Jeff,

You're right. That's the whole point! By the time the Wilcox Brigade got underway it was too late to do anything. Apparently they were expected to start out right behind Picket's advance, but either the plan was not understood or the orders were not given until it was too late. It was all in the timing and the Army of Northern Virginia did a poor job in managing time all three days.

Maybe they would have been shot to hell too and it wouldn't have made any difference anyway. But imagine two brigades hitting the breach in the Union line just as Union will is wavering...

John