The Killer Angels Discipline Essay

The Merriam-Webster definition of discipline is “control that is gained by requiring that rules or orders must be obeyed and all other bad behavior must be punished.” It is very important to have and to be disciplined because without discipline rules and consequences would not be necessary- anything could be permitted. J.E.B Stuart’s deserved but unattended focal and disciplinary actions in The Killer Angels lead to lack of respect by fellow soldiers, unawareness of the Union’s position or their “blindness,” and not fully accepting his minor disciplinary action.
Jeb Stuart was the Calvary Leader of the confederacy. His only job was to keep track of the movements of the union and report them back to Lee. On the first two days of war, instead of following his orders, he went out joyriding. At the beginning of Battle, Stuart already lost respect by he spy Sorrell. Sorrell knew Stuart was up to no good after being gone so long, speaking of him “riding north, stirring up headlines and fuss.” That was when General Longstreet found out he was “joyriding.”(Monday, Chap.1, p.9) The solider Devin also

laughed and mocked Stuart saying that in the way Stuart gets around, he could be having “dinner in Philadelphia;” Devin was speaking of how long he had gone without any report or new information on the Union’s position. (Monday, Chap, 2 p.37) Losing respect from others is already one bad thing but it is an entirely different thing to lose the adversary’s position in war- especially when the person who is supposed to be reporting the movement is out wasting time.
It is not a good thing to not know the position of your adversary in war- that is when they would have the upper hand. “What bothered him {Longstreet} most was the blindness. Jeb Stuart had not returned. The army had moved all day in enemy country and they had not even known what was around the next bend.” (Monday, June 29, 1863, Chapter 4, “Longstreet,” p. 49) Originally, Longstreet had trusted Stuart but as time progressed, he started feeling anger and frustration towards his stupidity of not reporting the enemies whereabouts. Longstreet was afraid that the Union would advance without any awareness. Longstreet “couldn’t believe Stuart let him down.” (Monday, June 29, 1863, Chapter 4, “Longstreet,” p.52) After everything that Stuart had done to let his unit down and being a bad leader, He ended up not feeling the full affect of his “disciplinary action” from General Lee.
At the end of the book, General Lee confronts Stuart after a very long time of unawareness/uncertainty (on Lee’s part) and immaturity/stupidity (on Stuart’s part.) Lee spoke to Stuart “as a small child” and told him the cold truth that “it was the opinion of some excellent officers that he {Stuart} had let us down.” (Thursday, July 2, 1863, Chapter 6, “Lee” p.265) Instead of apologizing or accepting the truth, Stuart was trying to figure out who these gentlemen were so that he could do something to them (not mentioned.) Then as Lee kept talking, Stuart kept trying to interrupt to justify his situation.

Lee was trying to discipline Stuart {even with his weak heart,} yet Stuart was making excuses to justify his joyriding- instead of accepting the truth. Stuart needed stronger disciplinary action in order to feel the effect of his situation and the severity of his

mistakes.
Stuart was an immature solider throughout the book. He went out joyriding when he should have been reporting, stirring up trouble when he should have been with General Lee, and not accepting the truth of his mistakes and making excuses. Although he had gained control of being viewed as a great solider at the beginning, he had loss his prerogative by disobeying rules and orders-which resulted in punishment. Stuart needed true disciplinary actions in order to understand his mistakes and gain his honor back in the Confederacy.