In the Confederate plan, Ewell on the left was directed to attack
Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill in conjunction with Longstreet’s drive. At
the appointed time, the guns of Latimer’s battalion on Benner’s Hill,
east of Gettysburg, opened a well-directed fire against the Union
positions on East Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill, but the return fire
soon shattered many of Latimer’s batteries and forced the remnants to
retire out of range. In the final moments of this action the youthful
Major Latimer was mortally wounded.
[Illustration: _View of Little Round Top taken soon after the
battle. The crest and western slope of the hill had been cleared the
year preceding the battle._ (Brady photograph.)]
[Illustration: _Breastworks constructed by Federal troops on Little
Round Top._]
About dusk, long after the artillery fire had ceased, Early’s infantry
started a charge toward East Cemetery Hill. Seldom, if ever, surpassed
in its dash and desperation, Early’s assault reached the crest of the
hill where the defenders, as a last resort in the hand-to-hand
encounter, used clubbed muskets, stones, and rammers. Long after dark,
the Louisiana Tigers and their comrades, in possession of the crest of
the hill, fought to hold their gain and their captured guns. The failure
of Rodes to move out of the streets of Gettysburg and to attack the hill
from the west enabled Hancock to shift some of his men to aid in
repelling Early’s attacks. Faced by these Union reserves, Early’s men
finally gave way about 10 o’clock and sullenly retired to their lines.
The Union troops stood firm.
Closely timed with Early’s assault of East Cemetery Hill, Johnson’s
division charged the Union works on Culp’s Hill. Failing to make
headway, because of the steep incline and the strength of the Union
positions, Johnson fell back across Rock Creek and started an attack on
the southern slope of the hill. Here the Union works were thinly manned.
An hour earlier, the divisions of Geary and Ruger had been called from
those works to the aid of the Sickles line at the Peach Orchard.
Johnson, finding the works weakly defended, took possession of them but
did not press the attack farther. Only a few hundred yards away on the
Baltimore Pike lay the Union supply trains. The failure of Confederate
reconnaissance here again was critically important. Thus passed another
opportunity to strike a hard blow at the Union Army.
_The Third Day_