Goree returns from scouting the area. The road to Washington is still open, but the Union cavalry is closing in on Longstreet's right side. Longstreet extends Hood's division to cover that area. At least the rainy morning will help screen the movements to get Pickett's men in line for a charge.
Lee arrives and rides with Longstreet to look over the front. Longstreet relays the reconnaissance information from Goree and tries again to convince Lee to move to the south. Lee points to the center of the Union line and says, "General, the enemy is there — and there's where I'm going to strike him."
Ewell will attack at the same time further north at Cemetery Hill, keeping those forces pinned down so that they cannot reinforce the center. All the artillery will focus on pounding the center before the men charge.
In spite of his own feelings, Longstreet speaks carefully, still not wanting to hurt Lee. He tells Lee that he lost half the strength of two divisions yesterday, Union cavalry is flanking him right now, and the whole rear of the Confederate Army will be left open if Hood's and McLaws' divisions are move forward. The Confederate line could be crushed.
In addition, three Union corps are entrenched on the ridge with plenty of good artillery and with the ability to reinforce any part of their line quickly. A frontal attack on them will be uphill over open ground, the Confederate line will be spread out over five miles and hard to coordinate, and the enemy will see their every move.
