I had been pursuing a broken enemy and the situation was now very different.'" Having failed at each extremity, it only remained to Lee to retreat, or attack the centre.

Such high expectations had been formed in the Southern States in regard to his conquest of the North that he determined to make another effort.

He still had Pickett's division, the flower of Virginia, which had not been engaged, and which was full of enthusiasm.

He resolved to launch them against our centre, supported on either flank by the advance of the main portion of the army.

He had hoped that Johnson's division would have been able to maintain its position on the right, so that the Union centre could be assailed in front and rear at the same time, but Johnson having been driven out, it was necessary to trust to Pickett alone, or abandon the whole enterprise and return to Virginia.
Everything was quiet up to 1 P.M., as the enemy were massing their batteries and concentrating their forces preparatory to the grand charge--the supreme effort--which was to determine the fate of the campaign, and to settle the point whether freedom or slavery was to rule the Northern States.
It seems to me there was some lack of judgment in the preparations.
Heth's division, now under Pettigrew, which had been so severely handled on the first day, and which was composed in a great measure of new troops, was designated to support Pickett's left and join in the attack at close quarters.