half-past two,
flattered Lee with the belief that he had succeeded. Hunt adopted the
plan of drawing back his batteries over the crest of the hill, for the
double purpose of cooling his guns that were becoming overheated and
of saving his supply of ammunition, that was running low. The Union
fire accordingly slackened and almost ceased for a while. Nor was Lee
able to discover from his position but what his batteries under
General Alexander had prevailed. It looked for the moment as though
the battle were lost to Meade, and that victory was in the clutch of
his antagonist.

Already a Confederate charge of infantry had been prepared. About
18,000 men, in three divisions, under Armistead, Garnett and
Pettigrew, and led by General George E. Pickett, of Virginia, had been
got into readiness for the crisis which had now arrived. Longstreet
was the corps commander, and through him the order for the charge
should be given. General Lee had himself made the order, but
Longstreet seeing, as he believed the inevitable, hesitated and turned
aside. It was not a refusal to send an army to destruction, but the
natural hesitation of a really great commander to do what he believed
was fatal to the Confederate cause. Pickett, however, gave his
salutation to Longstreet, and presently said: "Sir, I am going to move
forward!"

Then began the most memorable charge ever witnessed in America. The
Confederate column was three-fourths of a mile in length. It was
directed against the Union centre, where it was supposed the
Confederate fire had done its work. What ensued was the finest
military spectacle that had been seen in the world since the charge of
the Old Guard at Waterloo; and the results were alike! The brave men
who made the onset were mowed down as they crossed rapidly the
intervening space. Hunt's batteries were quickly run back to their
position, and began to discharge their deadly contents against the
head of the oncoming column. That column veered somewhat to the right
as it came. The line staggered, but pressed on. It came within the
range of the Union musketry. Gaps opened here and there. Armistead,
who led the advance, saw his forces sink to the earth; but he did not
waver. Nearer and nearer the column came to the Union line. It
_struck_ the Union line. There was a momentary melee among the guns,
and then all was over. Hancock's infantry rose with flash on flash
from among the rocks by which they were partially protected. The