A surgical apparatus comprising: a housing including an actuating mechanism an elongate tubular member extending distally from the housing a staple fastening assembly supported by a distal portion of the elongate tubular member, the staple fastening assembly including a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw including fasteners and movable members, the second jaw including an anvil, each movable member configured to interact with a portion of a respective one of the fasteners a jaw driving assembly operatively coupled to the actuating mechanism such that actuation of the actuating mechanism moves one of the first and second jaws towards the other of the first and second jaws and a sled assembly including first and second sleds, the first sled including a longitudinal passage for slidably receiving the second sled, wherein longitudinal translation of the first sled through the fasteners sequentially ejects each of the fasteners and longitudinal translation of the second sled through the fasteners sequentially moves each of the movable members towards the tissue contacting surface of the first jaw, wherein the actuating mechanism is positioned to effect longitudinal translation of the first sled prior to effecting longitudinal translation of the second sled to define a delay between longitudinal translation of the first sled and longitudinal translation of the second sled.
