Breakthrough at Petersburg

Entrenchments at Petersburg

When Ulysses S. Grant received news of Phil Sheridan's victory at Five Forks the previous day, he immediately gave orders for a general attack to be made on Lee's lines at Petersburg. This opportunity coincided with a major attack Grant had been planning for some time. For months the Confederates had been stretched thinner and thinner, and now they must surely be planning to evacuate the position, since Sheridan could cut off their lines of communication. Grant wanted to strike and destroy Lee before he escaped.

Horatio Wright

The assault was preceded by an artillery barrage which began at 10 pm on April 1st, and continued for some four hours. Not longer after, in the early morning of April 2, the Union infantry attacked. The attack was begun by Horatio Wright's VI Corps, which was facing some of A. P. Hill's about in the center of the battle lines. Wright had carefully chosen the point to attack, on the far left of his position, where the lines were close together and these were few obstacles in between. He had a vast superiority of numbers, and was able to bring 14,000 troops to bear on a mile long line held by only 2,000 Confederates. However, the southerner's works were high and strong, and they had well sited cannon posted along the line.

At 4:40 two Union cannon fired, signalling the beginning of the attack. The Federal troops moved forward, preceded by pioneers to clear away the wooden obstructions in front of the Confederate lines.  The Confederate pickets were driven back, but they alerted the main line of the attack, and soon the Yankees began to receive a heavy and well-directed fire. The first Federal over the wall was Captain Charles Gould of the 5th Vermont. He ran down the path made by the Confederate pickets, followed by three men with the rest not far behind, and crossed the ditch on a plank bridge the Confederate had placed there. Gould quickly climbed over the wall and gained the parapet, but the rebels on the other side were ready for him. He was immediately cut three times by bayonets and swords, and one southerner pointed a rifle directly at him and pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired. He was pulled back over the parapet by Corporal Henry Rector, and before long more Union troops arrived and secured the position.

All along the line Federals climbed up the works, capturing them with quick hand-to-hand fighting. Breaches formed in the Confederate position and soon it fell entirely into Federal hands. The 2nd Rhode Island captured six Confederate cannon, and then quickly turned them on their former owners to drive back a counter attack.

A. P. Hill

After this initial success, Wright's troops continued to push forward in ragged order, capturing the Southside Railroad a mile in the rear. This would not be a temporary success, like Gordon had won at Fort Steadman. Instead it was a major breakthrough. A. P. Hill, the Confederate corps commander, worked to organize a resistance to meet this major reverse. He was riding through the woods towards Harry Heth's headquarters, accompanied by only one staff officer. The Confederate officers encountered two Union stragglers of the 138th Pennsylvania, Corp. John Mauk and Private David Wolford. Hill demanded their surrender, but instead Mauk fired, killing Hill. He was one of the highest ranking Confederate killed during the war.

The attacks

Wright reorganized his corps, and began widening the gap formed in the Confederate line, with support from Gibbon's XXIV Corps. At 6:00 Humphreys' II Corps on the left attack, and also made progress. Many Confederates resisted just to buy time, hoping that reinforcements would arrive. Fort Gregg was stoutly defended, and the attackers got stuck in the ditch, which was filled with mud and water. However, after several attacks, Union soldiers were able to work their way around to the fort's rear, drive off the few defenders placed there, and gain entrance into the fort.

Dead Confederate at Petersburg

Robert E. Lee realized that he could not maintain his lines, and that Richmond and Petersburg must fall. He telegraphed the Secretary of War:

I see no prospect of doing more than holding our position here until night. I am not certain I can do that. If I can I shall withdraw to-night north of the Appomattox, and, if possible, it will be better to withdraw the whole line to-night from James River. I advise that all preparations be made for leaving Richmond tonight.

During the day of heavy fighting along the entire line, Grant's army lost about 4,000 men, the Confederates about 5,000 men, mostly captured.Lee's men began evacuating the lines which they still retained at 8:00 pm. The government abandoned Richmond that night, taking with them what papers they could. The retreating soldiers set fire to the warehouses, and other structures of military use. The fire spread out of control, and much of the city burnt to the ground.

