubles: heart disease, overconfidence, an unreliable scout, and a general who disagrees with his tactics. Lee has a penchant for traditional warfare; however, Lee’s second-in-command Lieutenant General James Longstreet has a different outlook. Longstreet “had never believed in the invasion…He did not believe in offensive warfare when the enemy outnumbered you and outgunned you and would come looking for you anyway if you waited somewhere on your own ground” (10). George Pickett achieves rank as a Confederate Major General despite graduating last in his class at West Point. Brigadier Generals Lewis Armistead and Richard Garnett command two of Pickett’s divisions. One-legged Lieutenant General Richard Ewell gains control of part of Stonewall Jackson’s old command. Major Generals Jubal Early and Robert Rodes each command one of Ewell’s divisions. Major Ambrose Powell Hill commands the second half of Jackson’s old corps. Scout J.E.B. Stuart tracks the Union position to relay information to General …show more content…
Lee agrees and orders an en echelon attack to take Cemetery Hill. J.E.B. Stuart still has failed to send reports about the Union position causing Longstreet to march into an area that will expose his troops. The troops have to backtrack. Redirection worries Longstreet since en echelon attacks require time and precision and his troops were tiring. Lee’s plan would fail. General Hood suggests his troops move right around Big Round Top, but Longstreet has “ʻbeen telling General Lee that same damn thing for two days, move to the right, and there aint no point in bringing it up again’” (198). Despite knowing that he is ordering Hood’s troops to their death, Longstreet does not undermine Lee’s commands and fighting breaks out on Little Round
Jackson’s death altered the formation and mindset of the Rebels. Lead Commander Robert E. Lee is a prideful man plagued with troubles: heart disease, overconfidence, an unreliable scout, and a general who disagrees with his tactics. Lee has a penchant for traditional warfare; however, Lee’s second-in-command Lieutenant General James Longstreet has a different outlook. Longstreet “had never believed in the invasion…He did not believe in offensive warfare when the enemy outnumbered you and outgunned you and would come looking for you anyway if you waited somewhere on your own ground” (10). George Pickett achieves rank as a Confederate Major General despite graduating last in his class at West Point. Brigadier Generals Lewis Armistead and Richard Garnett command two of Pickett’s divisions. One-legged Lieutenant General Richard Ewell gains control of part of Stonewall Jackson’s old command. Major Generals Jubal Early and Robert Rodes each command one of Ewell’s divisions. Major Ambrose Powell Hill commands the second half of Jackson’s old corps. Scout J.E.B. Stuart tracks the Union position to relay information to General …show more content…
Lee agrees and orders an en echelon attack to take Cemetery Hill. J.E.B. Stuart still has failed to send reports about the Union position causing Longstreet to march into an area that will expose his troops. The troops have to backtrack. Redirection worries Longstreet since en echelon attacks require time and precision and his troops were tiring. Lee’s plan would fail. General Hood suggests his troops move right around Big Round Top, but Longstreet has “ʻbeen telling General Lee that same damn thing for two days, move to the right, and there aint no point in bringing it up again’” (198). Despite knowing that he is ordering Hood’s troops to their death, Longstreet does not undermine Lee’s commands and fighting breaks out on Little Round