Hey everyone, welcome to episode 357 of our Civil War podcast.

My name is Rich and sadly Tracy won't be joining us today.

She actually has some work to do this weekend so the podcast boss said she could pass on

recording this weekend but the boss said I still had to put out an episode.

So well here you are, stuck with me.

If it's any consolation it will be a shorter episode though since like many of you on

this holiday weekend we still want to take some time to enjoy the fourth.

But anyway what we thought we'd do with this first part of the show is to say a few

words by way of review to wrap things up I guess with regard to what happened on July

2nd and the fierce battle for the Union left and center.

Before we use the second part of the show to start to set the stage as we get ready to

move the discussion along to the fighting which was still underway on the evening of July

2nd on the Union right where the Confederates attacked Culp's Hill and East Cemetery Hill.

So first part of this episode review what has already taken place on July 2nd, second

part of the show set the stage for the heavy fighting for Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill.

By twilight at about 8 pm on July 2nd the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg except

for scattered musket shots and the occasional deep-throated boom of a cannon the intense

fighting on the federal left and center had come to an end.

Long before the main combat had come to a halt though dozens of stretcher bears were

busy moving across the battlefield checking bodies assisting the wounded and removing

the men who weren't able to walk and get themselves to one of the field hospitals.

Sergeant John Plummer of the first Minnesota recalled that before his regiments charged

...