Richmond burning

That night Grant wrote to his wife:

I am now writing from far inside of what was the rebel fortifications this morning but what are ours now. They are exceedingly strong and I wonder at the sucsess [sic] of our troops carrying them by storm. But they did it and without any great loss. Altogether this has been one of the greatest victories of the war.

Early the next morning, Union troops found that Lee had abandoned his lines. He had set off towards Appomattox. The last stage of the American Civil War had begun.

The ruins of Richmond after the fire

Battle of Peebles's Farm

In the end of September, 1864, Ulysses S. Grant launched several attacks against Lee's lines around Richmond and Petersburg. One of these, conducted on the eastern end of the line by Benjamin Butler, captured Fort Harrison and New Market Heights on September 29th. Lee sent I Corps commander Richard Anderson to the scene to contain the breakthrough. Anderson launched several unsuccessful counterattacks to try to recapture the Confederate line. Grant rightly believed that these attacks were being made by troops from Lee's right, so he ordered Gouverneur Warren to attack on that portion of the line with the V Corps.

Warren

Warren's troops begin moving on September 30th, striking A. P. Hill's Third Corps, which had indeed been weakened to reinforce the Confederate left. The Federals attacked at 1 pm and quickly broke the Confederate line, capturing Fort Archer while the southerners fled to the rear. When Lee realized that his right also was in critical danger, he recalled the Light Division and sent them back to the right. The IX Corps had been brought up to support the Union line, which Warren thought would face a counterattack. That Corps was not properly connected to the V Corps. When Heth's men attacked at 4:30 pm, they routed the IX Corps, capturing nearly an entire brigade. Warren rallied his men, and the fighting died down for the day.

Heth

On October 1st Heth again attacked Warren's line, but this time the assaults were repulsed. The next day Warren was reinforced with a division from the II Corps, which led an attack on the Confederate works. Their goal was the Boydton Plank Road, an important Confederate supply route. This attack overran Confederate positions, but was stopped before reading the road. Although this battle had no decisive impact on the campaign, it did lengthen the lines further clockwise around Petersburg, bringing Grant closer to cutting off Lee's line of communication. In this fight the Union lost almost 2,900, the Confederates over 1,200.

Battle of North Anna

Although the Union forces in the east were meeting defeat on almost every side, most recently at the Battle of Spotsylvania, Grant was not discouraged. One of his greatest strengths was his perseverance. Where others would have quickly retreated, Grant stayed and fought it out. Grant did not want to just move around Lee's right flank as he had done before, since the Confederates would just fall back to strong positions behind the North Anna River. So he sent Hancock's II Corps to move as a feint to try to lure Lee into attacking him on open ground. Lee did not fall for the trick. Instead he fell back behind the North Anna, and Grant missed hitting him on the road.

Grant moved forward at a more leisurely pace, and on May 23 the Federals arrived at the North Anna. They quickly realized that Lee had miscalculated. He believed that the Federals would not try a serious crossing of the North Anna, and the movement there was only a diversion to cover a flanking movement to the east. He had left the North Anna River crossings either lightly guarded, or not defended at all. Hancock's II Corps moved down the Telegraph Road toward Chesterfield Bridge, while to the west Warren moved to cross at Jericho Mills with his V Corps. Hancock's men found one small redoubt guarding the bridge. After an artillery bombardment they charged at 6 pm, drove the Confederates from their position, and captured the bridge before the rebels could burn it.

Pontoon at Jericho Mills

Upsteam at Jericho Mills Warren had forded the river without any resistance. As more troops crossed he formed his men in a battle line of three divisions. The Confederates got wind of this crossing, but the Confederates still believed it was a feint, and A. P. Hill sent only one division, that of Major General Cadmus Wilcox, to deal with the threat. They were greatly outnumbered, but they were able to drive the Federals back, throwing one division into panic. The attack was stalled by well placed Federal artillery, and then recoiled when a Federal brigade struck Wilcox's flank. Wilcox determined he could do nothing more against the Federal beachhead. Lee was upset that the Federals had made it across the river. He said to Hill, “[W]hy did you let those people cross here? Why didn't you throw your whole force on them and drive them back as Jackson would have done?”

