Pickett was not supposed to hit the center of the union line by his lonesome. Jeb Stuart was supposed swing around the rear of the Union Line to hit the rear of the union center-and Stuart and Pickett were supposed to meet in the middle–or in the very least Stuart was susposed to create complete chaos behind the stone wall at the center of the Union line.

However, Stuart’s troops were tired after a long ride from Carlyle when they ran into Custer’s cavalry. Custer had a much smaller group of horse soldiers under his command. But he had two things going for him. He and his men were all fresh. As well, they had among the first consignments of repeating rifles in the war. They held off Stuart long enough for reinforcements to come and drive off Stuart’s cavalry.

So Pickett’s men marched to the stone wall alone.