Barksdale’s unit was overpowering Sickles’ men. They were getting through and Meade’s entire line was being split in half. During this Barksdale captured several hundred of the Union troops. The Confederates were headed to Cemetery Ridge. Dawes was watching from Culp’s Hill. Lee’s troops were breaking through, if they took Cemetery Ridge they would win. Meade had no choice but to take reinforcements from Culp’s Hill. 8,000 men from the hill charged to save Cemetery Ridge. Barksdale, his flag bearer Lloyd, and his troops got 600 yards through heavy enemy fire. Commander Dan Sickles got shot with a cannonball which separated his leg from the rest of his body and he died. It took Barksdale and his men about an hour but they finally got through Sickles and his troops. The surviving men were retreating. Barksdale and his men probably thought this was the last attack till the war…show more content… The darkness and the abruptness of the Potomac’s attacks caused the rebels to fire ruthlessly. The Union soldiers won the encounter. On another part of the hill, Howard and his unit were persevering though they were under heavy fire. The Confederates showed resilience and continued up the hill. They were about 500 yards from the Baltimore Pike, in a location that would threaten the whole Union line. But with it being night and dark they didn’t know where they were going, they lost the chance. They could have been on the back of the Union army but because it was dark they didn’t realize where they were. They couldn’t tell the difference between the Yankees and the Rebels so they didn’t shoot. If the rebels had taken Culp’s Hill on July 2nd they would have been in control of the Yankees’ transmission lines, supplies, and cannons. Meade would have been forced to retreat and the Confederates might have even won the war if it wasn’t for the small thing,
