The Killer Angels: A Novel of the Civil War - Characters

Book by Michael Shaara, 1987

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[CHARACTERS]

   ROBERT E. LEE: The overall idea with how the story is written with Lee is that he has less than a decade of life in him, as he has heart problems. He prefers the old ways of war, the traditional approach to a battle, though his second-in-command, General James Longstreet, has newer ideas about how to deal with the Union. Despite his age and degree of frailty, Lee commands with inspiration, and keeps morale high, even after the Confederacy lost many men with Pickett's reckless charge ordered by Lee.

   Lee doesn't change much at all in the book -- he is nearing the end of his life and has seen many years of war. He sticks with his idea of offensive war throughout the book, conducting attempts to control areas or hit-and-runs to the end, where the Confederates are forced to retreat. His personality never changes either; he remains a relatively humorless man who reveres God, from beginning to end. At the end of the book, during the end of the third day, the narrative states: "Lee knelt and prayed...This was the way, as God would have it. Face to face with the enemy, on the grounds of his choosing. End with honor." (Shaara 286) This was no different from how he acted in the first day of Gettysburg: he fought on the offensive completely, and often spoke prayer to the Lord. In the foreword, Lee was described: "He does not drink or smoke or gamble or chase women. He does not read novels or plays; he thinks they weaken the mind...He does not lose his temper nor his faith; he never complains." Lee remains this honest, clear-minded individual in the entirety of the book.

   Lee interacted with other characters in two different manners; one way in an honest and humorless manner, and the other way as a cold general. The distinction comes from Lee's responsibility and knowledge with how to deal with the situation: "He moved as if his body was filled with cold cement that was slowly hardening, and yet there was something hot and bright and fearful, as if something somewhere were about to break at any moment... 'There will be none of that.' Lee's voice was cold and sharp. He spoke as you speak to a child, a small child, from a great height." (Shaara 279-81) Lee recognized that the man he was speaking to (Stuart, who'd been absent and needed) and knew that this man was needed to win the battle. However, his absence had led to many more deaths than what was ever needed. Lee also, when not acting cold, took an honest, humorless way of speaking when interacting with other characters. "He paused. Hard to speak in this fashion. Longstreet was staring with cold silent eyes, Lee said sternly, "You have a very bad habit, General, of going too far forward.' Longstreet said, 'You cannot lead from behind.' 'Well, let me put it plainly. I cannot spare you.'" (Shaara 86). Lee spoke honestly, and did so without making jokes.

   Lee moves the plot along by keeping control of the army, and ordering constant attacks which kept them on the offensive. Lee's tendency to attack rather than defend and his confidence in his men ultimately spelled out the Confederate defeat at Gettysburg. On the first day of Gettysburg, Lee ordered a massive attack to take the town, "Lee felt a thrill of delight... Rodes had come in on the right on the Union flank; blue troops were turning to meet a new threat. And Early was close behind...Another courier. 'General Early has arrived, begs to report that he is attacking to the north of General Rodes.'... Rodes and Early were attacking; Heth and Pender were waiting here in front of him. Lee's instinct sensed opportunity. Let us all go in together, as God decreed a fight here. He swung to Heth, 'General, you may attack.'" (Shaara 109-11) Later in the book, Lee's overconfidence and tendency to attacks left the army in shambles. "'General, you must look to your Division.' Pickett said tearfully, voice of a bewildered angry boy. 'General Lee, I have no Division.' He pointed back down the hill, jabbing at the blowing smoke, the valley of wrecked men...'What about my men? Armistead is gone. Garnett is gone. Kemper is gone. All my colonels are gone. Good God, sir, what about my men?'" (Shaara 345) Lee's attack on the last day left his army unable to fight. In total, Lee moves the plot along with his tactics, first taking the town of Gettysburg, then losing it all in a reckless attack. In a way, Lee moves the entire book along by himself, as he dictates the entire movement of the Confederate army in the area, which is almost always on the offensive, and loses the Battle of Gettysburg.

Related Page: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/biography/grant-lee/

This is a old rock song from 1985 about the days of Gettysburg: