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magnificent work in holding Cemetery Ridge and Culp's Hill, which were on more elevated ground than Seminary Ridge. Meade's line was in the shape of a fish-hook beginning at Little Round top and thence running along Cemetery Ridge, turning to the right, or to the east and south, and ending at Culp's Hill, the barb of the hook.
| The Second Day's Battle |
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Thursday, July 2, 1863 |
Longstreet had come on the field the night of the 1st and had taken position along Seminary Ridge, with some artillery on the Emmittsburg road, which was Lee's extreme left wing. Hill was on Longstreet's left and Ewell was on Hill's left, facing Howard and Slocum on Culp's and Slocum's hills.
Longstreet attacked Sickles' and Sykes' corps in the afternoon.
Sickles had gone out farther than Meade had intended, which caused much dispute between them, but when Meade found this condition of affairs it was too late to get back; as Meade put it, "Longstreet would not let him."
The fighting was furious on Sickles' and Sykes' Corps. Sickles was seriously wounded when General Birney succeeded in command of the 3d Corps.
Sykes held Little Round Top and while most of his corps were on the southwest side of Little Round Top the enemy made an attack on the 11th Reserves. Capt. Jones' company, on the other side of the mount, when Col. Jackson gave the command for a bayonet charge down the hill, and led the corps in driving Longstreet back to the wheatfield. There the corps bivouacked and held it the next day. |
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Howard was holding his position at the turn of the ridge and Culp's Hill. Slocum's 12th Corps was on Howard's right, which was Meade's extreme right flank. About 2:30 p. m. Sedgwick's 6th Corps was approaching Slocum's right.
Doubleday's 1st Corps was on Howard's left, along Cemetery Ridge. Hancock's 2d Corps was on Doubleday's left; Sickles' 3d Corps (Capt. Fite having arrived at 9 a. m.) on the Emmittsburg road, near the Peach Orchard and the Wheatfield.
Sykes' 5th Corps (Capt. Jones) was on the Cemetery Ridge and should have been on Sickles' left, but the latter moved out to the road. Sykes' left was about the Little Round Top.
Severe fighting took place in the afternoon during Longstreet's attack on Sickles, in the Peach Orchard, and on Sykes in holding Little Round Top, which began about 3 o'clock. Part of Hancock's Corps went to the assistance of Sickles, among which was the 27th Connecticut, which fought in the Wheatfield where Mr. Swank was seriously wounded.
Sykes, with the aid of Sedgwick, held Little Round Top, and about 4 p. m. drove the enemy back to the Wheatfield, the 11th Reserves leading in a brilliant charge. |
| About 7:15 P. M. |
Longstreet succeeded in pressing Sickles' 3d Corps, now commanded by General Birney, out of the orchard and part of the wheatfield, but he failed in his attempt to take possession of Little Round Top, which proved to be the key to the situation.
The day's work had been in favor of Meade's army, but it was yet uncertain, and both commanders prepared for the next day. |
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Sickles was driven back to the Cemetery Ridge, and filled the gap between Sykes on the left and Hancock on the right. Severe fighting had taken place in the attacks on Howard and Slocum, but they held their positions.
In the evening of this day Capt. Hamilton's company, in Kilpatrick's Division, had a skirmish with Stuart at Hunterstown, where it had been watching the enemy's cavalry. |
| The Third Day's Battle, Friday, July 3, 1853. |
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Longstreet and Hill remained quiet along the Seminary Ridge until about 1 p.m. when Lee began his tremendous artillery fire of 138 guns, directed against Hancock's and Birney's Corps. It was kept up continuously for two hours and was replied |
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Meade's lines were intact on this morning and all the men on the field, with Mr. Lincoln at Washington and thousands of souls at home, awaiting, between hope and dread, the outcome of the third day's struggle. Meade's center and left remained |
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