The Confederate position on the bluffs running along the North Anna River had been compromised by the Union crossing. However, Lee and his chief engineer soon came up with a brilliant solution. Both Confederate flanks were pulled back into a V formation with the point resting on the river. That way they could keep the Federal forces divided, and hold one at bay while crushing the other. But at this critical moment Lee was sick and confined to his bed. “We must strike them a blow," he said in his tent, "we must never let them pass us again - we must strike them a blow." On May 24^th the Federals continued to cross the river. Approaching the Confederate lines, they found them to be as strong as those at Spotyslvania. Instead of trying to attack, Grant ordered his army to dig in, and the campaign turned briefly into a stalemate. Probes were made at various places along the Confederate line, but nowhere was a weak point found where Grant and Meade could attack with a good chance of success. Grant, however, remained sanguine in his letters to Washington:

Lee's army is really whipped. The prisoners we now take show it, and the actions of his Army show it unmistakably. A battle with them outside of entrenchments cannot be had. Our men feel that they have gained the morale over the enemy, and attack him with confidence. I may be mistaken but I feel that our success over Lee's army is already assured.

Chesterfield Bridge

Battle of the Wilderness – Lee to the Rear

Hancock Attacks

Grant's plan for the second day of the Battle of the Wilderness was to focus his attacks on Hill's corps. His V and VI Corps were to continue their attacks on Ewell, to keep him from coming to Hill's defense, while Hancock continued his attacks on Hill, and Ambrose Burnside's IX Corps hit Hill's flank and rear through the hole in the center of the Confederates. On the Confederate side, Longstreet's First Corps was coming up, and Lee ordered it to go to Hill's aid. Longstreet miscalculated how long it would take to reach Hill and allowed his men some rest during the night. Thus, as the Federal attack began at 5 am on May 6, Longstreet had not yet come up. Hill's men, with their lines still disorganized from the previous day's fighting, were thrown into disarray by the large numbers of Federal forces. Broken Southern units streamed by the Tapp House, and the 16 guns in that field were the only thing holding the Federal advance back.

It was at this critical moment that Longstreet's forces finally began to arrive. At the head of the column was the Texas Brigade now under Brigadier General John Gregg. “I am glad to see it," Lee exclaimed, "Texans always move them!" He told Gregg, "When you go in there, I wish you to give those men the cold steel – they will stand and fight all day, and never move unless you charge them." As the Texans formed up, Gregg stood in his stirrups and shouted, "Attention, Texas Brigade! the eyes of General Lee are upon you. Forward, march!" As the line moved out, Robert E. Lee fell in behind them. He recognized the danger his army was in, and it was apparent that he intended to charge with Gregg's brigade. The Texans would not allow it. “Go back, General Lee," they cried. "Go back! We won’t go forward unless you come back.” Finally Lee was taken to the rear and the Texans' charge. Their attack, ably followed by two more divisions from Longstreet, stemmed Hancock's advance. When Burnside arrived on Hill's flank, he did not make a coordinated and forceful attack, and so the Confederates prevented disaster on that front.  

Longstreet Attacks

Battle of the Wilderness – Hancock Attacks

George Meade wished to strike Hill as well as Ewell, and he ordered Winfield Hancock to the area with his II Corps. The corps was spread over many miles of roads and it took time to bring them into position. Meade grew tired of the delay, and gave Getty a peremptory order to attack with what he had. Without Hancock's men the attack did not have the force to crush the Confederate lines. The forces met in the thick woods, and each fired through the smoky darkness, unable to see their enemy. Hancock sent into two of his divisions, but they were unable to resolve the conflict.

