On the afternoon of Day two of the Gettysburg battle, Union General Gouverneur Warren found Little Round Top undefended. He quickly sent his staff to find troops to defend this vital position.

Without waiting for approval from his commanding officer, Colonel Strong Vincent ascended the hill ahead of his troops and selected the ground where his brigade would make its defense. Within minutes of forming his line, Vincent’s brigade was assaulted by Confederate regiments. A desperate battle ensued across the entire brigade line.

Just when the Union position seemed doomed, over the hill poured the Union’s 140^th New York Infantry. The New Yorkers, who had no time to load their muskets, swept down the hill into the surging Confederates. After a bloody struggle, the exhausted Confederate army fell back, leaving Little Round Top in Union Hands. The line held, but the cost was high, including Vincent who was mortally wounded.

What happened at Little Round Top, was happening at other locations around Gettysburg such as Culp Hill and East Cemetery Hill where fierce battles were taking place with the Confederates attacking uphill Union positions, the casualties for both sides was heavy.

At the end of day two, Confederate Robert Lee’s hopes of crushing the Union army was dashed, but undaunted, he began to plan for the third day of fighting.

The left photograph shows the position the Union army held looking down from Little Round Top. The photograph on the right shows the view the advancing Confederates faced.

Looking down from Little Round Top towards Devil’s Den where the Confederate army over-ran a Union position.