Day 2, part 2 Lee’s order of attack is for Longstreet to open his assault; when the noise of that can be heard, Ewell is to launch his troops. Instead, the sound of firing comes first from Ewell. It is the Union army attacking, but merely to stabilize their crooked lines in that area. Still, Lee’s staff is shocked again to see their usually stoic general lose his temper. The firing continues as Ewell counterattacks but, as Gen’l Trimble feared, Cemetery Hill is a hard fight. The large boulders provide plenty of cover for the rebels but they can make no cohesive attack. The Union corps in place on top the hill defeats this assault with little effort. On Cemetery Ridge, Meade discovers the move Sickles’ Corps has made. He orders Sickles back to the main line but someone hears the opening volleys of rifle fire and says it is too late. Longstreet launches his attack and sure enough, his men immediately hit Sickles Corps. The opponents crash into each other. The Yankees fight hard, but the confident rebels are used to winning and smash through. The corps begins falling back precipitately. Almost simultaneously, Hood goes down with an arm wound and Sickles is shot in the leg. The Union corps commander jauntily waves his cigar as he is placed on a stretcher (the bones from his leg, amputated shortly thereafter, end up in the Smithsonian). Meade again turns to the able Hancock and gives him the command. Hancock tries to stabilize the line, adding in troops from his II Corps, as well as Gen’ls Slocum and Sedgwick corps. While he places Humphries’ division on the far right of the advanced line, in anticipation of Hill’s corps joining in Longstreet’s attack, this is wrong. Anderson’s division of Hill’s Corps demonstrates only enough to keep Humphries from providing any help. Hancock’s decision is well-thought out, but anticipated by Lee and Longstreet. Now, Hancock must throw in arriving troops piecemeal and they are chewed up by the veteran Confederates. Longstreet replaces Hood himself. He is everywhere and no one can doubt his efforts now. He sidles Law’s brigade to the east where it attacks the understrength 20th Maine. But Chamberlain’s Maine boys hold on despite repeated assaults; they know if they fold that Law will overrun Little Round Top and flank the entire Union army—it will be a repeat of Chancellorsville, though this time it could mean the war. Law’s men come again and again until soldiers tell Chamberlain they are out of bullets. Looking down the slope ahead of him, the Maine colonel sees the rebels reforming. In one of the most brilliant and innovative moves of the war, Chamberlain orders “Bayonets!” and then charges his men into the surprised Confederates. The Southerners run. Chamberlain’s men perform a wheeling maneuver that pushes the rebels back to the west and rolls up the Confederate line. The sun setting stops both Longstreet’s attack and Chamberlain’s rolling movement. Night falls and Ewell’s men retreat back down Cemetery Hill. The second day is over. Despite little gained in territory, Longstreet has wrecked an entire Union corps and most of two others. The defeat of the Union army was hoped for but never close this day. Still, while not the win of July 1, July 2 also belongs to Lee and the South. Pondering this, Lee decides to stay and fight another day. The Union leadership also meets; Meade polls his generals and they vote to stay also, but to await Lee and developments. There is no thought of going on the offensive.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 01:22:54 +0000