At Gettysburg on Day 3, while George Pickett’s infantry was charging up Cemetery Ridge from the front, JEB Stuart and the Confederate Cavalry was a 10-minute gallop from reaching the top of the ridge from the other side. In the purest cavalry battle of the Civil War, the outnumbered Union cavalry stopped Stuart and, effectively, helped secure victory for the Union. Maine’s 1st Cavalry Regiment was held in reserve for the first 30 minutes, then ordered forward at the fight’s critical juncture. The Maine mens’ spirited arrival helped tip the balance. JEB Stuart had to abandon his charge. Pickett’s infantry was left to fight on their own.
