* (Under Construction)
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Day 2: July 2, 1863 - Culp's Hill
At
16:00, Ewell opened fire with artillery from batteries near
the Seminary and atop Benner's Hill. These were soon silenced by the
overwhelming Union artillery presence on Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill. MG
Henry W. Slocum's
XII Corps
was positioned on Culp's Hill and had spent considerable time erecting
breastworks there. During the fighting on Cemetery Hill,
Meade ordered
most of the XII Corps
except BG George S. Greene's
Brigade from Culp's Hill to reinforce the position. (Actually, most of
XII Corps
never arrived to the fighting).
The attack began at 20:00 as Johnson
's Division attacked from the east.
Greene's
Brigade stretched from Culp's Hill and then southward to the lower portion of
the hill. The Union brigade faced eastward against Johnson's 3
Brigades who had forded Rock Creek and began ascended the hill. BG George Steuart's
Brigade comprised the left flank of the attack and occupied the unoccupied
breastworks on the lower hill. Darkness fell and Steuart's men
fumbled their way toward
Greene's right
flank. Greene
was in a very precarious position until reinforcements were rushed from
I Corps
which had been positioned on the western slope of the hill and
XI Corps units
from Cemetery Ridge.
Throughout the darkness, Johnson's Division was unable to
determine the force they were opposing. Unknown to Johnson
, Greene's
Brigade was the only unit on the Union's right.
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