ten thousand had lost their lives or their limbs in the same futile
endeavor. Leaving the college, Lee called a council of his generals at
Longstreet's headquarters, and the plan of attack was formed. It is said
that the level-headed Longstreet opposed the plan, and if so it was but
in keeping with his remarkable generalship. The attack was to be opened
with artillery fire to demoralize and batter the Federal line, and was
to be opened by a signal of two shots from the Washington Artillery. At
half-past one the report of the first gun rang out on the still, summer
air, followed a minute later by the second, and then came the roar and
flash of one hundred and thirty-eight rebel cannon. Almost immediately
one hundred Federal guns responded and the battle had begun. Shot and
shell tore through the air, crashing through batteries, tearing men and
horses to pieces; the very earth seemed to shake and the hills to reel
as the terrible thunders re-echoed amongst them. For nearly an hour
every conceivable form of ordnance known to modern gunnery hissed and
shrieked, whistled and screamed, as it went forth on its death-mission
till exhausted by excitement and heat 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