rounds for the contest at close quarters, which he
foresaw would soon take place.

My own men did not suffer a great deal from this cannonade, as I
sheltered them as much as possible under the crest of the hill,
and behind rocks, trees, and stone fences.

The cessation of our fire gave the enemy the idea they had silenced
our batteries, and Pickett at once moved forward, to break the left
centre of the Union line and occupy the crest of the ridge.* The
other forces on his right and left were expected to move up and
enlarge the opening thus made, so that finally, the two wings of
the Union Army would be permanently separated, and flung off by
this entering wedge in eccentric directions.

[* The attack was so important, so momentous, and so contrary to
Longstreet's judgment, that when Pickett asked for orders to advance
he gave no reply, and Pickett said proudly, "I shall go forward,
sir!"]

This great column of attack, it was supposed, numbered about
seventeen thousand men, but southern writers have a peculiar
arithmetic by which they always cipher down their forces to nothing.
Even on the left, on the preceding day, when our troops in front
of Little Round Top were assailed by a line a mile and a half long,
they figure it almost out of existence. The force that now advanced
would have been larger still had it not been for a spirited attack
by Kilpatrick against the left of Longstreet's corps, detaining
some troops there which otherwise might have co-operated in the
grand assault against our centre.

It necessarily took the rebels some time to form and cross the
intervening space, and Hunt took advantage of the opportunity to
withdraw the batteries that had been most injured, sending others
in their place from the reserve artillery, which had not been
engaged. He also replenished the ammunition boxes, and stood ready
to receive the foe as he came forward--first with solid shot, next
with shell, and lastly, when he came to close quarters, with
canister.

General Meade's headquarters was in the centre of this cannonade,
and as the balls were flying very thickly there, and killing the
horses of his staff, he found it necessary temporarily to abandon
the place. Where nothing is to be gained by exposure it is sound
sense to shelter men and officers as much as possible. He rode
over to Power's Hill, made his headquarters with General Slocum,
and when the firing ceased rode back again. During his absence
the cha