. A history of the United States of America, its people, and its institutions. pied by the twoarmies were about twelve miles in length. Meades armywas about eighty thousand strong, but part of it was still adays march distant, pressing forward with all speed. The battle of July 2 was mainly between Sickless andLongstreets corps, the struggle being largely for the pos- ^ It is said that mere chance made Gettysburg the field of had selected a position at Pipe Creek, fifteen miles to the south-east, to make his stand. The movement of cavalry which brought onthe battle was intended me
. A history of the United States of America, its people, and its institutions. pied by the twoarmies were about twelve miles in length. Meades armywas about eighty thousand strong, but part of it was still adays march distant, pressing forward with all speed. The battle of July 2 was mainly between Sickless andLongstreets corps, the struggle being largely for the pos- ^ It is said that mere chance made Gettysburg the field of had selected a position at Pipe Creek, fifteen miles to the south-east, to make his stand. The movement of cavalry which brought onthe battle was intended merely to screen his line of march. On theother hand, Lee had not proposed to fight except on the defensive, butfound himself forced to attack his foe or retreat, his line of advancebeing cut off 384 THE CIVIL WAR. session of two hills, called Round Top and Little RoundTop. If Longstreet had won these, he would have com-ruanded the Union position and might have defeated thearmy. But he failed to do so. The battle was fierce anddestructive, but the Federals retained the Copyngnt by underwooa and underwooa, im. t. A Scene at Gettysburg. The Third Days Battle.—On July 2 the Confederateshad been successful on their left, where they won a positionon Gulps Hill, on the Union right. But they failed to re-tain it, being attacked and driven out at daybreak of the the flanking movements on both wings had failed. Onthe 3d, Lee made a desperate attack on the Union centre,hoping to break through Meades army at that point. About one oclock he began a cannonade from one hun-dred and fifty pieces of artillery, and for two hours shotand shell were poured upon the Union lines. Then Gen-eral Pickett, with fifteen thousand men, marched againstMeades centre. Across the plain, a mile in width iiarched THE CAMPAIGNS OP 1863. 385 that devoted band, with the steadiness of long hundred cannon tore gaps in their ranks. Volleys fromlong lines of infantry were poured upon them.
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