Interestingly enough, the reason for the failure of the "charge" is a farmers fence that the Confederate troops had to climb over. They were under strict orders not to destroy any private property, hence they could not tear the fence down. That being said, the troops had to climb over it which left them stationary and exposed to double canister rounds from Yankee cannon. None can fault the courage of the South that day, and they did manage to make it all the way to the center of the Yankee lines, but by the time they got there, the mortal damage had already been done. Too many troops were lost climbing the fence to successfully carry the center of the Union line. The fence would be called the Murphy's Law of that battle. For had Lee succeeded in breaking the Union center, he would've carried the battle and won the South's bid for independence.
The Shadbake, however, may be another story.
Though I wouldn't chalk that one up to cowardice so much as reckless indifference.