Strategy: Strategy is mentioned frequently throughout the book. Lee prefers Napoleonic tactics, which is the currently favored method of fighting in the world, and ties into honor. One does not gain glory or honor sitting behind defensive works. Longstreet takes up the opposite position, preferring defensive strategies that make the enemy come to him. He advocates the use of trenches, something Lee refuses to do. Lee sees the Napoleonic method as an extension of the man, and that is the only way he will fight. Most of the Southern officers and Fremantle agree with Lee.
Interestingly, the Union cavalry commander, Buford, seems to agree with Longstreet's beliefs. Both of the men have served out West and value defensive tactics as much, if not more than, the flamboyant charges of offensive warfare. To this day, there remains the question of whether the loss at Gettysburg was due to Lee's poor judgment and refusal to consider a different strategy, or Longstreet's lack of commitment because he disagreed with the strategy Lee was using.
God's will: The book has a strong element of "predestination" and of "God's will at work" in the battle. Lee speaks frequently of forces beyond all of them directing the battle and that all of it is in God's hands.
It also has the element of divine retribution for a sacred oath broken. All the Confederate officers who had earlier served in the Union Army took an oath to protect and preserve the Union. That oath was broken when they took up arms for the Confederacy. In discussions between Lee and Longstreet, you see that they harbor doubts about whether they were right to break that oath, and whether that betrayal will cost them the war. Even the wife of General Pender predicts her husband will die because the Confederates have moved onto Union soil, and the Lord will avenge that.
Other elements to watch for in the book include Shaara's use of character, relationships, and irony, as well the themes of command style conflicts, command mistakes, morale in the two armies, the effect of chance and circumstance in the battle, and the issue of "good ground."