Hancock

At first the only Confederate troops on hand were Henry Heth's division, but Wilcox was sent to reinforce him, and with the fresh men the Confederates attacked. One soldier recalled the fight:

As soon as the line was formed and dressed, the order to advance was given. Balls fired at Heth's division, in front of us, fell among us at the beginning of our advance. We pressed on, guide left, through the thick undergrowth, until we reached Heth's line, now much thinned and exhausted. We had very imprudently begun to cheer before this. We passed over this line cheering. There was no use of this. We should have charged without uttering a word until within a few yards of the Federal line. As it was, we drew upon ourselves a terrific volley of musketry. The advance was greatly impeded by the matted growth of saplings and bushes, and in the delay a scattering fire commenced along our line.

The rebels gained an initial success, but they soon encountered the same problems that had plagued the Federals. They could not launch a successful charge in the woods of the Wilderness. In an attempt to break the stalemate, James Wadsworth's division of the V Corps was ordered to strike Hill's flank. They headed straight into the gap between the two Confederate corps. The vegetation delayed the advance, but by 7 pm they were nearing Hill's flank. Lee had nothing with which to combat this threat except a 150 man strong battalion from Alabama that had been guarding prisoners. He sent these men forward with a yell, and this small charge was able to convince the Federals to halt their attacks for the night. If the Federals had pressed home their attack, it could have resulted in a disaster for the Southern arms.

Although the fighting ceased, it was a horrible night for the wounded on both sides. There had been little rain for some time, and the musketry ignited the dry woods and fields. The fires quickly spread, and many of the wounded, unable to escape the flames, had the torture of being burnt alive. One Federal remembered:

I saw many wounded soldiers in the Wilderness who hung on to their rifles, and whose intention was clearly stamped on their pallid faces. I saw one man, both of whose legs were broken, lying on the ground with his cocked rifle by his side and his ramrod in his hand, and his eyes set on the front. I knew he meant to kill himself in case of fire—knew it is surely as though I could read his thoughts. 

Battle of the Wilderness Begins

The Union army continued marching through the Wilderness on the morning of May 5^th. The Confederate Second Corps under Richard S. Ewell advanced to strike the column, and skirmishing broke out in Saunders Field, a rare open area in the thick woods of the Wilderness. Grant's goal was to destroy Lee's army, so he had told his generals, “"If any opportunity presents itself of pitching into a part of Lee's army, do so without giving time for disposition.” This is just what the Federals did. Their advance halted and Gouverneur Warren, commander of the V Corps, deployed to attack the greycoats.

Wilderness Church

The battle soon began to demonstrate the distinctive of the Overland Campaign. As Ewell's men arrived, instead of driving towards the enemy they began digging breastworks. As Warren deployed his men, he also did not attack, as he saw the Confederate position extended beyond his flank. He wanted to wait until Sedgwick brought up his VI Corps, but Meade was impatient. It had already taken a long time to deploy in the thick forest, and so he ordered Warren to attack.

As the Federals advanced at 1 pm, they found it impossible to stay aligned in the difficult terrain. They lines were already thrown into disarray when they reached Saunders Field. They reformed as best they could at the edge of the field, and then charged toward Ewell's men. They were met by heavy fire, and the attack was unsuccessful. As Warren had feared, the overlapped Union flank was hit by enfilading fire, and Romeyn Ayres' brigade on that flank had to take cover. Joseph Bartlett's brigade made some progress, and secured a portion of the Confederate line, but without support he was forced into retreat. The famed Iron Brigade attacked, but it was unusually repulsed. Warren ordered artillery to move into Saunders Field to support his infantry, but the Confederates counterattacked after the retreating Federals, and were able to capture the guns with hand to hand fighting. At 3 pm, after Warren's attacks had been driven back, Sedgwick arrived on his right. He attacked Ewell's lines, but after an hour of back and forth fighting both sides pulled back and dug in.

Artillery in the Wilderness

Several miles to the south, the Confederate Third Corps under A. P. Hill had also struck the Federal lines, moving along the Orange Plank Road, parallel to the Turnpike, down which Ewell had attacked. Hill was not able to achieve a surprise like Ewell. He pressed forward, skirmishing heavily with Union cavalry who were trying to defend the intersection with the Brock Road. Just as the Confederates were able to capture it, the Federals were reinforced by the division of George Getty, which stopped the southern advance with a volley. 

