Longstreet Attacks

Longstreet Attacks. . Following his army's success on July 1, Confederate General Robert E. Lee planned to attack both ends of the Union line south of Gettysburg. The main effort, given to General James Longstreet, was intended to "roll up" the Federal left, while General Richard Ewell launched a diversionary attack on Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill to the north. Longstreet disagreed with Lee's plan, stating his preference for a defensive battle, but followed orders and put his troops into motion at noon. Meanwhile, Union troops advanced to a new line stretching from Devil's Den to the Peach Orchard, leaving the key hills, Big and Little Round Top, to your front, unoccupied. At 4:00 pm Longstreet's assault began, an attack he would later call "the best three hours' fighting ever done by any troops on any battlefield." (Painting caption) Confederate General John B. Hood's 7,000-man battle line advanced from this location. Hood protested his orders, preferring to sweep around the Round Tops rather than attack in front, but was rebuffed. Hood was injured in the first minutes of the attack--a serious loss to Confederate leadership during the fight.