Pickett's Charge - Pettigrew/Trimble Approach
2b From Seminary Ridge to the Left of Pettigrew and Trimble
Artillery here along Seminary Ridge had bombarded the Union position. Although Union troops had been ejected from the Bliss farm on the 2nd, the 12th NJ and 14th Connecticut recaptured the farm early on the 3rd. Much Confederate artillery ammunition was wasted on the Bliss farm when it should have been fired onto Cemetery Ridge, but it did convince the Union skirmishers to burn the buildings and fall back to the main position on Cemetery Ridge.
Soon after Pickett began the advance, Pettigrew and Trimble, emerged from the trees on the right of the picture and advanced toward Cemetery Ridge about a mile distant. The divisions had taken heavy casualties on July 1st, and they were now under new commanders. (In modern entertainment industry parlance, they might be called "the divisions formerly known as Heth and Pender".) Artillery fire greeted them immediately, and the left two brigades, Brockenbrough and Davis, were lagging. Confederate troops along a sunken road in front of Seminary Ridge, in the modern woods on the left-center of the picture parallel to the ridge, did not advance in support of the attack. The left flank of the attack would be vulnerable as a result. Passing through the Bliss farm, visible as an orchard in the right-center of the picture, the left brigade, Brockenbrough's, was attacked in their flank by around 160 men of the 8th Ohio in a single rank. The regiment had been deployed further north along the Emmitsburg Rd. Brockenbrough's brigade had taken heavy losses on the first day and wasn't eager to join attack. The brigade broke. Davis's brigade, the next in line, felt the pressure, but Lane's brigade moved up from the rear to extend the line. Additional Union skirmishers harassed the Confederate flank.
25 Zoomed-in Panorama From Near the Va Monument
From here, you can see the many undulations in the ground. The Confederates used the protection of low ground to dress ranks along the way. The destinations on Cemetery Ridge are visible - the Bryan farm, the Angle, and the Copse of Trees. The Codori farm, around which Pickett's division would advance, is on the right. You can see that it is partially obscured by some higher ground.
Pettigrew and Trimble took artillery fire from early on, but casualties began to mount the closer they got to the Emmitsburg Road, which was within canister range. The two divisions continued to the distant ridge, with their left ending up near the Bryan buildings.
19 Looking Back From in Front of the Va Monument
To the right you can see the section of Seminary Ridge where Pettigrew and Trimble began the advance, the low ground in front of the ridge, followed by some higher ground near the Bliss orchard. The barn on the left-center marks the Spangler farm which separated Garnett and Armistead from Kemper beyond, all of Pickett's division. Lee observed the action from near the Virginia Monument.