Defending the Round Tops, No. 2

On the morning of 2 July Little Round Top was held by a meager handful of Federal soldiers. Brig. Gen. John W. Geary’s division was ordered off the hill to shore up positions on Culp’s Hill; General Sickles’ infantry was to replace them but the controversial general moved his men, without orders, forward toward the Emmitsburg Road. Again, the hill was left undefended. When sent to assess the situation, Brig. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren saw a disaster ready to unfold. He had Colonel Strong Vincent’s 3rd Brigade quickly put into line – the 16th Michigan on the right, the 44th New York and 83rd Pennsylvania held the center, with the 20th Maine on the Union Army’s extreme left flank. These men were aided by the 2nd U.S. Sharpshooters, armed with .52-caliber breechloading rifles. These troop’s courageous stand surely staved off Union defeat at Gettysburg.