The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara

In a letter to the reader, Michael Shaara states that his purpose is similar to Stephen Crane's in The Red Badge of Courage. He wishes to display history not as cold facts, but rather in such a way that the reader can live the history. This is to be accomplished through extensive detail of the emotions of the men, the atmosphere of the battle, and strategies of the commanding officers. Accepting this as Shaara's intent, it can be justifiably stated that he succeeds in his objective. The Killer Angels does not merely relate what assaults and defenses where made by which colonels and generals. Instead, the book delves into the emotions of the major figures of the battle and what they endured physically and mentally as they planned for assault, defense, or mere preservation of life. In this way, The Killer Angels aids the reader in understanding the causes for the Battle of Gettysburg and the incidents that took place from June 29 to July 4 of 1863. Because of this, when faced with the question of whether it is a good historical reference, emphatically yes.

Most history textbooks relate that, during the Battle of Gettysburg, General George Gordon Meade led the Army of the Potomac against General Robert Edward Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia. If the text goes further in depth, it mentions Major General George Pickett who, under Lee, leads a doomed charge up Cemetery Hill. The history text will not further discuss the other officers who were instrumental in the Battle of Gettysburg, and this is precisely what Shaara concentrates on. The structure of the book itself is set up in sections, each following the point of view of one particular officer. Shaara assigns the sections as necessary, sometimes alternating between two oppos...

... middle of paper ...

...t realistic alternative could have found victory. We can do this because we have a working knowledge of Lee's subordinate commanding officers and his opposition as well as the terrain. In a way, we can be commanding officers as we plan what would have worked and what wouldn't have. From this, we gain a sound knowledge of the history of the Battle of Gettysburg.

As shown Michael Shaara's use of detail provides the reader with enough information to look beyond the facts. The reader gains an intimate knowledge of the commanding officers and the emotions that caused the soldiers to fight. The reader also understands what the soldiers faced in the heat of battle: the excitement, the danger, the hopelessness of defeat, and the joy of victory. The Killer Angels takes the raw facts of the battle and blends them with details and emotions to recreate the Battle of Gettysburg.