11:45-Noon – Traveling southwest on the Black Horse Tavern Pike, Alexander’s artillery battalion passes the tavern at the intersection with Fairfield Rd. The battalion comprises six batteries: Jordan’s, Woolfolk’s, Parker’s, Moody’s, Gilbert’s and Taylor’s. About 300 yards further down the pike they detour off to the low grounds to the southwest to avoid being seen by Union spotters on the summit of Little Round Top to the east.

12:20-12:25 pm – The leading elements of McLaws’ Corp, Kershaw’s brigade, en route to the front line on the far right of Lee’s army, begins its passage by the tavern. The Corp is strung out over back country roads for well over a mile. Kershaw’s brigade never completely passes the tavern since the column is halted before crossing the same ridge that resulted in Alexander’s detour a short time earlier.

12:55 pm – Confederate senior commanders meet and discuss the situation for well over half an hour. As with Alexander, the mandate is to avoid being spotted by the Union signal corpsmen on Little Round Top, but rather than take Alexander’s “detour route”, the decision is made to “reverse march” the Corp back over the roads and trails from whence they came.