The significance of Gettysburg can't be overstated

Rating: 9/10 (23 September 2006)

The Killer Angels was a required book for Command and Staff College. It's relatively thin, so making it into a 4-hour movie was quite a feat in itself. My judgment was that is stays faithful to the book in all important ways. A few days ago, I pulled It off the shelf because my daughter's 5th grade class has a field trip to Gettysburg this year. It still brings up very strong emotions at critical points and this is what I hope our kids get out of this block of study (here come the spoilers): (1.) Col Chamberlain to the remnants of the 2nd Maine being forced to join his 20th Maine Regiment: "Gentlemen, I think if we lose this fight, we lose the war." Although the timing was off on this integration, it was important to set the importance of the battle. (2.) Chamberlain on Little Round Top with the 4th wave of attacks from the 15th Alabams - his decision that he was too week to defend, so he ordered fix bayonets and charged, saving the day and the battle since his regiment held the extreme flank. Chamberlain received the Medal of Honor for his actions on Little Round Top. (3.) The conversation before Pickett's Charge between Lt Col Fremantle (British LNO) and CSA Brig Gen Lewis Armistead, one of Pickett's Brigade Commanders. Specifically, the explanation Armistead gives about the American History of some his Virginians when Fremantel comments on the irony since Armistead's uncle defended Ft McHenry from the British: (Artillery Commander) 1st in his Class at West Point, before Virginia succeeded, (Color Guard Private) Grandson of a President of the United States, (Regimental Colonel) Great-Grandson of Patrick Henry, who said "Give me liberty, or give me death" (4.)(Major Gen Pickett to Lee) "General Lee, I have no division". (5)Finally, the exceptionally close bond, forged at West Point, between Armistead and USA Maj Gen Hancock and the anguish when Armistead learned both had gone down, "No, not both of us, not all of us, please God!" Indeed at Gettysburg today, the spot Armistead fell has a marker and is the high-water mark (furtherest point of advance) for the Confederacy. End of Spoilers. Our kids need to learn that as the Revolutionary War determined we would BE a country, the Civil War shaped what kind of country we would become. After Gettysburg, the war continued almost two years more. To say Gettysburg decided it all ignores the campaigns out West, but with Lincoln under increasing political pressure, it COULD have saved the nation from a negotiated peace with the South.