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[358] continued for near two hours, the chief of artillery, finding his ammunition running low,1 and that it was unsafe to bring up loads of it from the rear (for many caissons and limbers had been exploded), directed that the firing should be gradually stopped: the enemy also slackened fire, and immediately the Confederate columns of attack were seen forming on the edge of the woods that cover the Seminary Ridge. As Pickett's division of Longstreet's corps had reached the ground during the morning, and as Longstreet wished to use the divisions of Hood and McLaws in covering his right, it was appointed to lead the van.2 Pickett formed his division in double line of battle, with Kemper's and Garnett's brigades in front and Armistead's brigade supporting; while on the right of Pickett was one brigade of Hill's corps, under General Wilcox, formed in column by battalions; and on his left, Heth's division (also of Hill's corps), under General Pettigrew. The attacking force numbered about fifteen thousand men, and it advanced over the intervening space of near a mile in such compact and imposing order, that, whether friend or foe, none who saw it could refrain from admiration of its magnificent array. The hostile line, as it advanced, covered a front of not more than two of the reduced and incomplete divisions of the Second Corps, numbering, it may be, some six thousand men. While crossing the plain, it received a severe fire of artillery, which, however, did not delay for a moment its determined advance; so that the column pressing on, came within musketry range—the troops evincing a striking disposition to withhold their fire until it could be delivered with deadly effect. The first opposition it received was from two regiments of Stannard's Vermont
1 Report of Artillery Operations.
2 The absence of Pickett's division the day before made General Long. street very 10th to make the attack, but Lee, thinking the Union force was not all up, would not wait. Longstreet urged in reply that this advantage (or supposed advantage, for the Union force was all up) was countervailed by the fact that he was not all up either: but the Confederate commander was not minded to delay. My authority is again General Longstreet.
1866.
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