General Alexander had charge of the artillery at this point, and the gunners along the whole line were standing to their pieces, ready to draw the lanyards that were to set the opposite hills ablaze with shot and shell, the moment the signal was given.

Every man, I dare say, in both armies held his breath in anxious and feverish suspense, awaiting the awful crash.  The enemy had been apprised of the Confederate movements, and were prepared for the shock.

When all was ready the signal gun was fired, and almost simultaneously one hundred and fifty guns belched forth upon the enemy’s works, which challenge was readily accepted by Meade’s cannoneers, and two hundred shrieking shells made answer to the Confederate’s salute.  Round after round were fired in rapid succession from both sides, the air above seemed filled with shrieking, screaming, bursting shells.  For a time it looked as if the Heavens above had opened her vaults of thunder bolts, and was letting them fall in showers upon the heads of mortals below.  Some would burst overhead, while others would go whizzing over us and explode far in the rear.  It was the intention of Lee to so silence the enemy’s batteries that the assaulting column would be rid of this dangerous annoyance.  Longstreet says of the opening of the battle:  “The signal guns broke the silence, the blaze of the second gun, mingling in the smoke of the first, and salvos rolled to the left and repeating themselves along the ridges the enemy’s fine metal spreading its fire to the converging lines of the Confederates, plowing the trembling ground, plunging through the line of batteries and clouding the heavy air.  Two or three hundred guns seemed proud of their undivided honors of organized confusion.  The Confederates had the benefit of converging fire into the enemy’s massed position, but the superior metal of the enemy neutralized the advantages of position.  The brave and steady work progressed.”

After almost exhausting his ammunition, General Alexander sent a message to General Pickett, “If you are coming, come at once, or I cannot give you proper support.  Ammunition nearly exhausted; eighteen guns yet firing from the cemetery.”  This speaks volumes for our artillerist, who had silenced over one hundred and fifty guns, only eighteen yet in action, but these eighteen directly in front of Pickett.  Under this deadly cannonade, Pickett sprang to the assault.  Kemper and Garnett advanced over the crest, closely followed by Armstead.  Wilcox, with his Alabamians, took up the step and marched a short distance in rear of the right.  The Alabamians, Tennesseeans, North Carolinians, and Virginians under Pettigrew lined up on Pickett’s left, followed by Trimble, with his two North Carolina Brigades and the columns were off.  The batteries on the ridges in front now turned all their attention to this dreaded column of gray, as soon as they had passed over the crest that up to this time had concealed them.