General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee was the lead general and commander of the Confederate army. Lee was a shrewd tactician and an immensely successful general. He is well respected on both sides with an even temper, strong faith in God, and love for his home state of Virginia. He suffers from heart problems.
General James Longstreet
James Longstreet was Lee's second in command, and arguably the second most important general in the Confederate army (after Lee) since Stonewall Jackson died. He can be crude and stubborn but has a firm grasp of military tactics and an understanding that the style of warfare is evolving. He lost all three of his children to a fever, something that makes him depressed throughout the novel.
Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain is a Union colonel. He gave up his post as a professor to come fight in the war because he has a strong desire to be a soldier. He is a bright individual who plays an important role during the battle of Gettysburg.
General George Pickett
He is a new Confederate general who has risen through the ranks and is eager to prove himself at Gettysburg. Pickett is a bit of a melodramatic dandy, and is in love with a much younger girl.
General J. E. B. Stuart
Stuart is the Confederate cavalry general who is supposed to be tracking the Union army for Lee. However, Stuart has a fun loving nature and is prone to going joyriding with his unit instead, a move that costs the Confederacy dearly.
General John Buford
Buford is a Union cavalry commander. He has an eye for picking good ground on a battlefield and two brigades with which to hold it.
General Richard Ewell
Richard Ewell is the Confederate general who has been selected to take over part of "Stonewall" Jackson's command after his death. However, Ewell doubts himself after receiving an injury that cost him his leg. This doubt makes him too cautious and deferential at times.
