The Killer Angels - Essay Example

This book is based on the three days of the Gettysburg war starting from June 29th 1863 and ending on 3rd July 1863. This war from a historical viewpoint is seen as the beginning of the end for the Confederacy. It caused a huge loss to the Confederates, from which they never recovered. The battle of Gettysburg, fought on the Unions own territory, was the bloodiest war in the history of the American civil war. It resulted in the deaths of many soldiers on both sides, in fact, as many as 50000 were dead or were injured or went missing while fighting, during those three days.

Shaara through this historical fiction tries to take us through those three days and tries to conjure a picture that describes the emotional conflicts that the generals and other officers on each side of the warring faction had to face as they put up a brave front and fought against friends and relatives. The southern concept of the Gettysburg war is very important as this war proved to be the turning point in the outcomes of the American civil war and is often referred to as the high tide of the Confederacy.

Before this particular battle the southern army was faring well in most of the battle outcomes. It was this war which brought the Confederacy very, very close to gaining independence. General Lee, the commander in chief, was the chief inspiration for the Confederates and widely respected amongst all the southerners, carried on the battle right into the enemys territory and attacked them with his entire strength, to finish off the battle once and for all. He knew that if he could destroy the Union forces in their own territory it would be their end.

This was the main concept of the battle of Gettysburg from a southern perspective. To achieve this General Lee was completely intent on going ahead and directly attacking the Union army instead of paying heed to Longstreet