The second day of fighting at Gettysburg, July 2nd, 1863 has drawn to a close. The deadliest fighting of the day took place on the Confederate right as two of Longstreet's division commanders, Hood and McLaws, tried to roll up the Union flank. On this day Union general Daniel Sickles reassured his men by calmly smoking a cigar as he was carried from the field after having his leg mangled by a Confederate cannonball. Confederate division commander John Bell Hood, later general in charge of the defense of Atlanta against Sherman, would lose the use of his left arm. General Barksdale of Mississippi would lead a charge on a Union position atop his white horse and be riddled with bullets. Captain Matthew Talbot Nunnally, leader of the 11th Walton Infantry, would die near "the Wheatfield". Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, colonel of the 20th Maine Infantry, would heroically defend the Union left flank at "Little Round Top". The stage is now set for the 3rd and final day famous for "Pickett's Charge", the phenomenal losses of the 26th North Carolina Regiment, and the tragic meeting of best friends, Generals Hancock and Armistead, leading troops against one another with deadly consequences.
