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battle on the 2d, and the battle on the 2d was to lead us into the terrible andhopeless slaughter on the 3d.
On the night of the 2d I sent to our extreme right to make a little recon-noissance in that direction, thinking General Lee might yet conclude to movearound the Federal left. The morning of the 3d broke clear and indicateda day on which operations would not be interrupted by the elements. TheConfederate forces still occupied Seminary Ridge, while the Federals occu-pied the range stretching from Eound Top to Cemetery Hill and aroundCulp’s Hill. The position of the Federals was quite strong, and the battle of
the 2d had con-
centrated themso that I consid-ered an attackfrom the frontmore hazardousthan the battleon the 2d hadbeen. The Fed-erals were con-centrated, whileour troops werestretched out ina long, broken—
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DEAD IN THE “ WIIEAT-FIHTJ) ” GATHERED FORnrriiiAT.. from photographs.
and thus a weak—line. However, General Lee hoped to break through theFederal line and drive them off. I was disappointed when he came to me onthe morning of the 3d and directed that I should renew the attack againstCemetery Hill, probably the strongest point of the Federal line. For that pur-pose he had already ordered up Pickett’s division, which had been left atChambersburg to guard our supply trains. In the meantime the Federals hadplaced batteries on Round Top, in position to make a raking fire against troopsattacking the Federal front. Meade knew that if the battle was renewed itwould be virtually over the same ground as my battle of the 2d. I stated toGeneral Lee that I had been examining the ground over to the right, andwas much inclined to think the best thing was to move to the Federal left.
“ No,” he said; “ I am going to take them where they are on Cemetery HiltI want you to take Pickett’s division and make the attack. I will reenforce