After Lee decided to “re-enforce” Longstreet with General Henry Heth’s Division and two brigades of Dorsey Pender’s Division of Hill’s Corps, “General Hill was directed to hold his line with the rest of his command, afford General Longstreet further assistance, if required, and avail himself of any success that might be gained.” 2

General Hill similarly reported, “I was directed to hold my line with [General R. H.]Anderson’s division and the half of Pender’s (now commanded by General Lane),” and later added that General Anderson “had been directed to hold his division ready to take advantage of any success which might be gained by the assaulting column, or to support it, if necessary.” 3 A letter reprinted in the Southern Historical Society Papers in 1916 from Hill’s adjutant, Colonel (then Major) William H. Palmer alleged that Hill “begged General Lee to let me [Hill] take in my whole Army Corps. He [Lee] refused, and said what remains of your corps will be my only reserve, and it will be needed if Gen’l Longstreet’s attack should fail.” 4

Since General Heth had been wounded on July 1, command of his division was given to one of his brigade commanders, the scholarly and well-educated Brig. General Johnston Pettigrew. General Pettigrew hailed from a wealthy North Carolina family and was one day short of what would be his thirty-fifth, and final, birthday. Major William Poague called Pettigrew “a fine officer, polished gentleman and always handsomely dressed.” Pettigrew was a soldier and leader of great potential, but he was unaccustomed to leading an entire division into combat. 5