East Cavalry Field
Though overshadowed by the horrendous deaths of Pickett's Charge, two major cavalry clashes occurred on the third day of fighting as well. The East Cavalry Field fighting was an attempt by the commander of the Confederate Cavalry Corps, J.E.B. Stuart, to get the Confederate cavalry behind the Federal rear and exploit any success that Pickett's Charge generated. However, in a bloody skirmish, Union cavalry under Brig. Gens. David McM. Gregg and George Armstrong Custer repulsed the Confederate advances. Though the fighting was fierce, the Union horsemen had an advantage of being armed with Spencer Repeating Rifles, and therefore able to shoot more than the Confederate cavalry. The result of the forty or so minutes of intense battle were only minor in the sense of the Battle of Gettysburg. There were 254 Union casualties, and 181 Confederate. However, even though the Union lost more men, it was a strategic loss for the Confederate cavalry, who had lost their chance to get into the Union rear.
South Cavalry Field
The Union General Judson Kilpatrick decided to order an attack on entrenched Confederate troops by the Round Tops. However, he was unable to get his horses over or around the fence the Confederates were shooting behind, and in doing so, he lost a vast amount of men. Just as the Union horsemen were just about to take the fence, reinforcements came in the form of Confederate cavalry. In a furious skirmish, the Union cavalry were forced to retreat. Kilpatrick's novice handly of his cavalry along with his refusal to do anything about his scheme make this one of the lowest points in the history of American cavalry. The Union troops were forced to retreat with losses of over half the horsemen who had originally ridden into the battle. Confederate losses were minimal.