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George Pickett
Armistead is a Confederate Brigadier General. He served with Longstreet, Pickett, Garnett, and Kemper in the Mexican War and leads a brigade under Pickett at Gettysburg. His peers have nicknamed him “Lothario,” or “Lo” for short—a joking reference to his being a scoundrel toward women—but, in actuality, he is a shy widower. He is from an old Virginia family with a long military heritage. A lifelong soldier with a courtly bearing, he does not seem aggressive, but is dependable in battle. Longstreet views him as an honest, dependable man of honor. Like many Confederates, Armistead reveres Lee and sees the Southern “cause” as a sort of holy endeavor. He listens to Longstreet’s tactical views and agrees that Longstreet is probably right, but he has little interest in applying them. He is close friends with Winfield Scott Hancock, a Union general, who served with him, Longstreet, and others in Mexico. He is troubled by a vow he has made that God should strike him dead if he ever lifts his hand against Hancock. Twice he expresses a longing to visit Hancock across enemy lines, and Longstreet encourages him, but there is no reunion before Armistead dies in battle during Pickett’s Charge. His last words are an apology to Hancock.
Lewis Armistead Quotes in The Killer Angels
The The Killer Angels quotes below are all either spoken by Lewis Armistead or refer to Lewis Armistead. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Monday, June 29, 1863: Chapter 4
Quotes
War has changed, Lewis. They all expect one smashing victory. Waterloo and all that. But I think that kind of war is over. We have trenches now. And it’s a different thing, you know, to ask a man to fight from a trench. Any man can charge briefly in the morning. But to ask a man to fight from a trench, day after day …
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“But the morale is simply amazing. Really is. Never saw anything like it in the old army. They’re off on a holy war. The Crusades must have been a little like this. Wish I’d a been there. Seen old Richard and the rest.”
Longstreet said, “They never took Jerusalem.”
Armistead squinted.
“It takes a bit more than morale,” Longstreet said.
“Oh sure.” But Longstreet was always gloomy. “Well, anyhow, I’ve never seen anything like this. The Old Man’s accomplishment. Incredible. His presence is everywhere. They hush when he passes, like an angel of the Lord. You ever see anything like it?”
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Thursday, July 2, 1863: Chapter 5
Quotes
Longstreet shook his head. That was another thing he did not think about. Armistead said disgustedly, “They think we’re fighting to keep the slaves. He says that’s what most of Europe thinks the war is all about. Now, what we supposed to do about that?”
Longstreet said nothing. The war was about slavery, all right. That was not why Longstreet fought but that was what the war was about, and there was no point in talking about it, never had been.
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Lewis Armistead Quotes in The Killer Angels
The The Killer Angels quotes below are all either spoken by Lewis Armistead or refer to Lewis Armistead. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Monday, June 29, 1863: Chapter 4
Quotes
War has changed, Lewis. They all expect one smashing victory. Waterloo and all that. But I think that kind of war is over. We have trenches now. And it’s a different thing, you know, to ask a man to fight from a trench. Any man can charge briefly in the morning. But to ask a man to fight from a trench, day after day …
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Explanation and Analysis:
“But the morale is simply amazing. Really is. Never saw anything like it in the old army. They’re off on a holy war. The Crusades must have been a little like this. Wish I’d a been there. Seen old Richard and the rest.”
Longstreet said, “They never took Jerusalem.”
Armistead squinted.
“It takes a bit more than morale,” Longstreet said.
“Oh sure.” But Longstreet was always gloomy. “Well, anyhow, I’ve never seen anything like this. The Old Man’s accomplishment. Incredible. His presence is everywhere. They hush when he passes, like an angel of the Lord. You ever see anything like it?”
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Thursday, July 2, 1863: Chapter 5
Quotes
Longstreet shook his head. That was another thing he did not think about. Armistead said disgustedly, “They think we’re fighting to keep the slaves. He says that’s what most of Europe thinks the war is all about. Now, what we supposed to do about that?”
Longstreet said nothing. The war was about slavery, all right. That was not why Longstreet fought but that was what the war was about, and there was no point in talking about it, never had been.
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