Barksdale's Charge As the artillery duel wound down, it had already been predetermined that the "honor" of assailing Sickles' vital angle would be assigned to Confederate Brigadier General William Barksdale and Brigadier General William Tatum Wofford, of Longstreet's Corps. A section of Brigadier General Joseph B. Kershaw's Brigade would also slam into Union artillery defending the Peach Orchard in conjunction with his assault on adjacent Stony Hill. Barksdale's Brigade would form the left and Wofford Brigade would form the right of the Confederate battleline assigned the task of breaking through the Peach Orchard. The Peach Orchard would be defended by Union Brigadier General Charles K. Graham of the Third Army Corps. Barksdale seemed to sense certain victory as his troops formed up only 600 yards away cross the Emmitsburg Road from the Union troops and artillery posted in and around the Peach Orchard, and had to be tempered by McClaws and Longstreet to withhold his assault until the appropriate moment. At 6:30 p.m., Longstreet finally gave Barksdale and Wofford the go-ahead. The federal troops among the Peach Orchard heard a tremendous "Rebel Yell" carried by the breeze across Emmitsburg Road, and on came Barksdale's 1,600 troops with Wofford's 1,300 on his right. A federal officer described the Confederate advance on the Peach Orchard position as "the grandest charge that was ever made by mortal man." The 57th Pennsylvania and the 114th Pennsylvania, of Graham's brigade, rushed across Emmitsburg Road before the Confederates could reach it and tried to make a stand around farmer Sherfy's house and were ripped apart by Barksdale's soldiers, a number of the wounded Union soldiers burning to death in Sherfy's barn after it caught fire from the gunfire. Incredibly, Barksdale's men tore down two fences and were in the Peach Orchard in less than five minutes. Within the time span of three or four minutes, Graham's Union brigade sustained nearly 50 percent casualties, losing 740 of 1,516 men engaged, including the capture of the Union brigadier general himself. The amazing charge by Barksdale's brigade, which kept up its momentum after clearing the Peach Orchard, shattered any efforts by the Union command to make a stand, and the Union center all the way back to Cemetery Ridge suddenly appeared to be in great danger. "The advancing roar and cheer of the enemy's masses, coming on like devils incarnate. But our fire had not checked them, and our line showed signs of breaking. The (Confederate) battery enfilading us redoubled its fire, portions of Birney's command were moving to the rear broken and disordered. Our left regiments took the contagion and fled, leaving a wide gap through which the enemy poured in upon us. In vain did staff officers draw their swords to check the flying soldiers and endeavor to inspire them with confidence. For a moment the rout was complete..." - Union Lieutenant Adolfo Cavada, staff officer with General Humphreys. Barksdale and Wofford's victory at the Peach Orchard threatened the now-severed Union right, and freed up Wofford to assist Kershaw and Semmes in delivering the coup-de-grace on the Union's Stony Hill position, clearing the way for the final assault on the Wheatfield. The left-wing of Kershaw's Brigade (which had already been splintered-off to take on Union batteries along the Peach Orchard, facing south) would assist Barksdale's in the push on to the Trostle Farm. Peach Orchard History The Artillery Duel - Barksdale's Charge - Images of the Aftermath