General Lee understood the gamble he was going to take by assaulting Cemetery Ridge on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. He also understood the caution that General James Longstreet had given to Lee which was not to attack the Union's position on the Ridge. Part of Lee's confidence lay in the massive artillery barrage that he ordered at 1:00 PM on July 3, 1863. The Confederate artillery barrage came from 140 cannons. Many shots overshot their targets and left the Union's 80 guns ready for a Rebel advance which began at 3 PM that afternoon. The assaults failed and the battle was lost. Lee expected a counter attack on July 4th but General Meade wisely held back from a possible defeat.