Gettysburg and Taneytown. Hancock met the 2d corps marching towards Gettysburg. The 5th corps was marching from Union, and the 6th from Manchester.
Meade hastened to Gettysburg, arrived at Cemetery Hill at 1 A.M., and at once began preparations for the great battle which must follow in the morning. He realized the full importance of the result. If he was defeated, the North was open to invasion, and Philadelphia and Baltimore would be liable to capture.
It was the morning of the 2d of July—a date which is now borne by thousands of white headstones in the national cemetery at Gettysburg. The midsummer sun rose about four o'clock and Meade was able to survey the field more clearly. All of the army that had not arrived was pushing on by forced marches and was expected very shortly. By nine o'clock they were all present, excepting 15,000 men of the 6th corps who were sure to arrive before the day was over. The 1st and 11th corps still occupied their old positions on Cemetery Hill. The 2d was on the left of the 1st. Hay's division was on the right, resting on Ziegler's grove; Gibbon's division was in the centre. Caldwell's division extended along the water-line between Plum Run and Rock Creek. The 3d corps was also on the left. The left of the army rested on the Round Tops, which were farthest to the south, the centre on Cemetery Hill and Cemetery Ridge, and the right on Gulp's Hill. The "Orchard" hill to the northeast of the Round Tops was a commanding position, as it would prevent the enemy from making a flank movement on the left, but it was weak in other respects, as it was commanded by Seminary Hill on the north, and by the Warfield Ridge on the west.
The right on Gulp's Hill was nearest the enemy, and seemed to be in the most danger. Meade sent Geary to occupy the slopes of Gulp's Hill to the right of Wads-
