What is the name of the famous Confederate infantry assault on July 3, 1863?

The famous Confederate infantry assault on July 3, 1863, was Pickett's Charge. It was the climactic attack of the Battle of Gettysburg, launched against the Union center on Cemetery Ridge after two days of fighting in Pennsylvania.

The assault was ordered by Confederate General Robert E. Lee and involved roughly 12,500 men, including divisions commanded by George Pickett, James J. Pettigrew, and Isaac R. Trimble. Pickett's division supplied the attack's best-known name, even though not every soldier in the assault belonged to his division.

Confederate troops advanced across open farmland under intense Union artillery and rifle fire. A small number reached the Union line, but the attack was repulsed with severe losses. The failure ended Lee's second invasion of the North and became a defining turning point of the battle.

A common mix-up is calling the event “Pickett's Attack.” That description is understandable, but “Pickett's Charge” is the standard historical name. Stuart's Ride was a separate Confederate cavalry operation, while Longstreet's Assault usually refers to fighting on July 2.