The Killer Angels Group

Question:

amk267
amk267
Student
High School - 10th Grade

In "The Killer Angels," how did the continual changes in Union comand structure affect its army's performance?

Performance including:  morale, training and battlefield decisions?

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Posted by amk267 on Monday September 1, 2008 at 6:45 PM and tagged with command structure, morale, performance, the killer angels, themes, union army.

Answers:


  1. michael336 Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    The constant change in command presented the idea (and fact) that the government did not have a sharp focus on its goal for winning the war (hence, it went from saving the Union to freeing the slaves).  The government's lack of confidence in its generals was interpreted as a lack of confidence in the army as a whole.  The soldiers felt they were on a losing team, even though they had a winning cause.

    In the government's defense, however, it is true that the South had the bulk of the highly qualified miliatry officers.  The majority of the upper command in the Confederate army was West Point trained as well as experienced in war during the Mexican-American War.  Throughout much of the Civil War, the North was routinely out-classed and out-fought by the South.  It wasn't really until Gettysburg tha the South began to lose itself.

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    Posted by michael336 on Tuesday September 2, 2008 at 4:56 AM