 the battle of malvern hill, also known as the battle of poindexter's farm, took place on july 1, 1862, in henrico county, virginia, on the seventh and last day of the seven days battles (peninsula campaign) of the american civil war. gen. robert e. lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable union position on malvern hill. the confederates suffered more than 5,300 casualties without gaining an inch of ground. despite his victory, maj. gen. george b. mcclellan withdrew to entrench at harrison's landing on the james river, where his army was protected by gunboats, ending the peninsula campaign. ==background== the final battle of the seven days was the first in which the union army occupied favorable ground. for the preceding six days, mcclellan's army of the potomac had been retreating to the safety of the james river, pursued by lee's army of northern virginia. up to this point, the major battles of the seven days had been mostly inconclusive, but mcclellan was unnerved by lee's aggressive assaults and remained convinced that he was seriously outnumbered, although in fact the two armies were roughly equal.kennedy, pp. 101. malvern hill offered good observation and artillery positions, having been prepared the previous day by the v corps, under brig. gen. fitz john porter. mcclellan himself was not present on the battlefield, having preceded his army to harrison's landing on the james, and porter was the most senior of the corps commanders. the slopes were cleared of timber, providing great visibility, and the open fields to the north could be swept by deadly fire from the 250 guns placed by col. [[he
1862_in_Virginia Battles_of_the_Eastern_Theater_of_the_American_Civil_War Conflicts_in_1862 Henrico_County_in_the_American_Civil_War Peninsula_Campaign Union_victories_of_the_American_Civil_War Virginia_in_the_American_Civil_War