Pickett Organizes His Forces at Gettysburg

But there was now to occur a scene of moral sublimity and heroism unequalled in the war.

Continuing Battle of Gettysburg,
with a selection from The Lost Cause by Edward A. Pollard published in 1866. This selection is presented in 5 installments, each one 5 minutes long. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in Battle of Gettysburg.

Time: July 1-3, 1863
Place: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

The key of the enemy’s position was for a moment in our hands. But the condition of the brave troops who had wrested it by desperate valor had become critical in the extreme. Wil cox, Perry, and Wright had charged most gallantly over a distance of more than three-quarters of a mile, breaking two or three of the enemy’s lines of battle and capturing two or three batteries of artillery. Of course our lines were greatly thinned, and our troops much exhausted. No reinforcements were sent to this column by the lieutenant-general commanding. The extent of the success was not instantly appreciated. A decisive moment was lost.

Wright’s little brigade of Georgians had actually got into the enemy’s intrenchments upon the heights. Perceiving, after getting possession of the enemy’s works, that they were isolated —- more than a mile from support -— that no advance had been made on their left, and just then seeing the enemy’s flanking column on their right and left flanks rapidly converging in their rear, these noble Georgians faced about, abandoning all the guns they had captured, and cut their way back to our main lines, through the enemy, who had now almost entirely surrounded them.

The results of the day were unfortunate enough. Our troops had been repulsed at all points save where Brigadier-General Steuart held his ground. A second day of desperate fighting and correspondingly frightful carnage was ended. But General Lee still believed himself and his brave army capable of taking these commanding heights, and thus able to dictate a peace on the soil of the free States.

The third day’s battle was again to be begun by the Confederates. At midnight a council of war had been held by the enemy, at which it was determined that the Confederates would prob ably renew the attack at daylight on the following morning, and that for that day the Federals had better act purely on the defensive.

The enemy’s position on the mountain was well-nigh impregnable, for there was no conceivable advance or approach that could not be raked and crossed with the artillery. All the heights and every advantageous position along the entire line where artillery could be massed or a battery planted frowned down on the Confederates through brows of brass and iron. On the slopes of the mountain was to occur one of the most terrific combats of modern times, in which more than two hundred cannon were belching forth their thunders at one time, and nearly two hundred thousand muskets were being discharged as rapidly as men hurried with excitement and passion could load them.

Early in the morning preparations were made for a general attack along the enemy’s whole line, while a large force was to be concentrated against his center, with the view of retaking the heights captured and abandoned the day before. Longstreet massed a large number of long-range guns (fifty-five) upon the crest of a slight eminence just in front of Perry’s and Wilcox’s brigades and a little to the left of the heights upon which they were to open. Hill massed some sixty guns along the hill in front of Posey’s and Mahone’s brigades and almost immediately in front of the heights. At twelve o’clock, while the signal-flags were waving swift intelligence along our lines, the shrill sound of a Whitworth gun broke the silence, and the cannonading began.

The enemy replied with terrific spirit, from their batteries posted along the heights. Never had been heard such tremendous artillery firing in the war. The warm and sultry air was hideous with discord. Dense columns of smoke hung over the beautiful valley. The lurid flame leaps madly from the cannon’s mouth, each moment the roar grows more intense; now chime in volleys of small-arms. For one hour and a half this most terrific fire was continued, during which time the shrieking of shells, the crashing of falling timber, the fragments of rock flying through the air, shattered from the cliffs by solid shot, the heavy mutterings from the valley between the opposing armies, the splash of bursting shrapnel, and the fierce neighing of wounded horses made a picture terribly grand and sublime.

But there was now to occur a scene of moral sublimity and heroism unequalled in the war. The storming-party was moved up —- Pickett’s division in advance, supported on the right by Wilcox’s brigade, and on the left by Heth’s division, commanded by Pettigrew. With steady measured tread the division of Pickett advanced upon the foe. Never did troops enter a fight in such splendid order. Their banners floated defiantly in the breeze as they pressed across the plain. The flags which had waved amid the wild tempest of battle at Gaines’s Mill, Frayser’s Farm, and Manassas never rose more proudly. Kemper, with his gallant men, leads the right; Garnett brings up the left; and the veteran Armistead, with his brave troops, moves forward in support. The distance is more than half a mile. As they advance, the enemy fire with great rapidity —- shell and solid shot give place to canister—- the very earth quivers beneath the heavy roar —- wide gaps are made in this regiment and that brigade. The line moves onward, cannons roaring, shells and canister plunging and ploughing through the ranks, bullets whizzing as thick as hailstones in winter, and men falling as leaves fall in the blasts of autumn.

Orville J. Victor begins here. Edward A. Pollard begins here. Abraham Lincoln begins here.

More information here and here, and below.

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