GDG- Characters in Killer Angels

[Tom Ryan]

<<Tom,

Interesting question.  I think, perhaps, that in his research of the
individuals Shaara was captivated by several.  Most of them were
Confederate... Lee, Longstreet, Hood, Pickett, Garnett, Armistead, etc.  On
the Federal side, only a few.  In Meade's case, maybe Shaara found nothing
special about him.  Perhaps, as a writer, he feared what introducing a
sour-demeanored, snappy commander (whether true or not) now and then would
do to his inspirational story.  Meade gets only a mention in the book, and
about 10 seconds of screen time in the movie.

I think that Shaara was only concentrating on those personalities that he
could develop as he saw them, based on the written record, and show their
inspirational, higher-than-self ideal.  As many do, he found the majority of
those on the southern side where Gettysburg was concerned.  If he were to
try some sort of "balance," he would have gone beyond his historical base.>>

J.D.,

	I think that probably comes as close as anyone is going to get to Shaara's
motivation for choosing his characters.  As with any writer, he had to limit
the number due to standard space limitations, and he latched onto the most
interesting people he could find to make the story come alive.

	Someone mentioned surprise that Sickles was not included.  He probably left
him out because he was looking for Union heroes (he chose Buford, Hancock
and Chamberlain), and Sickles certainly did not fit the bill.

Regards, Tom