Pickett's advance dashed up to the fence occupied
by the skirmishers of the Second Corps, near the Emmetsburg road,
and drove them back; then the musketry blazed forth with deadly
effect, and Pettigrew's men began to waver on the left and fall
behind; for the nature of the ground was such that they were more
exposed than other portions of the line. They were much shaken by
the artillery fire, and that of Hays' division sent them back in
masses.*

[* The front line of Hays' division, which received this charge,
was composed of the 12th New Jersey, 14th Connecticut, and 1st
Delaware. The second line was composed of the 111th, 125th, 126th,
and 39th New York.]

Before the first line of rebels reached a second fence and stone
wall, behind which our main body was posted, it was obliged to pass
a demi-brigade under Colonel Theodore B. Gates, of the 20th New
York State Militia, and a Vermont brigade under General Stannard,
both belonging to my command. When Pickett's right became exposed
in consequence of the divergence of Wilcox's command, Stannard
seized the opportunity to make a flank attack, and while his left
regiment, the 14th, poured in a heavy oblique fire, he changed
front with his two right regiments, the 13th and 16th, which brought
them perpendicular to the rebel line of march. In cases of this
kind, when struck directly on the flank, troops are more or less
unable to defend themselves, and Kemper's brigade crowded in toward
the centre in order to avoid Stannard's energetic and deadly attack.
They were closely followed up by Gates' command, who continued to
fire into them at close range. This caused many to surrender,
others to retreat outright, and others simply to crowd together.
Simultaneously with Stannard's attack, the 8th Ohio, which was on
picket, overlapping the rebel left, closed in on that flank with
great effect. Nevertheless, the next brigade--that of Armistead--
united to Garnett's brigade, pressed on, and in spite of death-
dealing bolts on all sides, Pickett determined to break Gibbon's
line and capture his guns.

Although Webb's front was the focus of the concentrated artillery
fire, and he had already lost fifty men and some valuable officers,
his line remained firm and unshaken. It devolved upon him now to
meet the great charge which was to decide the fate of the day. It
would have been difficult to find a man better fitted for such an
emergency. He was nerved to great deeds by the