There was no large cavalry assault punching though the Union right and attempting to meet Pickets men. Gregg’s Union cavalry stopped Stuarts 3 brigades in the battle of the East Cavalry field. There are no records of any communication between Lee and Stuart after their meeting the evening of the second day at Gettysburg. In Lee’s Gettysburg Campaign report to President Davis, Lee details the assignment and objective of each major command in his army, except Stuarts cavalry. In this report he praises Stuart for defending the left flank of the Army. The East Cavalry field would be on the East flank of the Army. Stuarts orders to protect the Left flank of the army were probably given to him by Lee verbally the night they met.
Lee mentions nothing about ordering Stuart to use his cavalry to attack the Union rear during Pickett’s Charge.
"At about 11:00 a.m. on July 3, Stuart reached Cress Ridge, just north of what is now called East Cavalry Field, and signaled Lee that he was in position by ordering the firing of four guns, one in each direction of the compass. This was a foolish error because he also alerted Gregg to his presence. The brigades of McIntosh and Custer were positioned to block Stuart. As the Confederates approached, Gregg engaged them with an artillery duel and the superior skills of the Union horse artillerymen got the better of Stuart's guns."
There would be no need to signal Lee if he weren't expected to coordinate movements.
Thanks for that.
Until recent years I didn't know that Stuart had a role on day 3, it was never emphasized.
Then a few years back I started hearing that, oh, that Stuart, he was key to a Pickett's charge victory, by attacking the Union rear would join up & rout them.
Also, iirc, Ewell was going to finally take Culp's hill, making victory inevitable.
Your explanation here tells us why traditional Gettysburg histories said so little about Stuart's end run.