Hey everyone, welcome to episode number 337 of our Civil War podcast.

My name is Rich.

And I'm Tracy.

Hello y'all.

Thanks for tuning into the podcast.

As y'all recall in the last episode, we covered the Federal retreat to Cemetery Hill

on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 1, 1863.

After the first and 11th Corps lines, North and West of Gettysburg collapsed under the

weight of the Confederate pressure applied by troops from Hills Corps and Yules Corps.

And now with this episode, now that we've got the Federal's back to Cemetery Hill and

with more Yankees arriving on the scene or on their way in the form of Slokom's 12th Corps

and most of Sickles' 3rd Corps, but with this episode, we want to turn our attention

to the Confederate side of things that afternoon and evening.

That evening, with daylight fading fast and with additional federal troops not long in

arriving on the scene, fears of a Confederate attack on Cemetery Hill begin to fade.

As things settled down, Wynfield Scott Hancock sent a message off to Army Commander George

informing him that the fighting at Gettysburg had ended and predicting that they would be

able to hold on until night.

Hancock reported, quote, I think we can retire.

If not, we can fight here as the ground appears not unfavorable with good troops.

End quote.

Then when Henry Slokom finally arrived at Cemetery Hill sometime around 7 p.m., Hancock turned

...