General Lee ordered the attack of the left flank attempting to take control of the hills before it is dominated by the Union. Little did Lee know that the entire Union army was just beyond the ridge anticipating Lee's every move. His men could not capture the hill; they had marched the entire day and were exhausted.
The Union had set up a defensive position shaped like a fishhook. "Meade had put troops along the ridge so that his position was shaped like the fishhook, but there were no troops yet on the rocky hills" (181). The Union was playing it smart and had taken the high ground; they forced Lee into an uncomfortable position of taking the offensive.
When an attack to the left flank had failed, General Lee decided that the left was too reinforced; he decided to send in Longstreet's Corps to the right and flank the Union line. There were two hills to the right, Devil's Den and Little Round Top, both under heavy guard. One of Longstreet's Generals said the hill could not be taken and asked to move to the right of the hill. ""Sam, the Commanding general will not approve a move to the right. I argued it yesterday. I argued it all morning. Hell, I've been arguing against any attack at all. How can I call this one off? We have our orders. Go on in"" (201). Longstreet's strategy of staying on the defensive was challenged by the authority of Lee. Lee pitted his army against the odds and ordered the charge up the hill, but it only ended in disaster. Longstreet blindly led half of his men to their deaths, he not only lost irreplaceable soldiers but he lost their confidence as well. ""You may hear of it, General. I had to hit this fella. They all aid the attack was your fault and if General Lee knowed he wouldn't have ordered it-" (240). .
The Union troops stationed at the two hills were ready and waiting for the Confederates. Col. Chamberlain's regiment was the extreme left of the entire Union army.