Army Of The Union example essay topic

The Killer Angels Michael Shaara's book, The Killer Angels is a historical fiction of the Battle of Gettysburg, told from the point of view of various Union and Confederate officers who played a significant role in it. One of the best features of the book is Shaara's ability to manipulate one's emotions. One finds them self-cheering for both the Union and the Confederate armies at the same time. One becomes attached to the character personalities and thus makes it all the more difficult to be excited when a victory for either side occurs. Shaara pulls the reader into the story, one seems to actually hear the roaring of the cannon and experience the summer heat of Pennsylvania. The Battle of Gettysburg, fought July 1-4, 1863, was America's Armageddon, the single, blazing moment when the Civil War's central issue, one nation, or two, was decided.

What happened is well known. After a smashing win in May 1863 at Chancellorsville, Virginia, Robert E. Lee became set on dealing a deathblow to the Union army, now in disarray, and staked everything on winning a huge victory on northern soil. Almost by accident, the two great armies made contact at Gettysburg, a site neither side chose nor wanted, and the greatest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere began. The Union army was the first to reach Gettysburg, seized the high ground and, driven into the ropes by Lee's body punches, never let it go. Southern whites feared that a peacetime government of Republicans would interfere with slavery and upset the routine of plantation life. Instead their own actions led to a war that turned southern life upside down and imperiled the very existence of slavery.

There was no part of life that was untouched by the war. Southern whites were fighting to keep their way of life. All that they were used to was plantation farming. That was how they made their money. If slavery was abolished they would be destroyed, in their minds.

They understood that the only way to keep slavery successful was to keep it alive. In the Killer Angels, the Confederate troops fight for this. Being in the army was like having a family. You became very close with your fellow men. In Longstreet's camp, men were playing poker one night and the night was filled with music and laughter (49). Some of the people from the Confederate army, Longstreet had known for twenty years.

These men had served together in the Mexican War. They had been under fire together, and he would always remember the sight of the flying flag after a battle (54). But there certainly were not happy times often. Many of the soldiers had seen thousands die of disease.

About 57,000 men died from dysentery and diarrhea. "The Old Soldier's Disease" was the common name that stood for a soldier eating too many cherries, and having to learn to "fight in the squatting position" (55). Many young men were curious and wanted to join the army to show that they were brave. They were looked down upon by neighbors for not joining. But Virginians had a certain pride, and always wanting to fight (60). The confederates had nothing but contempt for the Yankees (156).

They were fighting for their freedom from rule of a foreign government. One soldier said "that's all we want. We established this country in the first place with strong state governments just for that reason, to avoid a central tyranny" (65). "Every one of the officers had insisted the South would be happier under the Queen than under the Union (159). Some southerners believed that the North did not have the same love for the land and tradition or breeding, or the Old Country (165).

The Confederates questioned their rules of order. They were ordered to take a defensive tactic. Many of them did not agree with that order. Others were just ready for the war to be over. One soldier said "never thought it would last this long", (61). The day of the one battle was over.

You could not go out and fight in the morning and be done by sundown anymore (61). Even Lee himself was ready for the war to be over, "God let it be over soon. While there's time to play with the grandchildren. Fame came too late. I would have enjoyed it if I was younger", (79). Lee had had enough of the defensive war.

He wanted to attack and get the war over with. "I am extraordinarily tired. I am an old man", (113). The point of the war was not to show how brave you were and how to die with manly fashion. Anyone could die (133). Longstreet said "there's no strategy to this bloody war", (251).

He told soldiers that if they had won the battle, it would be because of a miracle (252). The Union army was fighting for a way of life. Secession to destroy their system. The war meant the preservation of a social and political order that people cherished. One of the soldiers in the Killer Angels said "what matters is justice.

'Tis why I'm here. I'll be treated as I deserve, not as my father deserved", (178). Although not all soldiers were fighting for slaves. Many of them had slaves themselves or were racist.

Shaara does not say much about the Union soldier's view on slavery. But not all of them were loving towards the slaves. The army of the Union was concerned for its soldiers. Chamberlain believed there were two things an officer must do.

"You must care for your men's welfare. You must show physical courage", (124). And that is what he did. Shaara shows the reader the questioning that Southern officials were having.

He shows how the Confederates wanted the war to be over more than the Union. These two facts are what helped the Union win the war. Southern soldiers began to lose the will to fight, and eventually lost the war..