Chapter 24: Day Two: 3:00–7:00 AM

After a brief nap, Meade himself rides to Gettysburg, arriving at 3:00 AM to meet Howard, Sickles and Slocum.

Their position is strong and in the form of a fishhook, the barb on Culp’s Hill and the shank extending for two miles across Cemetery Ridge. After some talk about coming down to attack the Confederates, they all agree to fight on the defensive, taking advantage of their interior lines to adjust to whatever is thrown at them.

Lee arises at 3:00 AM for breakfast before heading out south along Seminary Ridge to assess the ground he has assigned to Longstreet. He is pleased by one thing in particular, that being that the Union left is “in the air” – with no troops visible across the two Round Tops. If his troops could capitalize on this neglect, they might readily initiate enfilading cannon fire to roll up the entire Union army.