Lincoln is nervous and has recalled Meade and his troops to the Washington defenses. Dixie can be heard in the air as one walks by the taverns. Jeff Davis has proclaimed that a state ball will be held on this day, annually. He made this announcement in connection with his speech welcoming the British ambassador. Word from Vicksburg is that morale was given a significant boost. General Lee has dispatched Longstreet's Corps to relieve the gallant troops and cavedwelling citizens of that pearl on the muddy Mississippi River.

General Ewell has been promoted and ordered to raise and train troops at the basic training school newly opened in Lexington, Virginia. General Early is promoted to Major General and placed in command of II Corps, ANV, and General Hays has been promoted to divisional command in II Corps, ANV. All this resulting from a meeting engagement at the peaceful Pennsylvania town of Gettysburg that has resulted in a significant victory for The Cause.

Heth's and Pender's divisions of A. P. Hill's III Corps, ANV, bore the brunt of a stubborn defense of Seminary Ridge by Reynolds' I Corps and Buford's cavalry division from 10:00 a.m. until finally breaking through on Chambersburg Pike at 3:00 p.m. At 3:00 p.m. General Early succeeded in piercing Howard's XI Corps "veterans" of Chancellorsville.

Marching through Gettysburg and placing brigades on advanced positions on Culp's and Cemetery Hills, Early used two brigades to encircle and bag the remnants of XI and I Corps. The pesky Buford managed to escape. At 3:30 p.m. the Union conceded.

Heth personally led Davis' assault on Devin, breaking him and advancing into the woods atop Seminary Ridge, Brockenbrough's line advanced along the cut in support. Pettigrew saw the black hats from the woods, and brought a battery up to dissuade the Westerners. Archer exchanged a desultory fire with Gamble as batteries were brought up and attached to soften up the Yankee resolve.

The destruction of the horse artillery was the high point as the Yankees stiffly resisted, then counterattacked, capturing two batteries. Pender's arrival was timely and succeeded in moving the battle from McPherson's Ridge to Seminary Ridge. The division coordinated a charge along the entire length of Seminary Ridge from Chambersburg Pike to Hagerstown Road, supported by 2 batteries.

The Yanks had quite a sight to behold as the lines of gray and butternut marched into the gully to assault. Results were mixed, but the battle line had been shifted to Seminary ridge. Archer and Pettigrew threatened to turn Reynolds' left, but Gamble dismounted and wouldn't be moved. Stalemate at Hagerstown Road was offset by a successful possession of the ridge at the Pike.

Howard's retreats left the northern flank of I Corps in the air, and they were forced back a full march South - Southeast.

General Rodes' division successfully pinned and disabled Howard's XI Corps as jubal Early marched down Harrisburg Road and along the Eastern banks of Rock Creek. Rodes' advance was quite a spectacle from Heth's northern flank atop Seminary Ridge. It was an irresistible flooding tide that lapped away at XI Corps, breaking brigade after brigade. Iverson's Mississippians bore the cost of the advance (and have now been attached to Longstreet to break the siege at Vicksburg).

Rodes' efforts allowed Early to encounter only token resistance on the northern outskirts of Gettysburg. Early's breakthrough resulted in the Federals' resignation (encirclement, etc. are extrapolated) at 3:30 p.m.

Pettigrew's decimated ranks welcomed 1,000 of their comrades back into their ranks as the prisoner compound was overrun. Also liberated were generals Heth and Perrin, and another 800 veterans of the day's conflict. The remaining 800 Black Hats marched west into captivity (General Lee allowed Meredith to fly the regimental flags), and there were many boys limping along, too proud to submit to the surgeons. Pettigrew's swollen ranks lined the road and doffed their hats in salute to their gallant foe. Some said they were thanking God that they wouldn't have to deal with these boys again. They were happy to see the dust cloud disappear over Herr's ridge!

Losses