The division pressed on. Round shot, shell, canister and rifle balls were poured into them at close range from the front, and a battery on Round Top raked the line from the right.
Pickett was expecting to be supported by Pettigrew's brigade on the left, and Lane's brigade on the right. Those brigades, however, were coming up, but were being met by such strong opposition that they were entirely outdistanced and fell back finally with Pickett's retreat, thus leaving Pickett with his three brigades alone in front. The Confederate ranks were thinning as far as eye could see. Garnett was killed leading his brigade, his being in the lead. Kemper, coming up next to the distance of sixty yards behind, brought his brigade to a halt to give Armistead time to come up for the last and final charge.
They were fired upon by the enemy, posted along the edge of the woods. This murderous fire almost disorganized them. Armistead, urging his men forward with his hat on his sword, holding it up as a guide, crossed over the Union breastworks, and for a time the Confederates seemed to gain some advantage, but were presently surrounded by overwhelming numbers. General Armistead was mortally wounded, and nearly all the other officers of the division were either killed or wounded.
Pickett, seeing the hopelessness of the charge, ordered a retreat of his shattered lines.
Out of 4,800 men that followed Pickett, scarcely 1,200 to 1,300 got back into the Confederate lines. Out of eighteen field officers and four generals, Pickett and one lieutenant colonel alone remained unharmed.
Pickett's division, together with the supporting brigades under Lane and Pettigrew, numbered about 14,000 men. Where General Armistead fell is considered to be the highest point, figuratively speaking, that was reached by the Southern Confederacy.
Pickett's charge will be remembered by all future Americans as the English remember that of the Light Brigade, and the French that of the old guard under Marshal Ney at Waterloo.
The battle of Gettysburg was now over. The loss was about 50,000 men, which was about equally divided between the two armies.
General Lee decided to lead his army back to Virginia. The Confederates were much discouraged, for on this same day Vicksburg had been surrendered to General Grant.
All through the night of July 3d Lee's army was making ready to march and at the break of day A. P. Hill swung his corps into line of march through a downpour of rain. The next to follow was Longstreet's corps, which followed close upon A. P. Hill, and the last to leave was Ewell's corps, and the retreat was covered by Stuart's cavalry.