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By nightfall on July 2, 1863, Robert E. Lee's army had established an advantage in battle with the Union army.
The fight was nearly won. To defeat General George Gordon Meade, Lee needed one more day.
On July 3, 1863 Lee decided to assault the Federal army at its right corner near
a mushroom-shaped clump of trees and a stone wall, which created a dangerous slient in the Federal Line. He had laid
the ground work for the fight of July 3, early that morning. By mid-morning, Pickett's Division, with the 14th Virginia,
bringing up the rear, was on the field in front of Seminary Ridge. With Picket's 6,000 troops and 6,000 more troops
from two other Confederate divisions, the attacking column was posed to strike long befor noon.
The 14th Virginia was the regiment that dashed headlong into the Union line.
As the 14th engaged the 68th PA, holes opened between the different companies of the PA regiment. Instantly, the Virginians
took advantage of these gaps and poured through the rear of the Union position and into the small clump of oak trees.
| CLUBS ARE TRUMP - CONFEDERATR |
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| WBritain 17301 |
Grey uniforms became visable on the northern edge of the copse.
| CLUBS ARE TRUMP - CONFEDERATE ADD-ON |
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| WBritain 17303 |
The Union 19th Massachusette and the 42nd New York made an impetuous dash,
racing diagonally forward to the clump of trees.
| CLUBS ARE TRUMP |
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| WBritain 17302 |
As they neared the southern edge of the copse, a roar of shouts passed down the
2nd Corps line "Clubs are Trumps forwarded the white trefoil."
| CLUBS ARE TRUMP - UNION ADD-ON |
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| WBritain 17304 |
With this counter-attack, the remnants of Pickett's charge shattered command either
surrendered to the Union defenders or dies where they stood. In less than three hours, including the two hour cannon
dual, Pickett's division lost over half of its strength. The 14th Virginia alone lost 248 of its 472 men.
The Battle of Gettysburg had come to a close.
Unable to field a single fresh division, and with the once mighty offensive capability
of the army now gone, Lee decised to withdraw. The war had turned a crucial corner. While it took two more years
to deside the issue, the Civil War had changed in favor of the North.
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