like it, we believe, had ever up to that time been witnessed in Europe.  Certainly there was no such cannonade at Waterloo.  For about an hour and a half this tremendous vomit of shot and shell continued.  It was the hope of General Lee to pound the Union batteries to pieces, and then, while horror and death were still supreme in the Union centre, to thrust forward an overwhelming mass of his best infantry into the gap, cut Meade’s army in two, plant the Confederate banner on the crest of the Union battle line, and virtually then and there achieve the independence of the Confederate States.

It seems that an action of General Hunt, about half-past two, flattered Lee with the belief that he had succeeded.  Hunt adopted the plan of drawing back his batteries over the crest of the hill, for the double purpose of cooling his guns that were becoming overheated and of saving his supply of ammunition, that was running low.  The Union fire accordingly slackened and almost ceased for a while.  Nor was Lee able to discover from his position but what his batteries under General Alexander had prevailed.  It looked for the moment as though the battle were lost to Meade, and that victory was in the clutch of his antagonist.

Already a Confederate charge of infantry had been prepared.  About 18,000 men, in three divisions, under Armistead, Garnett and Pettigrew, and led by General George E. Pickett, of Virginia, had been got into readiness for the crisis which had now arrived.  Longstreet was the corps commander, and through him the order for the charge should be given.  General Lee had himself made the order, but Longstreet seeing, as he believed the inevitable, hesitated and turned aside.  It was not a refusal to send an army to destruction, but the natural hesitation of a really great commander to do what he believed was fatal to the Confederate cause.  Pickett, however, gave his salutation to Longstreet, and presently said:  “Sir, I am going to move forward!”

Then began the most memorable charge ever witnessed in America.  The Confederate column was three-fourths of a mile in length.  It was directed against the Union centre, where it was supposed the Confederate fire had done its work.  What ensued was the finest military spectacle that had been seen in the world since the charge of the Old Guard at Waterloo; and the results were alike!  The brave men who made the onset were mowed down as they crossed rapidly the intervening space.  Hunt’s batteries were quickly run back to their position, and began to discharge their deadly contents against the head of the oncoming column.  That column veered somewhat to the right as it came.  The line staggered, but pressed on.  It came within the range of the Union musketry.  Gaps opened here and there.  Armistead, who led the advance, saw his forces sink to the earth; but he did not waver.  Nearer and nearer the column came to the Union line.  It struck the Union line.  There was a momentary melee among