Analysis of Leadership in "Killer Angels"

Throughout the Battle of Gettysburg, as described in “Killer Angels”, the qualities, decisions, and characteristics of three distinct and respected men form a well-rounded model of a true leader. Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet, and Union Colonel Lawrence Chamberlain, are rare and shining examples of decisive, tactical, and compassionate leaders. There is no other more beloved and respected general in American history than that of the Southern-gentleman, Robert E. Lee. His ability to instill passion, respect, stability, love and decisiveness into his subordinates was and is still unprecedented. Unwavering and stubborn as a rock, James Longstreet was a brilliant, yet quiet, leader. Reserved and troubled, Longstreet lacked persuasion skills and the ability to communicate a point clearly, yet his love for the army and reliability made him stand out as Lee’s second-hand man. Previously a well-educated professor, Colonel Chamberlain tackled the art of leading with skill and a desire to improve. Leading his regiment, Chamberlain displayed an exceptional ability to listen, learn, think, and then act when it came to dealing with his men. Leadership, as portrayed in “Killer Angels”, instills within subordinates a strong desire to follow and perform duties without ever second-guessing their orders.
Robert E. Lee leads strongly and decisively, while always keeping his calm and composure, regardless of the circumstances. He does not hesitate to act quickly and decisively when he discovers the Union army to be shadowing his movements in southern Pennsylvania. Without ever second-guessing himself, he turns the army, placing full faith and confidence in his men to accomplish the objective of luring the Union army into the open and destroying them. Viewing this as the last opportunity, he sees no other alternative other than to attack, regardless of unfavorable positions. Despite being faced against a much larger and better-positioned enemy, his subordinates, men and officers alike, follow and trust his decision. General Longstreet, while he strongly disagreed with Lee’s decision to fight at Gettysburg, rightly stated the General’s strong leadership characteristics in “Killer Angels”. “The secret of General Lee is that men love him and follow him with faith in him. That’s one secret. The next secret is that General Lee makes a decision and he moves, with guts.” To be a leader, one must not be timid and afraid when the time comes to make decisions. His firm reliance and trust in God, gave him a peace and composure when making critical decisions that would affect the outcome of the war.
Disliked by many of the Corps commanders, General Longstreet held Lee’s full trust and faith as the most dependable and faithful commander in the army. Quiet and serious, Longstreet was one of the few generals who did not worry about “losing” his dignity when it came to fighting battles. At Gettysburg, he would rather retreat and attempt defensive warfare, the unpopular decision, than to attack and risk losing the army for the sake of “honor” and “popularity.” Probably the most brilliant strategist in the Confederate Army, Longstreet’s defensive tactics were unprecedented and most likely far beyond his time. Persuading skills was a quality he most certainly did not possess - frustrating him as he failed to relay his thoughts out clearly to General Lee and others. He seems at times to have a one-track mind, which in many cases, did not help at all, neither practically nor in the opinions of his fellow generals. After the failure of Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg, Longstreet’s love for the army devastates him as he witnesses the loss of so many. General Lee, in “Killer Angels” states the hard truth of leadership, “To be a good soldier you must love the army. But to be a good officer you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. This is… a very hard thing to do. No other profession requires it. That is one reason why there are so very few good officers. Although there are many good men.”
An avid learner and a well-educated professor, Colonel Chamberlain, despite his background, always yearned to be a soldier. When placed in command of the 20th Maine Regiment, his leadership style was firm and professional, yet compassionate and understanding. When faced with the challenge of forcing 120 mutineers back into the regiment, Colonel Chamberlain takes a remarkable approach. He assesses the situation, realizing that these men are stubborn and tired of abuse from guards and frustrated officers. Rather than literally forcing these men into the regiment, Chamberlain allows the men to vent their frustrations, honestly hearing their complaints from a representative. Without compromising his position of leadership and authority, he addresses the men with an air of honesty and thus instills within them a desire to willingly join the regiment and continue the “noble” fight in which they are engaged. While lacking experience, Colonel Chamberlain realized who he was dealing with, recognized past mistakes, and adjusted accordingly so as to best manage, understand, and lead his men.
Decisiveness, confidence, strategy, compassion, and professional interaction are all key qualities possessed by three leaders who indefinitely made their mark in history during the epic Battle of Gettysburg as described in “Killer Angels.” Robert E. Lee, James Longstreet, and Lawrence Chamberlain exemplify the characteristics of a leader and further one’s understanding of leadership in general. Quality leaders must remain firm and unwavering when around subordinates, choosing words carefully, instilling confidence and loyalty in others, and thus earning and sharing respect from the men they lead. Developing firm leadership and respect among subordinates can only be acquired through time, practice and honesty. Drawing from the examples of sound leaders in “Killer Angels,” one can resolve that a leader is honest and true to his own strengths. Every quality cannot be embraced, yet the truth of that fact must be realized in order for leadership to be exercised effectively. Leaders do not compromise, but act decisively on that which they perceive to be the right choice according to their own conscience and the sound judgment of others. When these qualities are realized, embraced, and enacted, a leader will emerge, along with the respect and loyalty from subordinates which accompany good leadership.