el with it, lay Seminary Ridge, on which
the Confederate army established itself with equal rapidity. Lee had
also hoped to fight a defensive battle; but thus suddenly arrested in
his eastward march in a hostile country, could not afford to stand still
and wait.

On the morning of July 2, both commanding generals were in the field.
After careful studies and consultations Lee ordered an attack on both
the extreme right and extreme left of the Union position, meeting some
success in the former, but a complete repulse in the latter. That night,
Meade's council of war, coinciding with his own judgment, resolved to
stand and fight it out; while Lee, against the advice of Longstreet,
his ablest general, with equal decision determined to risk the chance of
a final and determined attack.

It was Meade who began the conflict at dawn on the morning of July 3,
but only long enough to retake and hold the intrenchments on his extreme
right, which he had lost the evening before; then for some hours an
ominous lull and silence fell over the whole battle-field. But these
were hours of stern preparation At midday a furious cannonade began from
one hundred and thirty Confederate guns on Seminary Ridge, which was
answered with promptness and spirit by about seventy Union guns from the
crests and among the boulders of Cemetery Ridge; and the deafening roar
of artillery lasted for about an hour, at the end of which time the
Union guns ceased firing and were allowed to cool, and to be made ready
to meet the assault that was sure to come. There followed a period of
waiting almost painful to officers and men, in its intense expectancy;
and then across the broad, undulating, and highly cultivated valley
swept the long attacking line of seventeen thousand rebel infantry, the
very flower of the Confederate army. But it was a hopeless charge.
Thinned, almost mowed down by the grape-shot of the Union batteries and
the deadly aim of the Union riflemen behind their rocks and
intrenchments the Confederate assault wavered, hesitated, struggled on,
and finally melted away before the destructive fire. A few rebel
battle-flags reached the crest, only, however, to fall, and their
bearers and supporters to be made prisoners. The Confederate dream of
taking Philadelphia and dictating peace and separation in Independence
Hall was over forever.

It is doubtful whether Lee immediately realized the full measure of his
defeat, or Meade the magnitude of his vic