About that same time, the Union XI Corps, led by Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard, reached the battlefield. Howard's command included divisions under Brig. Gens. Carl Schurz, Francis C. Barlow and Adolph von Steinwehr. Schurz's two small brigades rushed into position on the right, northwest of Gettysburg; Barlow's 3,400 men extended the line east to Rock Creek. The Union soldiers grimly awaited the arrival of Early's division.

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Rodes' alignment took much longer than he had expected, and the arrival of fresh Federal troops added desperation to his assault. As a result, when Rodes' troops finally advanced at about 2 p.m., their charge was delivered piecemeal. O'Neal had 1,800 soldiers at hand, and in his haste to attack the Federals he sent only three of his five regiments down Oak Ridge against Paul, who easily repulsed the charge.

Iverson's 1,500 troops moved ahead at about 2:30 p.m. As the men advanced, looking for the enemy on their right, they failed to spot Baxter's force, hiding behind a stone wall to their left. The Federals waited until the Confederates were opposite their position, then rose and poured a savage salvo into Iverson's flank. Five hundred men, a third of the brigade, fell from the withering fire of Union rifles. Almost 400 more were quickly captured.

To the right, Daniel started his 2,300-man brigade down McPherson's Ridge. When they saw Iverson under assault near the stone wall, three of the five regiments swerved left to the rescue. They not only were too late to save Iverson but also left Daniel with just two regiments for his own assault. As a result, Daniel was easily repulsed.

Heth, on Herr Ridge, saw Ewell's attack falter. Turning to Lee, he asked if he should press Pettigrew's and Brockenbrough's brigades into the fray. 'No,' Lee curtly replied. 'I am not prepared to bring on a general engagement today.' He was determined to shun battle that day, and no doubt was incensed at Ewell for having defied his orders.

Atop Oak Hill, Ewell watched as Rodes' attack disintegrated. His expectations of a quick victory had vanished, and he knew that Lee's wrath was sure to come his way. Having drawn the Federals into battle, however, Ewell had no choice but to continue the fight. After ordering Rodes to gather his troops for a second charge, Ewell rushed east to check on Doles, who was posted north of Gettysburg. When he reached that front, he found Doles and his 1,500 Georgians under attack by two Union brigades, whose superior numbers enveloped both Confederate flanks. Ewell hurried back to his command post on Oak Hill to bring Ramseur, his only reserve, to Doles' rescue. As he rode west, an enemy artillery shell crashed nearby, killing Ewell's horse and throwing Ewell to the ground. Shaken but otherwise unhurt, the one-legged general gallantly mounted a spare mare and continued his dash back to Oak Hill.

When Ewell finally reached his field headquarters, he was surprised to learn that the battle had shifted dramatically in his favor. Ramseur had taken his 1,100 men, plus a few of O'Neal's troops, and charged the Federals defending Oak Ridge. Both Paul and Baxter had been driven from the field, all the way back to Cemetery Hill. Ramseur was pursuing the fleeing Union soldiers.

Meanwhile, at 4:15 p.m., Daniel had charged again into a railroad cut. He, too, had routed his adversary out of his strong position, and the Federals were reeling in retreat toward Gettysburg. The assault, however, had exhausted Daniel's men, and they had halted along Oak Ridge.

When Lee saw the tide of battle shift in his favor, he suddenly turned aggressive and ordered A.P. Hill to have Heth's reserve brigades (Pettigrew and Brockenbrough) charge the Union line along McPherson's Ridge. The Federals greeted the attack with repeated salvos, dropping hundreds of Confederates, but Heth's troops refused to falter. They clambered up the slope, pushing the enemy back to Seminary Ridge, an extension of Oak Ridge, below Chambersburg Pike. Their lines shattered, Pettigrew and Brockenbrough halted along McPherson's Ridge. Hill sent three of Maj. Gen. Dorsey Pender's brigades chasing after the retiring Federals.

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