after a short delay to assemble his forces and avoid detection in his approach march, lt. gen. james longstreet attacked with his first corps against the union left flank. his division under maj. gen. john bell hood attacked little round top and devil's den. to hood's left, maj. gen. lafayette mclaws attacked the wheatfield and the peach orchard. although neither prevailed, the union iii corps was effectively destroyed as a combat organization as it attempted to defend a salient over too wide a front. gen. meade rushed as many as 20,000 reinforcements from elsewhere in his line to resist these fierce assaults. the attacks in this sector concluded with an unsuccessful assault by the confederate third corps division of maj. gen. richard h. anderson against the union center on cemetery ridge.