Longstreet and Ewell left their camps during the first week in June, and arrived with Stuart and all the cavalry at Culpeper on the 8th. Ewell pushed on, and A. P. Hill, leaving Fredericksburg on the 13th, where the Federals had remained up to this time, passed Longstreet and moved on to the Valley of Virginia, Longstreet protecting Hill's flank by moving himself along the eastern base of the Blue Ridge, with Stuart and his whole cavalry force in his front to watch the enemy.
"General Stuart was left to observe the movements of the enemy, and to impede him as much as possible, should he attempt to cross the Potomac. In that event, he was directed to move into Maryland, on right of our column as it advanced." (General Lee's report.) He, claiming the discretion, went off on a raid toward Washington, and thereby the enemy was enabled to interpose himself between the Confederate infantry and cavalry. Ewell, with his corps, advanced as far as Carlisle, and Longstreet and Hill were at Chambersburg on the 27th June. General Lee, in his official report of the Pennsylvania campaign, says: "It was expected that as soon as the Federal army should cross the Potomac General Stuart would give notice of its movements, and nothing having been heard from him since our entrance into Maryland, it was inferred that the enemy had not yet left Virginia. Orders were therefore issued (June 27th) to move on Harrisburg.
"On the night of the 28th news came through a scout that the Federal army had crossed the Potomac and the head of the column was at South Mountain, and this arrested the movement to Harrisburg."
This advance of the enemy threatened General Lee's communications with Virginia, and he determined to concentrate his army on the east of the mountains. On the 29th Hill was ordered to Gettysburg, and Longstreet was to follow next day. Ewell was ordered to Cashtown or Gettysburg, as circumstances might require. These movements towards Gettysburg were not so quickly made as they would have been had the movements of the enemy been known. Pettigrew's Brigade went to Gettysburg on the morning of the 30th to get provision, but finding it in the possession of the Federals, returned to Cashtown, where he rejoined Heth's and united with Pender's Division. Next morning the divisions of Pender and Heth and two battalions of artillery advanced to ascertain the strength of the enemy. Heth, in the lead, found the enemy's videttes three miles from the town, they having advanced on the Chambersburg road; he drove them, but was in turn driven back by a superior force. Pender coming up at this time, the two divisions advanced and engaged the enemy. Rodes arrived afterwards, about 2:30 P. M., on the Middleburg road, formed on Pender's left, at right angles, and Early coming up on the Heidlersburg road, formed quickly on Rodes' left, when a general advance was made, and the enemy gave way everywhere. The success was complete. Of General Pender's part in this battle another extract from the letter of General Lewis will be used: "While we were being placed in line on a hill to join on Pender's left, his division drove the enemy from the woods on Seminary Ridge and across the open field about one-third of a mile wide and three-quarters long. The enemy then reformed behind Seminary Ridge and, with unlimited artillery, made a gallant stand, but Pender's 'Light Division,' with unbroken ranks, drove them from this strong position just as we advanced to his assistance. General Pender deserves the entire credit of the victory of the battle of the first day at Gettysburg."
On the morning of the 2d of July Longstreet, with his corps, except Pickett, who had not arrived, was on the Confederate right, with the Federals on Round Top and the adjacent hills in front; Ewell with his corps in front of Culp's Hill and the north front of Cemetery Hill, and A. P. Hill in the center, along the western front of Cemetery Hill. Anderson's Division was the right of Hill's line, Pender's the left, and Heth's a little in rear, in reserve. At about 5 o'clock in the afternoon Longstreet attacked the Federal left on Round Top. Hill and Ewell were ordered to make feints to prevent Federal troops from being withdrawn from their fronts to reinforce the left, but to attack, if opportunity offered. It was during this attack of Longstreet that General Pender received the wound which resulted in his death. Anderson's Division was ordered in to support Longstreet. Just before the advance was begun, General Pender and his Adjutant-General, Major Joseph A. Engelhard, and General W. G. Lewis, who was then Lieutenant-Colonel of the Forty-third North Carolina Regiment, were on the extreme left of Pender's line, engaged in a friendly talk, sitting on a large granite boulder, when suddenly the enemy's artillery opened upon our right. Immediately General Pender turned to Major Engelhard, and said: "Major, this indicates an assault, and we will ride down our line."
In Major Engelhard's official report of this we find this account: "Late in the afternoon, during the attack of Longstreet and a part of Anderson's Division, General Pender having ridden to the extreme right to advance his division, did the opportunity occur, received a severe wound in the leg from a fragment of a shell."
A little later, on this same afternoon, at another part of the field where Colonel I. E. Avery (brother of Justice A. C. Avery of our Supreme Court), led the brigade of that distinguished soldier, General R. F. Hoke, who was absent on account of a wound received at Fredericksburg, could be seen the Sixth North Carolina (Pender's old regiment), under the command of Colonel Tate, now State Treasurer, climbing the east front of Cemetery Hill under a furious storm of shot and shell. The hill and its fortifications were taken, and the proud flag of the old regiment floated above the captured works, but the brave and gifted Avery yielded here his soul to God and his life to his country. In a plain plank box this hero was placed by old Elijah, his colored servant, and by him brought along with the army on its retreat from the place where he fell, in a wagon as plain as the coffin. The old man was seen every day on that long, weary march, enduring and suffering, but still devoted in his pious attentions; and his labors ended only when he had delivered his precious burden to the tender care of loved ones near the banks of the Potomac.
On the retreat of the Confederates from Gettysburg, General Pender took ambulance and set out for Staunton, the nearest railroad connection. Upon reaching that place a hemorrhage from his wound of an alarming character occurred. It was stayed, improvement followed, and the hopes of his friends were reassured; but in a few days, the hemorrhage recurring, the surgeons determined to amputate the limb. The operation was performed on the 18th of July. He survived it only a few hours. Just before the operation he said to his brother: "Tell my wife that I do not fear to die. I can confidently resign my soul to God, trusting in the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ. My only regret is to leave her and our children. I have always tried to do my duty in every sphere of life in which Providence has placed me."
The body was taken to Tarboro, North Carolina, and buried in the beautiful grounds around Calvary church. He was a member of the Episcopal communion, having been received as a comunicant by confirmation at the hands of Bishop Johns, in St. John's Church, Richmond, Va., he having ridden quietly into the city at night for that purpose.
His death was a great public calamity. He combined every quality of the ideal soldier: courage, the power to control men, quickness of perception, readiness of decision, strong sense of justice, and modesty that excelled all. With the exception of his great commander he had no superior in the Army of Northern Virginia.