The Killer Angels: Friday, July 3, 1863: Chapter 6 Summary & Analysis

At dusk, Chamberlain sits on a rock overlooking the battlefield. It looks like “the gray floor of hell.” He marvels at the contrast between the clean, green fields of that morning and the carnage, litter, and smoke he sees now. His mind feels “blasted” as well—he is still in shock from the artillery bombardment. He knows he has been present at one of the great moments of history.

Chamberlain closes his eyes and pictures the battle again, thinking that it was the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. He doesn’t understand the presence of “unspeakable beauty” above the fear and horror. He supposes that in the face of tragedy, one feels the doors open to eternity, “the rising across the terrible field of that last enormous, unanswerable question.”

Rain begins to fall lightly around Chamberlain, washing the dust and dirt from his face. Soon Tom finds him and sits with him in the darkness. Chamberlain feels immense love for his brother but restrains himself from showing emotion. Tom speaks admiringly of the Rebels’ courage that day. “Thing I never will understand,” he says. “How can they fight so hard … and all for slavery?”

Chamberlain realizes he had forgotten all about the Cause when the guns began firing. It now seems strange to him to think about “morality, or that minister long ago, or the poor runaway black.” As he gazes across the field now, all he can see is outlines of bodies illuminated by lightning.

Tom points out that the Rebel prisoners never talk about slavery. He asks Chamberlain how Chamberlain explains this: “what else is the war about?” Chamberlain just shakes his head. He agrees with Tom that if it weren’t for slavery, no war would have been fought. “Well then,” Tom concludes, “I don’t care how much political fast-talking you hear, that’s what it’s all about … I don’t understand it at all.”

Chamberlain is thinking of Kilrain: “no divine spark.” He also thinks, “Animal meat: the Killer Angels.” He watches as bodies are laid out carefully on the field below. He can feel no hatred toward them—only an extraordinary admiration. He feels almost as if they were his own men, and he feels a visceral pity. Again remembering Kilrain, he says, “They’re all equal now … in the sight of God.”

Tom gets up, urging his brother to move, too, since there’s a big rain coming. He asks Chamberlain if he thinks the rebels will attack again. Chamberlain nods, knowing they’re not done. He even feels “an appalling thrill.” He knows he’ll be there until it ends or until he dies, and he is amazed at his own eagerness.

As the rain begins to pour, Chamberlain thanks God for the privilege of having been there that day. He returns to his men. Meanwhile, “the light rain went on falling on the hills above Gettysburg, but it was only the overture to the great storm to come.” The storm breaks in earnest over the valley, with monstrous wind, lightning, and flooding rains, “washing … the white bones of the dead, cleansing the earth … driving the blood deep into the earth, to grow it again with the roots toward Heaven.” It rains all night. The next day is the Fourth of July.