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Darkness encloses the Gettysburg battlefield, where the murmurs and screams of the wounded float across the warm evening air. The occasional pop and crack of rifles tells the tale of jittery pickets forward of the main lines. The stage is now set for a second day of conflict
July 2, 1863 in Adams County, PA begins as a slightly overcast, muggy day, in the high 70s, climbing towards 80. The overall popular of the county has increased by over 100,000 by now, as the majority of both armies have arrived on the field, although more troops are on the march
George Meade has met with his corps commanders upon his arrival just after midnight this morning and has agreed to remain on the line picked by Hancock and Howard. His chief engineer, Gouverneur Warren, has ridden the line and confirmed the position's defensive attributes
The US line runs from the XII Corps on Culp's Hill, to the I and XI on Cemetery Hill, turning south where the II and III Corps occupy Cemetery Ridge. At first light this morning, Meade was up and riding every inch of his line, inspecting positions, and making recommendations
While meeting with the III Corps commander, MG Dan Sickles - the prickly Tammany Hall politician made famous for shooting his wife's lover & being exonerated on the grounds of temporary insanity - Meade is alarmed to hear that Sickles wants to move his whole corps forward
Sickles is convinced that if he could occupy the higher ground about a mile to his front, a low rise dominated by a peach orchard, then he would be in a better position. He tells Meade that where his corps is posted now is in low ground and requests permission to advance
Meade denies the request amidst much discussion, but Sickles is still concerned and will brood on this all morning. Satisfied with his positions, and with the V Corps coming up in reserve, Meade decides to hold to the defensive and see if he can get Lee to attack him
Across the best and orderly farm fields, on Seminary Ridge, Lee is, in fact, planning to do just that. His plans call for a demonstration on the US right, to be developed into a full scale attack against Culp's Hill should the opportunity arise. The main assault is on the US left
Lee wanted an early morning attack, but Ewell balked at moving his corps and Longstreet reminded Lee that he had but one of his 3 divisions on hand. Lee compromises, allowing Longstreet to wait for the divisions of Hood and McClaws to fully arrive before making an assault
Lee firmly believes the US line is anchored on the Emmitsburg Road - it is not. His entire plan is based on a two division assault, launched en echelon from the south, rolling up the US flank. Once again, rebel recon fails to pierce the screen of Buford's troopers on the left
The morning is far from silent. Ever since the early morning birdsong and the rising sun, the lines of skirmishers have been active while rebel sharpshooters in Gettysburg have opened fire. One house in front of the 55th Ohio near Cemetery Hill is being of particular annoyance
The sharpshooters bring down a gunner or horse of the nearby artillery with every shot, so 1LT Fred Bolt of Norwalk, OH leads a storming party of 20-25 men from the 55th who creep close to the house and then burst through the doors, killing or capturing the occupants
Rebels from Early's division moving around Culp's Hill are finding that US sharpshooters are particularly galling - "it was almost certain death for a man to stand upright." All along the line, the crack of rifles waxes and wanes as skirmishers engage in their own private battles
Infantry from the III Corps replace Buford's tired troopers who have been skirmishing all morning on the picket line near Pitzer's Woods, across the Emmitsburg Road. The 1st US Sharpshooters supported by the 3rd Maine Infantry move forward into the grove of trees
The sharpshooters open fire on Wilcox's brigade of Alabamans, part of Hill's Corps posted on Seminary Ridge in preparation for the attack later in the day. The 3rd Maine arrives to find a roiling firefight, and begins trading volleys with two Alabama regiments at close range
After 20-25 minutes of this fighting, the sharpshooters and the 3rd Maine withdraw, having ascertained that the rebels are extending their lines further down Seminary Ridge. This confirms Sickles' suspicions that his position is being targeted by the enemy for an attack
Sickles is repeatedly sending staff officers to Meade, requesting permission to move. That permission is not given. His temper is rising. Lee, too, is getting frustrated. Longstreet is seemingly slow to move his divisions to the south of the line, despite having most of his men
At around 1:30 PM, US troops on Cemetery Ridge are greeted by a shocking sight: the entire III Corps, some 12,000 men, is advancing. Without orders, without flank support, Sickles has decided to take things into his own hands and is moving his whole corps towards the high ground
Meade, a man whose temper has a hair-trigger in the best of times, is utterly livid, and gallops forward to tell Sickles in matter-of-fact terms that his corps will be destroyed & that he has no time to withdraw it. Furious, Meade knows he must arrange for support for III Corps
Meanwhile, a signal station on Little Round Top has thrown off Longstreet's attack plan. Longstreet has had to alter his approach march because the aide from Lee's staff sent to guide him led his columns directly into view of the enemy. This countermarch adds additional hours
The new US line is in a wide inverted V, the left resting on the rock-strewn refuse of the glaciers' passage, Devil's Den, then passing along Houck's Ridge and a wide wheat field, finally rising to the peach orchard - Sickles' goal - then bending back at an angle towards US lines
Like the XI Corps on July 1, the III Corps is now overextended on terrain of dubious tactical value. Sickles does not have enough troops to join his right with the II Corps left, leaving a wide gap. The terrain he holds contains much dead ground - unable to be swept by guns
Longstreet's deployment of his divisions down the line continues, a movement that is taking an hour and a half longer than expected. Skirmishing continues around Cemetery Hill, with the occasional rumble of cannon echoing across the valley
By now, the III Corps movement is complete, with all units in their positions. Buford's cavalry videttes which had been covering the corps' advance come galloping back. No rest for these troopers and their mounts. Blue-clad skirmishers shake out across the new lines
Because of the reconnaissance earlier, Sickles knows that the enemy is out there. Just how many, he is not sure, nor their full intent. Meade, fearing the worst, gives orders to the II and XII Corps to be prepared to give support, and sends word for the V Corps to support the III
In the XII Corps is 62yo BG George Greene, an engineer by trade. All day long on Culp's Hill, his men are occupied with pick and shovel, felling trees and digging earthworks. The grim engineer is determined that any fight that is coming will not be a fair fight.
On the extreme US left, the tiny companies of the 2nd US Sharpshooters take up their places. The green-clad men, expert shots all, are using cover and concealment as they move to cover Sickles' left flank. Spotting rebel skirmishers, they open fire, beginning a small firefight
Atop a small rocky hill overlooking Devil's Den, chief engineer GK Warren is visiting the signal corps station. He notes no other troops on this height, only the men of Ward's Brigade down the slope . He sends a message to the NY battery there: fire into the woods to your front
The New Yorkers fire down the slope, over the heads of the 124th NY, the "Orange Blossoms." Looking thru his binos, Warren spots the sun flashing off moving barrels and bayonets in the treeline. Rebels. He immediately sends his aides dashing off to find reinforcements
It is now just about 4 PM, and the semblance of quiet is broken by the roar of 36 Confederate cannon opening the attack on the left flank. On the right, Ewell is doing his due diligence and opening a barrage of his own against the US guns on East Cemetery Hill
Longstreet has arranged Hood's division to the south and McClaws' to the north. But as they recon the ground, they find with a shock that the III Corps is not where it was supposed to be. Hood argues to outflank them but Longstreet reminds him of Lee's battle plan
A staff officer from Warren reaches MG Sykes, V Corps commander, who sends an aide galloping off to tell MG Barnes to bring up his division for LRT. The aide meets Col Strong Vincent en route. Upon hearing the peril, Vincent orders his brigade forward, not waiting for orders
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