It was to be a great glorious assault into the center of
Cemetery Ridge to shatter the heart of General George Meade's
Federal Army. General Robert E. Lee assembled a force of three
divisions, Pickett's, Pettigrew's and Trimble's to smash through
the federal line. He gave the assignment to one of
his new army division commanders, daring, dashing and perfumed
General George E. Pickett.
As the southern brigades formed with fifteen thousand
barrels and bayonets, General Lewis A. Armistead exclaimed, "Look
at my line; it never looked better on dress parade!" General
Armistead commanded one of Pickett's brigades stationed on the
left flank of the division. His brigade consisting of the 9th,
14th, 38th, 53d and 57th
Virginia, would advance almost a mile across open ground, passing
through devastating short and long range fire.
General Pickett gave the order to advance his huge
force of flashing steel, "Up, men and to your posts! Don't forget
today that you are from Old Virginia." General Armistead placed
himself in front of his men and while advancing cried to a
sergeant in the 53d, "are you going to put those colors on the
enemy's works today?" The sergeant yelled back, "I will try, sir,
and if mortal man can do it, it shall be done!"
When the Federal army opened their fire, a huge moan
could be heard coming up from the advancing Confederate force.
One Federal brigade waited until the Southern line was within a
couple of hundred yards and fired in volley. Seventeen hundred
muskets went off at once. Whole regiments disappeared. A Federal
artillerist later stated "We could not help hitting them at every
shot." A single bursting artillery round would kill or wound 10
to 15 men. But despite this devastation the lines moved forward.
