In the movie “Gettysburg,” the viewer is introduced to various leaders during the Civil War: Colonel Chamberlain, Robert E. Lee, and Meade to name a few. It portrays the different techniques these military leaders used to encourage and advance their men. Although some of these tactics were never before used or heard of, they proved to be successful. For example, Colonel Chamberlain was put in charge of the 40th Maine. When their ammunition ran out, he encouraged his men to charge. He reminded them of what the goal was, and empowered them to keep going.

Another successful leader, aside from Chamberlain, was Robert E. Lee, who led the Confederates. He was well respected by his men and other leaders. With the help of Stonewall Jackson and Longstreet, he was indestructible. However, Jackson was killed within the first few days of Gettysburg. Lee didn’t adjust to the new circumstances he was placed in, and didn’t accustom himself with Jackson’s replacements. This inevitably led to the Confederates loss at the Battle of Gettysburg.

A lesser known leader, but a better leader than Lee, was General Meade who led the Union. He wasn’t very popular and had taken command only a few days before the start of the battle. Unlike Lee, he didn’t trust his instincts and develop a master plan for his men. Instead, he checked in on other leaders, took their ideas into consideration and planned accordingly. Meade knew that in order to succeed in battle, he had to constantly adjust himself and his men to work with the new circumstances they would be constantly placed in. He didn’t set anything in stone, and in turn, was prepared for any potential outcome.

In this sense, Meade was a more successful leader and led the Union to victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. Chamberlain and Meade were very much alike in the sense of adapting to new circumstances. Even though Lee was viewed as a legendary military leader, he had a major fault. He was indeed indestructible with the help of Jackson and Longstreet, but a true leader shouldn’t have to rely on others for their success. A leader should be prepared for any outcome, and know how to keep pushing forward.

Gettysburg. Dir. Ronald F. Maxwell. By Ronald F. Maxwell. Perf. Tom Berenger, Martin Sheen, Stephen Lang, and Jeff Daniels. New Line Cinema, 1993.