The night following this day was one of anxious thought to the generals commanding the Union army; and in the Cemetery, among the monuments of the dead, many a prayer for reinforcements passed the lips of those who knew that certain destruction awaited them on the morrow, if more troops did not in the mean time arrive to their assistance. But midnight brought relief and joy to those anxious waiting hearts. At about twelve o’clock the Twelfth corps, under General Slocum, and the Third, under General Sickles, arrived, fresh and eager for the battle. And soon after daylight came further reinforcements of the Second and Fifth corps; and the sun of the next day shone down on an almost entirely new army, which struck consternation to the hearts of the astonished rebels, who had already made up their minds to an easy and certain victory. On this day the position of General Meade’s forces was as follows: General Howard, with the Eleventh corps, held the centre; the remaining portion of the First corps, and the Twelfth, under General Slocum, formed the right wing, and were placed on the right of the Baltimore road; the Second corps,—General Hancock,—and the Third,—General Sickles,—formed the army’s left wing, between the Taneytown and Emmetsburg roads. On Thursday morning, the enemy, apparently surprised by the formidable Union army which they found ready to oppose them, remained strangely quiet during the most of the day; and it was four o’clock before they attacked the waiting and immovable line of Federal troops. Then indeed the crisis of the battle began. General Longstreet hurled his whole division upon the left wing of General Meade’s army, and the storm of artillery that plowed through the ranks, dealt swift and terrible destruction. But the brave Third corps, not even wavering before the dreadful fire, beat back the rebels again and again. On their left flank, danger now menaced them. Already one of Longstreet’s divisions was manœuvering to cut them off from Round Top Hill, on which were placed but three or four batteries. The position would be of incalculable value to the rebels, who, by placing their batteries on the hill, could hurl shell upon the whole Union line. To save Round Top Hill was of the greatest moment to the National forces, who put forth almost superhuman efforts to beat back the approach of the enemy. Bravely, with unflinching front, the rebels marched up to the very mouths of the guns, to be blown into atoms, and hurled in horrible burnt, blackened, bleeding fragments through the air, their places instantly filled up by scores of others equally daring and reckless of life. Captain Bigelow, commanding the battery at the extreme left, held the hill, after losing many of his men, several artillerists, two sergeants, four of his guns, and being himself severely wounded in the thigh, until McGilway’s two batteries arrived to his assistance, and poured in an unflinching fire upon the enemy’s lines.