Although thus far the Confederate advance had not been unsuccessful, there was a major flaw in their dispositions. There was a large gap between Ewell and Hill which, if they could overcome the terrain, the Federals could exploit to great advantage. The point was driven home when blue skirmishers appeared on the edge of field of the Widow Tapp house, where Lee had established his headquarters. The Confederate generals made it to safety, but it was clear that this problem needed to be addressed.

Battle of Bristoe Station

Bristoe Station Campaign

150 years ago today, the Federals in Virginia were retreating north, avoiding battle with Lee's Confederates who had moved around their right flank. Both armies were racing towards Centreville. As A. P. Hill's Third Confederate corps moved into Bristoe Station they saw the Union troops retreating in some haste before them. They were men of the III and V Union corps. Hill saw an opportunity, and didn't hesitate to take it. He ordered Harry Heth to throw his division in line against the enemy, so two North Carolina brigades advanced toward the enemy.

Harry Heth

As the rebels pushed forward to try to catch Union troops in the act of crossing a stream, they were oblivious to the grave danger into which they were advancing. Men of Warren's II corps had taken refuge in a railroad embankment, where they were hidden from the Confederates' view. As these North Carolinians came within about 100 yards of their position, the bluecoats opened fire. The Confederates began to fall quickly. They tried to charge, but were unable to push through the Union musketry. Some of the men were not even able to retreat, about 600 of the rebels were pinned down and captured by the Union forces.

Bristoe Station Battlefield. Source.

The day was a fiasco for the Confederates. Almost 1,400 of them had fallen, while the Federals lost only 500. Several Confederate cannon were captured, and three generals wounded. Hill had rashly advanced without scouting ahead to look for hidden Union positions, and he had payed in southern blood. Robert E. Lee gave Hill a characteristically mild mannered rebuke he would not have quickly forgotten. Riding the battlefield, it is said he told his subordinate, “Well, well, General, bury these poor men, and let us say no more about it.”

Gettysburg – Pickett's Charge

As the fighting was raging on Culp's Hill, Longstreet was still trying get Lee to cancel the attack entirely. He later remembered telling him:

General, I have been a soldier all my life. I have been with soldiers engaged in fights by couples, by squads, companies, regiments, divisions, and armies, and should know, as well as anyone, what soldiers can do. It is my opinion that no fifteen thousand men every arranged for battle can take that position.

Lee would not listen to Longstreet, remaining unconvinced and believing it was too late to change the plan. But he did decide to shift the focus of the attack from the Confederate right to the center as the troops on the right were too hard to disengage. Supporting Pickett would be brigades from Heth and Pender. These divisions suffered heavily on the first day, and they were now commanded by Pettigrew and Trimble. The charge would be very difficult, across a long portion of open ground on the Federals on Cemetery Ridge. To make the assault easier, it would be preceded by an artillery bombardment by Colonel Porter Alexander. Alexander, however, only had enough ammunition for one more bombardment. The fate of the battle of Gettysburg would hang upon this change.

Union line

At about 1 pm 163 Confederate guns along a mile long artillery line opened upon the Cemetery Ridge. It was the largest artillery bombardment of the Civil War. It was a terrible experience for the Union troops at which it was directed. One veteran later wrote:

It makes my Blood Tingle in my veins now; to think of. Never before did I hear such a roar of Artillery, it seemed as if all the Demons in Hell were let loose, and were Howling through the Air. Turn your eyes which way you will the whole Heavens were filled with Shot and Shell, Fire and Smoke.

Although noisy and terrifying, the Confederate bombardment did did not do terrific damage. It was well nigh impossible to aim with the clouds of smoke which quickly covered the ridge, and most Confederate shells went over the Union soldier's heads. Even many which were aimed properly failed to explode. After an hour bombardment, the time had come for the infantry to advance. Pickett found Longstreet and asked him if he should attack. Longstreet, believing the attack would be useless, could not bring himself to give the order, and so simply sadly nodded his head. The orders were given, and the attack moved out. Riding along his lines, Pickett said, “Up, Men, and to your posts! Don't forget today that you are from Old Virginia!” Nine brigades containing 13,000 men moved out, with more available to support a breakthrough.

