Longstreet
- In the Confederate camp at night, the soldiers are gathered around the fire, teaching an English observer—Arthur Fremantle—how to play poker. Other foreign observers are also hanging out in Longstreet's camp.
- Although formerly an intense card player, Longstreet quit playing after his children died. He sits off a little, not talking. He's troubled by the army's inability to know what's up ahead, thanks to Stuart's absence. Longstreet has dispatched Harrison to spy in Gettysburg, but he hasn't heard anything back yet.
- Longstreet remembers counting stars in a field with a girl a long time ago. Moxley Sorrel, his chief of staff, arrives and tells him that soldiers have spotted Union cavalry in town. Sorrel says that General A. P. Hill doesn't believe the news, because he thinks that General Pettigrew, whose troops made the sighting, is over-excitable. Lee defers to Hill's judgment, though Longstreet knows this is wrong.
- Sorrel invites Longstreet to join the card game, but he declines. As Sorrel leaves, Longstreet worries about this new info.
- The Englishman, Fremantle, then comes up to Longstreet and asks him for some advice on when to draw to an inside straight in poker. That answer is a definitive never. Longstreet reflects on the English: they talk like ladies, but they are good fighters. He doesn't think they'll join the South in the war, however.
- There's a commotion as General Pickett, a dashing, curly-haired figure, arrives in camp along with his three brigade commanders, Armistead, Garnett, and Kemper. Longstreet has known them all since they fought in the Mexican War together.
- Pickett refuses liquor, keeping a promise he made to his wife. He's also wearing highly pungent French cologne, which the other officers make fun of him for. Garnett has an injured arm—and an injured reputation from when the now deceased Stonewall Jackson accused him of cowardice.
- The men joke around, introducing themselves to Arthur Fremantle. They mention that Pickett finished last in his class at West Point, that Armistead's nickname is "Lothario," and that they've nicknamed the army "Lee's Miserables" punning off the title of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables.
- In the course of their intros, they reveal that Kemper is a former politician, and Armistead is from a very old Southern family.
- Pickett comes over to chat with Longstreet, complaining that he hasn't seen any action in combat in quite a while. He says his soldiers are starting to wonder if the high command has something against his division.
- Longstreet explains that there's no conspiracy; it's just the way things have worked out lately. Pickett says that's fine, but his Virginian soldiers have a certain pride. He leaves politely when Armistead calls him over to join the poker game.
- Armistead stops to talk with Longstreet for a while, half-jokingly asking him if Pickett was trying to get them out front where they'll be shot.
- Armistead and Longstreet talk about how Armistead is getting a little old and tired. Armistead asks Longstreet if he's heard anything about Win Hancock, his best friend and now a Union general. Longstreet says Hancock will probably be at the battle.
- Longstreet starts to discuss new defensive tactics, like fighting from trenches, but Armistead keeps discussing Win Hancock. Longstreet tells him he can arrange a meeting, even hold a little truce if he wants. Armistead is pleased.
- Suddenly, Longstreet thinks of his dead children from that horrible Christmas and remembers his suffering wife. Sensing something is wrong, Armistead offers to leave, but Longstreet says it's okay.
- Longstreet reflects on Armistead's good character, and Armistead says the men have great morale. It's like they're geared up for a holy war or Crusade.
- Armistead praises Lee, while Longstreet reflects on the Cause: he doesn't think much of it; he's just fighting to have a victory. He puts in a word for the bravery of the Union troops, saying the Southerners might be overestimating the power of their own high morale.
- Armistead says that might be true, but he thinks that the Confederate Army is special, and so is Lee. He says Longstreet might be right about defensive war, but this isn't the army for it, and Lee isn't the commander for it. The Richmond papers made fun of him when he tried digging trenches to defend the city.
- Longstreet says Lee promised him he'd try to play defense during this coming battle. Armistead doesn't think it's in Lee's nature, but he thinks Longstreet is a great defensive soldier if there ever was one.
- Their discussion ends when they hear an argument: Sorrel, Kemper, and Pickett are trying (kind of intensely) to convince Fremantle that the war isn't really about slavery, as so many English people think it is.
- Kemper and Sorrel explain that they feel like they're being oppressed by a foreign government, the Yankees.
- As the argument ends, Kemper and Sorrel tell Longstreet what they were telling Fremantle. Pickett says that the Confederates seceded from the Union because the Yankees were like men in a fellow gentleman's club who started peeking into the Southerners' private business.
- Longstreet cautions Pickett about the fight that's coming and tells him to make sure his men are ready.
- Longstreet stands alone and sees a falling star. Harrison brings back news of Union cavalry in Gettysburg, but Lee's aides won't wake him up, since Lee already said he didn't believe the reports.
- Just before dawn, one of Buford's pickets, a soldier from Illinois, sees a line of Confederate skirmishers advancing. He aims at one of them… and fires the first shot of the Battle of Gettysburg.