t the gunners slackened their fire
and silence reigned again.

Then Pickett and his brave legion stood up and formed for the
death-struggle; three remnants of brigades consisting of Garnett's
brigade:--the 8th, 18th, 19th, 28th, 56th Virginia; Armistead's
brigade:--the 9th, 14th, 38th, 53rd, 57th Virginia; Kempers's
brigade:--the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 11th, 24th Virginia. Their tattered flags
bore the scars of a score of battles and from their ranks the merciless
bullet had already taken two-thirds their number. In compact ranks,
their front scarcely covering two of Hancock's brigades, with flags
waving as if for a gala-day, Gen. Pickett saluted Longstreet and asked,
"Shall I go forward, sir?" but it was not in Longstreet's heart to send
those heroes of so many battles to certain death; and he turned away his
head,--when Pickett with that proud, impetuous air which has earned him
the title of the "Ney" of the Rebel army, exclaimed, "Sir! I _shall_
lead my division forward!" The orders now rang out, "_Attention_!
_Attention_!" and the men, realizing the end was near, cried out to
their comrades, "Good-by, boys! good-by!" Suddenly rang on the air the
final order from Pickett himself, as his sabre flashed from its
scabbard,--"_column forward! guide centre_!" And the brigades of
Kemper, Garnett and Armistead moved towards Cemetery Ridge as one man.
Soon Pettigrew's division emerged from the woods and followed in echelon
on Pickett's left flank, and Wilcox with his Alabama division moved out
to support his right flank--in all about fifteen thousand men. The
selection of these supports shows a lack of judgment which it would
almost seem impossible for Lee to have made. Pettigrew's division was
composed mostly of new troops from North Carolina, and had been terribly
used up in the first day's fight, and were in no condition to form part
of a forlorn hope. Wilcox's troops had also received very severe
punishment in the second day's engagement in his attack on the Ridge and
should have been replaced by fresh well-tried brigades. But the movement
had now begun and Lee with his generals about him watched anxiously for
the result.

[Illustration: MAJ. GEN. GEORGE E. PICKETT]

It was nearly a mile to the Union lines, and as they advanced over the
open plain the Federal artillery opened again, ploughing great lanes
through their solid ranks, but they closed up to '_guide centre_'
as if upon dress-parade; when half way over Pickett halted