Robert E. Lee's second invasion of the north began on June 3, 1863, when his forces began to slip away from their camps around Fredericksburg. James Longstreet had returned from the Virginia peninsula with Pickett's and Hood's divisions and would once more command the army's reunited First Corps (divisions under McLaws, Pickett, Hood, and Anderson). Thomas J. Jackson, fresh from his greatest victory at Chancellorsville, would command the Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia (divisions under Ewell, Johnson, Rodes, and AP Hill). Lee's army would spend the next month maneuvering and marching into Maryland and then into Pennsylvania. 

 

As rumors abounded that the Union army was gaining rapidly on the Confederates from the south, Lee ordered his dispersed forces to begin closing up in anticipation of a possible battle. Jackson's corps was then spread out in central Pennsylvania in an attempt to capture the capital at Harrisburg. After word arrived from Lee that the Union army was much closer than they had believed, Jackson put his foot cavalry on the roads and moved to rejoin the rest of the army. On June 30, Jackson received word that a Union cavalry force was in Gettysburg. Unable to locate Stuart's Division, Jackson decided to drive on Gettysburg and attack any Federals he found there. He would then take the town and await the arrival of Longstreet's men moving east from Chambersburg.  

 

AP Hill's Division would lead the advance along the Chambersburg Pike. Jackson's other divisions were still a few hours away moving southward towards the town.  The Battle of Gettysburg was about to begin.

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