Killer Angels by Michael Shaara Essay

Summary of the book

The book Killer Angels by Michael Shaara narrates a story revolving around the battle at Gettysburg that to a greater extent turned the tide of the Civil war with the Southerner's defeat. While the book can be viewed from a fictional perspective, it is worth noting that the story trails the movement of several historical figures present in the three days of the summer of 1863. Through reading the book, readers are made cognizant of the fact that the author tries all the best in highlighting the battle while at the same time giving it a human face characteristic of emotions (Shaara, 6). Moreover, the groundbreaking novel is recommended for historians as well as readers with a vested interest in understanding the complex nature of War Between the States that was the American Civil War. In this essay, I will discuss in details the summary of the reading and follow with a critical analysis of different components as presented in the book.

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Initially, the first chapter of the book opens with a spy making his way to the Longstreet's camp form Gettysburg where he had been following and making observations on the movements of the Union troops. On the other hand, readers are aware of the blindness of Lee's army as a result of Jeb Stuart joyriding at the expense of scouting the troops- his responsibility that has been long neglected. Consequently, with the information that has been brought forth by the spy, Longstreet convinces Lee to marshal his forces at converge on Gettysburg. Lee is fully aware of the fact that if the union is at Gettysburg, with many doubts though, that could be the final battle of the war since there are only few troops standing between their army and Washington. Buford has two divisions of Calvary in Gettysburg where the Confederate forces begin to appear on the outskirts of the town (Shaara, 15). He therefore sends word to Reynolds with the intentions of informing him of the oncoming enemy who is slowly but steadily approaching. After a thorough searching and scouting, he finds a place where he considers strategic to defend and prepare for the battle. Further, he is much concerned that in his capacity, he cannot manage holding the army therefore sends word again to Reynolds. The next day is characterized by division of the Confederate troop beginning to fire of Buford with the latter holding on the line while at the same time making considerations of falling back when Reynolds appears to come in at the hour of need ensuring saving of the day.

On the other hand, we find Lee as having asked his soldiers to stay put and not to engage until his arrival in as much as he had already picked a fight with the union Calvary in the assumption that it was a militia group. Lee, therefore, is seen as sending in more troops with the union retreating to a small hill but Ewell refusing to take the mountain since he was afraid that the position was not in any way favourable. On that day, fighting ended with Lee speaking to his generals with plans for the battle the following day. In as much as Longstreet had expressed his ideas on flanking of the union, he continues moving around advancing towards Washington and digging in so that the union could attack them- a move that Lee disagrees with. Lee on the same matter decides to take the attack straight on while on the other end Longstreet can be seen as leading his men to the right engaging the union in an attempt to take on the hill without exposing the union's vulnerability due to Lee's orders (Shaara, 22). Apparently, a division is seen in the Hood's division taking heavy casualties and losing nearly half of his men. Readers therefore learn that Longstreet visited Lee but did not have the courage of informing him that there were not victorious on that day of the battle. However, Lee insists that the campaign went on successfully and adds that there are still more plans of attacking the next day irrespective of losing a relatively more significant number of his men to the war. In his intentions, Lee wanted to attack the center of the union line with hopes that the general could be in a position to send most of his men out to the same location the confederate had attacked previously. According to Longstreet however, the plan is doomed to fail just like other generals have done already. Lee being adamant leads the troops to battle and fails to lead to the devastation of the Confederates.

Critical Analysis of the Book

First and most importantly, it is worth noting that the American civil war captured the US Government under the leadership of President Lincoln against different armies that had come together with the aim of forming a formidable union that could bring down Lincoln's side. Through reading the novel, one gets to understand the nature of war as well as the various challenging and conflicting view that is characterized by intense decision making that can result to conflicts. Michael Shaara success in the book is rooted and grounded on the premises of humanizing the men in battle, in particular, the officers, the Confederate and the Union armies (Gale, 8). Through that, the author convinces readers that all those who took part in the war were men with thoughts, feelings and emotions. For example, General Lee is depicted as being desperate to see the end of the war and each time experiencing a struggle to send the men into battle. In one particular instance, readers find out that on the third day, with his determination to end the war, he was able to sacrifice most of his soldiers in the assumption that in so doing, he was going to break the union line. At this point, readers can only sympathize with Lee since it is clearly understood that he was not a horrible person to see the death of many people from his side of the troops.

Secondly, the trial and tribulations that soldiers undergo in battle are well captured in the book by Shaara. For example, food shortages were one of the gruelling concerns of the Confederate army in that the author emotions throughout the text that the soldiers were always desperate for food. Most importantly, it is apparently clear that one of the several reasons as to why the Confederate army had food shortages was because the Navy had blockaded southern ports form receiving imports and exports. Captured by Shaara, we find General Kemper asking Arthur Fremantle "When [is England] going to do something about that damned Yankee blockade out there on the water?" (Gale, 56)) Equally, Lee might have in one way or the other chosen to follow the Blue Ridge Mountains and invade the North as a means towards finding food to feed themselves, gain access to crops as well as ensuring that their stock was well supplied.

Finally, in reading The Killer Angels, one gets the notion that slavery was one of the most critical issues surrounding the civil war. However, forms the Southern perspective, the characters are found to be from believers of the fact that the leading cause of the conflict was corrupt governance, not slavery. Readers are therefore torn in sympathizing with the characters that fought for the right to won other people. However, according to Shaara, England was not in apposition to join the Confederate campaign in that during that time, slavery was legal in the South and had already been outlawed in the British Empire.

Conclusion

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara is recommended for any reader interested in learning more on the Battle at Gettysburg and the courage of men who were willing and able to endanger their lives for what they believed in. Shaara brilliantly captures the viewpoints from both the union and the Confederacy in a manner that is to a greater extent confusing while at the same time reminding the readers of the heartbreaking sides of the civil war. Most importantly, through the narration, readers are updated on the prevailing conditions then they include but are not limited to issues like food shortages, slavery and divisions in the army that leads to conflicting ideas. While the story does not give crucial details like the battlefield, the author achieves in highlighting on the importance of slavery during the civil war with an overall theme of humanizing the Confederacy and the union.

Works Cited

Gale, Cengage Learning. A Study Guide for Michael Shaara's" The Killer Angels". Gale, Cengage Learning, 2016.

Shaara, Michael. The killer angels: The classic novel of the Civil War. Vol. 2. Ballantine Books, 2010.