Killer Angel: Buford

This is the tenth of 13 mashups of clips from "Gettysburg" (1993) that attempt to capture the motives of major characters from the film and its source, Michael Shaara's novel, The Killer Angels. To go to the next and those that follow, go to    • Killer Angel: Kilrain  . .

Union Cavalry Commander John Buford told us he had always been fond of the South, "for the fishing, for the warmth in winter. Thought once of retiring there." Was that why he was coming to Gettysburg, to keep the South available as a retirement home? Hardly. Twice, we were told, "he was a professional." Making first contact with the whole Confederate army at Gettysburg, Buford grabbed the high ground, sent word to Infantry Commander John Reynolds, and prayed Reynolds would arrive in time to relieve his dismounted troops. Earlier in the war, Reynolds had come too late, and Buford's men had escaped by the skin of their teeth but, this time, Reynolds got there and, though he had been pushed back, Buford had held the high ground, giving Union forces the advantage in the fierce fighting over the following two days. Although he would not live long enough to receive the recognition, some scholars have since credited Buford, by holding the good ground on the battle's first day, with the North's victory, not only at Gettysburg but in the entire Civil War.

The quotes are found on pages 44 and 48 in The Killer Angels.