Pickett Charging

The Confederates advanced in an imposing line across a mile of open ground toward a corpse of trees. The Union artillery immediately opened on them, tearing great gaps in the Confederate line. Some batteries had held their fire during the Confederate bombardment, and so had plenty of ammunition to beat back the infantry. Onward the Southerners pressed across the field. In 15 minutes they reached the Emmitsburg Road, and after climbing the fences reformed their line, closed the gaps and moved forward. The Union troops shifted to canister and the infantry opened fire. Many rebels fell, but some still pressed forward. As the officers were hit the organization began to fall apart. The attack began to falter.

Armistead

Brigadier General Lews Armistead, at the head of his brigade, with his sword in hand and his hat upon the top, shouted out, "Come on, boys, give them cold steel! Who will follow me?" Several hundred men rushed with him towards the position called the Bloody Angle. The rebels, with Armistead at their head, rushed in among the Yankees fought hand to hand occurred. They captured and turned around two Union guns, but there was no ammunition to fire them.

Union reinforcements quickly pressed down on the Confederates who had made it over the wall, overcoming the remnants of Garnett's and Armistead's brigades. The Southern officers had fallen, so the men either made their way back to their lines, or were rounded up and captured. 5,600 men had been lost in this charge, 50% of the men engaged. The Union defenders lost only about 1,500. Lee came out to meet his beaten soldiers, telling them the defeat was all his fault. When he ordered Pickett to rally his division to defend against a possible Union counter attack, the young general replied, “General Lee, I have no division.” Lee had believed his men were invincible, and the break down of coordination doomed the unlikely attack.

Gettysburg – Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill

The division to the left of McLaws was that of Major General Richard Anderson of A. P. Hill's Third Corps. He was to attack in support of Longstreet. His line set out with a cheer about 6 pm. Anderson's men were helped in their attack by Barksdale's charge, which struck the Federals they were facing in the flank. The Union division Anderson struck was able to hold together, although it was forced to fall back and give up several cannon. But Anderson's attack stalled. It was getting dark, the air was filled with smoke, and no troops were sent forward to help push forward the attack. But one brigade did gain very noteworthy success. Ambrose Wright reported that he had gained the top of Cemetery Ridge, and held it for some time before behind forced off for lack of reinforcements. This success may have convinced Lee to order Pickett's Charge the next day.

As these attacks were going on along the Confederate right an attack was also being made on the left, against Culp's Hill. It was intended as a diversion to keep Federal forces pinned down. There had been constant skirmishing throughout the day, but the lines did not move forward until it was nearly dark. The Union right was in great peril, as a 1/2 mile of ground was held by only one brigade, the rest having been pulled out to bolster other sections of the line. But unusually for this period of the war, they had built entrenchments and when the division of Edward "Allegheny" Johnston attacked, they were able to make a good defense. The rebels charged forward through the darkness, and halted within 100 yards of the Federals to exchange fire with them. The Confederates gained some success and captured portions of the Federals breastworks, but Union reinforcements were rushed to the area, and the battle ended in the darkness, with the Confederates retaining a portion of the Union works.

Attack on Culp's Hill

Gettysburg – Peach Orchard

While part of McLaw's division were fighting in the Wheatfield, more of his men were fighting at the Peach Orchard. McLaws was to move forward to capture the high ground around the orchard, and then assist Hood in rolling up the Union right. The Federals were along the Emitsburg Road, but did not have enough men to adequately cover that line. Leading McLaw's assault was William Barksdale's Mississippi Brigade, famous for their gallant defense of Fredericksburg. At their head rode Barksdale himself, mounted on a horse with his sword in hand and his long white hair flowing in the wind. As the Mississippians advanced they took hits from Federal artillery fire, but they closed their ranks and rushed towards the Yankee infantry. Having twice their numbers, they were able to smash through the Federal defense. The rest of the Peach Orchard line soon crumbled. But Barksdale's glorious charge eventually stalled. The Mississippians could only advance so far without becoming very disorganized, and Barksdale himself was wounded, hit in the left knee, and then had his foot hit by a cannon ball. A third shot in the chest knocked him from his horse. He was left on the field for dead, and was later captured and died in a Union field hospital.

