y Hill but had, however captured some of Culp's hill. When fighting had stopped the Federals had lost very little land and still had a strong defensive position along Cemitary Ridge(Rhodes236) On the third day of the battle, July 3, fighting began early in themoring at 4:30 a.m. The Union troops began to bombard the Rebels on Culp's Hill tryin to make them retreat. But the Rebels refused to retreat there was back and forth fighting untill the Federals finally counter attacked and drove the Rebels off of Culp's hill. There was a stillness of battle from 11:00 a.m. untill 1:00p.m. At 1:00 the Rebels began heavy artillary fire upon Cemitary Ridge the Union returned heavy fire but at 2:30 the Union fire slowed then stopped. This was a plan to trick the Confederates into thinking that the Federals had ran out of ammunition. And it worked, the Rebels gotten within range and were suddenly fired upon with grapeshot cannon fire and rifle fire and it resulted in heavy Confederate losses. General Lee admitted that this was the mistake that let the North gain favor of the war(Stokesbury237).On July 4 Lee and his army retreated into Virginia and out of fatigue and caution General Meade did not immedietly pursue Lee. This was seen by President Lincoln as a "golden opportunity" missed by Mead to end the war(Loiselle5).By the end of the battle the casualty numbers totaled 23,000 for the North and 28,000 for the South(Library of Congress 20)...
