Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 3.djvu/441

Rh he could capture Culp's hill and threaten the Federal right; an offer he would have hardly made had he known the formidable character of the rocky ascent to that hill. After this, writes Early, Lee said: "Well, if I attack upon my right, Longstreet will have to make the attack." Then pausing, with head bowed in reflection, he looked up and added: "Longstreet is a very good fighter when he gets in position and gets everything ready, but he is so slow."

After his conference with Ewell, Lee formed his plans for the 2d of July. It was his intention to strike with his right at daylight, or as soon as practicable after that time; this to be followed by Ewell on his left. Returning to his headquarters, Lee met Hill and Longstreet. The latter urged that he withdraw his army from before Gettysburg and place it between Meade and Washington, and thus force the Federal commander to offensive battle. This was but an extension of Lee's second suggestion to Ewell about a concentration on his right. Trusting to Ewell's promise as to what he could do the next day, Lee adhered to the plan he had already adopted, of an assault by both his wings; hoping that by so doing he could defeat the Federal advance before its rear could close up, and bring about its defeat in detail. He then ordered Longstreet to move McLaws and Hood to open the battle on his right, while Hill engaged the center, and repeated his order to Ewell for attacking Culp's hill on the left, but not until he should hear Longstreet's guns and thus be sure of a simultaneous movement and attack.

The divisions of Hood and McLaws, of the First corps, left their camps at Fayetteville in the valley west of the South mountain, on the morning of July 1st, and reached the valley of Willoughby run, northwest of Gettysburg, by midnight of that day, having been retarded by Ewell's wagon train, in charge of Johnson's division, which was on the road in their front. The leading brigade, under Kershaw, bivouacked within two miles of Gettysburg. Pickett's division was left at Chambersburg, in charge of the reserve trains, and Law's brigade at New Guilford. During the night of the 1st Longstreet ordered McLaws to march forward at 4 a. m. of the 2d, but later this was changed to "early in the morning." The same night he ordered Law and Pickett to march to Gettysburg on the 2d.