The novel, The Killer Angels, gives the view that history is much more than just a series of dates and events; it's the stories of men showing their courage and fear under these extreme conditions. Some of these men included General Robert E. Lee, General James Longstreet, and General Joshua L. Chamberlain. The author of this novel is Michael Shaara, whose interest in the Civil War began after finding some letters written by his great grandfather, a Confederate soldier. A trip to Gettysburg, where his great grandfather was wounded, moved Shaara to begin his novel about those three bloody days in the summer of 1863. The Killer Angels won Shaara a Pulitzer Prize and sold more than two million copies. This novel is a very powerful novel that helps readers gain gratitude and appreciation for those who served in this war. He accomplishes this by showing, through the eyes of the characters, how humble men can rise to the ranks of heroes and the enormous amount of courage found on both sides of the fighting line. Finally, he shows how each side was willing to give up everything to uphold personal values and maintain their way of life. .
The book opens with a beaten and battle-worn Union army marching back to Pennsylvania in pursuit of General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army. The fighting begins in the small crossroad town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It starts when Major General John Buford's cavalry holds the grounds outside of the town against the powerful Confederate advances. Fighting stubbornly, the cavalry holds long enough for Major General John Reynolds, to bring up the right wing of the northern army. Reynolds, however, was shot and killed shortly after arriving on the field. The Confederates won the first day of July, but failed to take the high ground at Cemetery Hill. This would haunt Lee's Army for the rest of the battle. The highlight of the action was when Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and his 20th Maine anchored the left flank of the army.
