they bent slightly to the left, so as to leave a gap between them
and the Alabamians on the right.

The Confederate lines came on magnificently. As they crossed the
Emmetsburg Pike the eighty guns on the Union crest, now cool and
in good shape, opened upon them, first with shot and then with
shell. Great gaps were made every second in the ranks, but the
gray-clad soldiers closed up to the center, and the color-bearers
leaped to the front, shaking and waving the flags. The Union
infantry reserved their fire until the Confederates were within
easy range, when the musketry crashed out with a roar, and the
big guns began to fire grape and canister. On came the
Confederates, the men falling by hundreds, the colors fluttering
in front like a little forest; for as fast as a color-bearer was
shot some one else seized the flag from his hand before it fell.
The North Carolinians were more exposed to the fire than any
other portion of the attacking force, and they were broken before
they reached the line. There was a gap between the Virginians and
the Alabama troops, and this was taken advantage of by Stannard's
Vermont brigade and a demi-brigade under Gates, of the 20th New
York, who were thrust forward into it. Stannard changed front
with his regiments and fell on Pickett's forces in flank, and
Gates continued the attack. When thus struck in the flank, the
Virginians could not defend themselves, and they crowded off
toward the center to avoid the pressure. Many of them were killed
or captured; many were driven back; but two of the brigades,
headed by General Armistead, forced their way forward to the
stone wall on the crest, where the Pennsylvania regiments were
posted under Gibbon and Webb.