By nightfall on July 2, 1863, Robert E. Lee's army had established an advantage in battle with the Union army. The fight was nearly won. To defeat General George Gordon Meade, Lee needed on more day.

Deciding to assault the Federal army at its right center near a mushroom-shaped clumps of trees and a stone wall which created a dangerous salient in the "Federal line, Lee laid the ground work for the fight of July 3rd, early that morning. By mid-morning, Pickett's Division, with the fourteenth Virginia, bringing up the rear, was on the field in front of Seminary Ridge. When Pickett's 6,000 troop and 6,000 more soldiers from two other Confederate divisions, the attaching column was posed to strike long before noon.

The fourteenth Virginia as the regiment dashed headlong into the Union line. As the Fourteenth engaged the Sixty-ninth PA, holes opened between the different companies of the PA regiment. Instantly, the Virginians took advantage of these gaps and poured through the rear of the Union position and into the small clump of oak trees. As gray uniforms became visible on the southern edge of the copse, the Union's 19th Massachusetts and 42nd New York made an impetuous dash, racing diagonally forward to the clump of trees. As they neared the southern edge of the copse a roar of shouts passed down the "Second Corps line Clubs are Trump Forwarded the white trefoil."

With this counter-attack, the remnant of Pickett's shattered command either surrendered to the Union defenders of died where they stood. In less than three hours, including the two hour cannon dual, Pickett's division lost over half it strength, The fourteenth Virginia lost 248 of 472 men. The Battle of Gettysburg had come to a close.

Unable to field a single fresh division, and with the once might offensive capability of the army now gone. Lee decided to withdraw. The war had turned a crucial corner. While it took two more years to decide the issue, the Civil War had changed in favor of the North.

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