Barksdale

Sickle's advanced position had turned out into a disaster. Devil's Den was captured, Little Round Top was severally pressed and the Peach Orchard lost. It appeared that his decision might cost the Federal army the battle. During the fighting, an artillery shot hit him the right knee. Strangely enough, the horse he was riding did not spook. He was helped down and his wounded was dressed. Turning over his command over his command to Davis Birney, he was taken to the rear to have his leg amputated. An experienced politician, he insisted on being taken to Washington, and began a public relations campaign to ensure that every one believed that he saved the day for the Union. In this he was successful, not being court marshelled because of his wound and eventually receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions.

Gettysburg - Wheatfield

While Hood's first brigades were fighting for Devil's Den Little Round Top, more troops were fighting over a Wheatfield. Sickles had reinforced his jagged line with troops from Sykes V Corps. Southern troops advanced against the Federal line, and were met with bursts of cannon and musketry. They began to get around the Federal left flank, but as the Union troops began to fall back the Confederates lost their momentum, exhausted from their charge.

Capture of the Wheatfield

With Hood's attack stalled Longstreet ordered McLaws' division forward forward, and some of his troops struck the area of the Wheatfield. The seasoned Confederate veterans were at first driven back but came on again, pressing the Federals back. Meade had brought up a division from Hancock's line, and sent it into the Wheatfield as reinforcements. One of these soldiers, Major Peter Nelson of the 66th New York, wrote the fight:

Very soon we were under fire of musketry, but, nothing daunted, we pressed steadily forward through wheat-fields, woods, over rail fences 10 feet high, stone walls, ditches, deep ravines, rocks, and all sorts of obstructions, every one of which had served as cover for the enemy, and from which a murderous fire was poured upon us as we advanced, but without avail, as nothing could stop the impetuosity of our men, who, without waiting to lead or even fix bayonets, rushed eagerly forward at a run, their cry being constantly, Forward! Charge! ... Arrived at a rocky ridge about 300 yards from where we commenced our victorious advance, we halted, taking the movement from the right, and engaged the enemy at short range. ... By this time, owing to the distance we had advanced in line of battle at a run, and the irregularity of the ground we had advanced over, we were in a deplorable state of confusion; men from every regiment in the division were intermingled with ours in one confused mass. While personally engaged in endeavoring to reform the regiment, and obtain something like order, I perceived the right of the line retiring. On inquiring the cause, I earned that the enemy had turned our right flank; also that all the senior officers of the brigade were either killed or wounded. In accordance with instructions received previous to entering the engagement, to regulate our movement by the right, I gave orders to retire...

As the sun was setting the Confederates were pushing through the Wheat Field after the retreating Federals. It appeared, on this portion of the field at least, that Lee might have won a victory in Pennsylvania.

Confederate in the Wheatfield

Gettysburg - Little Round Top

The attack on the Union left would be made by two divisions from Longstreet, McLaws' on the left and Hood's on the right. At about 4:30 pm, as the guns fell silent from a 30 minute bombardment, Hood, standing in his stirrups at the head of the Texas Brigade, shouted "Fix Bayonets, my brave Texans! Forward, and take those heights!" As Hood's division rushed toward the Round Tops the encountered rough, boulder stone ground in an area called Devil's Den. The division shifted off to the east as united struggled to avoid the obstacle. As the attack was being made the commander was lost, the mounted Hood was struck with a bullet and put out of action, Evander Law taking his place.

