c in front
of him, having unbounded confidence in his troops, and elated by
the success of the first day's fight, believed he could gain a
great victory then and there, and end the war, and determined to
attempt it. He was sick of these endless delays and constant
sacrifices, and hoped one strong sword-thrust would slay his
opponent, and enable the South to crown herself queen of the North
American continent.

By 9 A.M. our skirmish line, in front of the Peach Orchard, was
actively engaged with that of the enemy, who were making a
reconnoissance toward the Emmetsburg road. No serious affair,
however, occurred for some hours. Meade, as stated, was forming
his lines on the right of the position he afterward occupied. The
Fifth Corps, which came up about 1 P.M., was posted, as a reserve,
south of the Twelfth Corps, with a view to the attack which has
already been referred to. About 3 P.M. the Sixth Corps began to
arrive from its long and toilsome march of thirty-four miles, and
its tired troops were placed on the Taneytown road in the rear of
Round Top, to reinforce the other corps in case our troops made an
attack on the left. Lee, however, did not wait for Meade to advance
against him, but boldly directed that each flank of the Union army
should be assailed at the same time, while constant demonstrations
against our centre were to be kept up, to prevent either wing from
being reinforced. It was another attempt to converge columns with
an interval of several miles between them upon a central force,
and, like almost all such enterprises, failed from want of proper
co-operation in the different fractions of his line.

[Map]
GETTYSBURG.--Final Attack of the First Day, and Battle of the Second
Day.*
[* The first day's battle is represented north of the Fairfield
and Hanover roads. The second day's battle south of the same
roads.]

REFERENCES TO THE FIRST DAY'S BATTLE.
_Union Troops,_ [filled rectangle]
MAJOR GENERAL O. O. HOWARD commanding the First and Eleventh Corps.
FIRST CORPS.
MAJOR-GENERAL ABNER DOUBLEDAY commanding.
FIRST DIVISION--MAJOR-GENERAL JAMES S. WADSWORTH commanding.
_a. First Brigade._ Colonel Henry A. Morrow, 24th Michigan.
_b. Second Brigade._ Brigadier-General Lysander Cutler.
SECOND DIVISION--MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN C. ROBINSON.
_c. First Brigade._ Brigadier-General Gabriel R. Paul.
_d. Second Brigade._ Brigadier-General Henry Baxter.
THIRD DIVISION--BRIGADIER-GENERAL THOS. A. R