Nevertheless, he still pities his friend and promises the help Lee asks of him. In addition, his love for Lee is such that, even when angered by Lee’s insistence on offensive tactics, he finds it nearly impossible to speak against him, and he remains loyal to the last-though, after the failure of Pickett’s Charge, he realizes he will never quite forgive Lee for effectively forcing him to order men to their deaths. His clarity of insight does not translate to persuasive ability, however he is inarticulate and slow to express himself. The Killer Angels is a 1974 historical novel by Michael Shaara that was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1975. Longstreet is fascinated by tactics and strategy and has a far-reaching outlook on the future of warfare, which creates tension between him and other generals, especially Lee. Longstreet also has a surprising liking for the cheerful Fremantle, and their conversations offer clearer insight into Longstreet’s oft-concealed opinions, likely because Fremantle is a neutral outsider. The film GETTYSBURG based on Michael Shaaras Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Killer Angels, has been called one of the greatest war movies of all time. He further rejects Southern notions of honor common among the men, seeing Garnett’s fixation on redeeming himself as foolish. He does not share the vocal idealism about the Southern “cause” of many of his men, but he tries to keep his skepticism to himself. He is also close to Pickett, Armistead, Garnett, and Kemper, having served with all of them in the Mexican War. Longstreet even thinks of Lee as a father figure, replacing the God in whom he no longer believes. The two have grown very close over the course of the war, though conversation can be difficult because of Longstreet’s reticence and Lee’s formality. He is described as “grim and gambling” in contrast to the pious Lee, with whom he enjoys an unusual friendship.

He is haunted by the deaths of his three children from a fever the previous winter, though he never speaks of his grief.

Nicknamed “Pete” by his men, Longstreet is Lieutenant General of the Army of Northern Virginia and Lee’s second-in-command.

The killer angels