Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 37.djvu/146

138 borne from the field, Garnett was killed near the stonewall, and Armistead leaping the wall with sword aloft, at the head of a few followers, finally fell overcome by his foes. Pettigrew and Trimble met with the same fate as Pickett. Wilcox reports that shortly after the advance began, he received successive orders to advance in support of Pickett: that he put his brigade in motion and advanced, "near the hill upon which were the enemy's batteries and intrenchments," but that owing to the smoke of the battle he was unable to perceive a man of the division he was ordered to support, and being subjected to a severe fire, he determined to retire.

Anderson says he was about to move forward Wright's and Posey's brigades when General Longstreet directed him to stop the movement as useless, the assault having failed.

Rodes to the north of the town, says his troops were about half way between the artillery of the 2d corps and that on Cemetery Hill, that while on the lookout for a favorable opportunity to attack, and having notified Ewell he was about to do so, and just as he was about to give the order to advance, it was announced and was apparent to him that the attack had already failed. Outside of the artillery, the attack was made on the part of the Confederates by two divisions and a half, out of nine divisions in the army. General Warren, in his testimony before the Committee on the Conduct of the War, stated that Meade had nearly half his army in a good and sheltered position on his left, from where he could conveniently reinforce other points on the lines, and that when the repulse took place, Meade intended to move forward all the forces he could get, and in turn assault the enemy. That he ordered the advance of the 5th corps, but it was carried out so slowly it did not amount to anything. The Confederates anticipated that a counter-charge might be attempted, and Anderson's division with the nearby batteries was prepared to receive it; the demonstrations proved too slight however to excite serious apprehension.

General Lee rode forward to encourage and animate the scattered troops as they returned.