_
|
|_b1_ _________________
| | _a1_
| |
| | _A_
| |_a2_
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| |

If one side of the right angle lies behind a ridge where it cannot
be enfiladed, a temporary formation of this kind is sometimes
permissible.

Sickles claimed that he acted with the implied sanction of General
Meade, who, however, censured the movement afterward. As soon as
Sickles took position, General Buford's division of cavalry was
sent to the rear at Westminster, to guard the trains there; and
Kilpatrick's division was ordered to Hunterstown to attack the
rebel left.

Sykes' corps--the Fifth--came up from the right about 5 P.M., soon
after Longstreet's attack on Sickles was fairly under way, and
formed along the outer base of Little Round Top, with Crawford's
Pennsylvania Reserves at their right and front.

There had been a Council of War, or Conference of Corps Commanders,
called at Meade's headquarters, and it was universally agreed to
remain and hold the position. As the Third Corps, in answer to
the guns of Clark's battery, was suddenly assailed by a terrible
concentrated artillery fire, General Sickles rode back to his
command and General Meade went with him. The latter objected to
Sickles' line, but thought it was then too late to change it.

The severe artillery fire which opened against the two sides of
the angle at the Peach Orchard was a prelude to a furious attack
against Ward's brigade on the left. This attack soon extended to
the Peach Orchard. The fight became very hot against Birney's
division from the left to the centre, but the troops on the right
of the centre--Humphreys' division--were not at first actively
engaged, and Humphreys reinforced Birney with one of his brigades,
and subsequently with a regiment.

The battle which now raged among these trees, rocks, and ravines
was so complicated that it is hard to follow and difficult to
describe the movements of the contestants. Some idea of it can
probably be gained by an examination of the following diagram:

It will be seen that a long line of rebel batteries bears upon A,
and that one of them was brought up to enfilade the side AB. The
angle at A, attacked by Barksdale on the north and Kershaw on the
west, was broken in. In consequence of this, several batteries on
the line EF were sacrificed, and Wofford's brigade soon came forward
and took the position DE.

The Confederate line being very long