Confederate sharpshooter in Devil's Den

The Northern troops put up a fierce resistance around the rocky outcroppings, but they could not hold for long. Confederates began to get on their flank and even in their rear. Finally the Confederates pushed through Devil's Den, capturing three cannon that had defended it. The Confederates continued to push on around Big Round Top and towards Little Round Top. Until very recently the smaller hill had been bare of Federal troops other than a few signal men. Sickles had been instructed to anchor his line there, but had disobeyed the order. Brigadier General Gouverneur Warren, chief engineer of the army, rode to the hill and instantly saw the situation. He recognized that the hill was the key to the whole battlefield. Confederate artillery here could wreck havoc on the Federal lines. Warren quickly rode back and on his own authority sent Colonel Strong Vincent's 1,000 man brigade to occupy the hill, along with a battery of artillery. Vincent arranged his regiments on the hill, and they were soon attacked by troops from Hood's division. Already disorganized from the charge, their lines were broken as they tried to climb the rocky sides of Little Round Top. As they approached the top, they came under fire from Strong's men and were driven back. They came on again and again and a fierce fight developed. Reinforcements arrived for the Federals in the form of the 140th New York, a Zouve regiment with colorful uniforms. Which rushed forward and helped stabilize the Union line.

Hood's Attack

The unit on the far left of the Union position was the 20th Maine, commanded by Colonel Joshua Chamberlin. Today it is one of the most famous unites of the entire Civil War. The Confederates pushed hard against this regiment. Chamberlin remembered counting five separate attacks on his line. His troops were stretched very thin and his men were running low on ammunition. It was thought that the line was about to break, so he ordered a bayonet charge. The 20th Maine rushed down the hill, hit the Confederates and drove them into retreat, capturing a number of retreating rebels.

Through the quick action of Gouverneur Warren, the hard fighting of Vincient's brigade and the disorganization of the Confederates, Little Round Top was held for the Union. The man who got much of the glory for this fight was Joshua Chamberlin, although were other Union units on the hill that fought just as hard against the Confederate attacks.

Gettysburg - Preparations for Attack

Lee's Plan

The commanders of both armies around Gettysburg were up before dawn on the morning of July 2nd. Meade was posting his troops on the hills of south of Gettysburg, preparing to receive the attack he expected. Meanwhile Lee was looking for an opportunity to make that attack. He sent out scouting parties and one, venturing out in the direction of the Union left, reported that he had ridden to Little Round Top and there were no troops in the area. According to this report, there was nothing to stop Lee from moving around the Federal line and hitting them in the flank or even rear. This was just the opportunity he had been looking for, so he began seeing to the preparations for the attack. But in this he did not have the willing cooperation of Longstreet, who would be commanding the assault. Longstreet still wanted to fight a defensive battle. Lee had made it clear it was not going to happen, but his lieutenant was not content to just obey orders. Worse still, Lee's plan was based on faulty information. Somehow the scouting party must have been confused about their location, as Union reports show that there would have been plenty of troops visible in the Little Round Top area at that time.

Sickles examines his lines

The commander on the far Union left, where Lee planned to attack, was Dan Sickles. Sickles was not a military man, but a politician looking to overcome a bad reputation. Sickles was not satisfied with his position on Cemetery Ridge. He was concerned because of some higher ground a little over a half mile in front of him around a peach orchard. He thought that Confederates holding the slight rise would be able to break his line. About noon, without authorization from Meade, he moved his corps forward to cover the higher ground. Writing after the battle, Sickles acknowledged that it was done outside of his orders:

It was not through any misinterpretation of orders. It was either a good line or a bad one, and, whichever it was, I took it on my own responsibility.... I took up that line because it enabled me to hold commanding ground, which, if the enemy had been allowed to take - as they would have taken if I had not occupied it in force - would have rendered our position on the left untenable; and, in my judgment, would have turned the fortunes of the day hopelessly against us. 

Sickles

 But this move jeprodized the Union line. The new position was nearly twice as long, spreading his troops very thin and making them neglect the truly important position of Little Round Top, leaving it free to be captured by the Confederates. When Meade heard of this move, he was very angry. Without waiting a moment he gave orders that the stituation be corrected. But it was too late. For as he rode up to Sickles position, he discovered that the Confederates were massing for an attack.

Sickles