The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-08-08
Battle Of Malvern Hill..Rebel
Account.

cVsA Va ~~oo ouu su0 LOU VI OuiyS Uut udVo
no power to describe to you the condition of
the country, or the evidences presented to
the eye of the terrible conflict that ragged
there. For five miles along the road pur.
sued by the two armies, the surface of the
earth is strewn with tattered blue coats,
knapsacks cut to pieces, broken canteens,
empty cartridge boxes, and dirty military
caps; the fences are down; the trees, riven
and blasted by the shells of the artillery, i'm.
pede the way with their fallen branches the
houses are riddled in weatherboards and
single roof; here broken caisson stands
in the middle of the road, there the fester-
ing carcass of dead horse poisons the at
mOsphere with its exhaations, while on
every hand the blighted crops of clover,
corn, oats and wheat, tell of the ravage
which twenty-four hours of warfare accom-.
plished. Perhaps the most awful struggle
of the whole war was that of Tuesday, the
LIST of July, of which wrote you so hurried
and inaccurate an account that desire to
recur to, the engagement at this time to
make even the imperfect and unsatisfactory
outline of events presented in this cores
p0ndence somewhat more full and truthful
with regard to it.
The enemy, flying before our victorious
troops, had reached, on Tuesday afternoon,
an elevated plateau of land, some sixteen
miles from Richmond, and not more than
two miles from the James River, where they
availed themselves of a strong natural posi-.
ton to make stand. Between them and
the pursuing Confederate column lay, imme.
diately in their front, an open space, nearly
level, about twelve hundred yards across.
planted in corn, which was scarcely more
than ankle high, and edged by deep, dense
wood, out of which the Confederates must
necessarily advance. -Four powerful bat
teries, of six guns each, were at once placed
so as to sweep the entire plain. About half.
past five O'Clock regiment of General Ma
gruder's Division, thrown out as skirmishers,
coming upon the open ground, met the
heavy fire of the enemy, and fell back to
their main body.
This force was drawn up in the woods,
ready at the proper moment to charge the
enemys batteries. The Purcell battery
had already been ordered to take its posi-
ton in front of the wood, and had opened
brisk cannOnade, when column of not
more than five hundred men rushed forward
from their place of c0ncealment at double
quick across the corn-feId and reached
point probably about $50 yards distant
from the guns of the Yankees on our ex-
IRENE right. The fire had now become
terrific. A perfect tempest OF iron broke
over the field, and to add to the horrors of
the scene, immense projectiles from the ene-
my's gunboats on the river began to fail
around the combatants.
1t is remarkable that not one of these ex.
plosives did our troops any injury, and not
more than half dozen of them burst at all.
Just behind the Yankee batteries was
handsome mansion which will be known in
the official reports as screws House."
Here one of the largest shells thrown by the
gunboats exploded, with the most fatal CON-
sequences to the Yankees, killing seven
men instantly and tearing gun carriage,
and even the brass piece itself to pieces.
saw shell, doubtless of the same size as
this disastrous missile, lying unexploded on
field, which measured twenty two inches in
length and ten inches in diameter.
Meanwhile the infantry column having
been thinned out to a mere handful by
the whitening fire of the enemy's field
pieces, were compelled to fall back in dis.
order, and the Purcell battery having lost
more than sixty men killed and wounded
and nearly all it's horses, was withdrawn,
and the Letcher artillery ordered to replace
it. The cannonade was still continuous and
desolating. A second and larger body of
infantry now marched Toward on the outer
edge OF the plateau to the left of our posi-
nd oft no NJ ho
gentle summit occupied by the Yankees,
was driven back with heavy loss.
The Letcher artillery at this moment
bore the brunt of the destructive fire of
twenty~four pieces of the Y ankees,a every
moment suffered some loss. A gallant lieu
tenant was killed at his gun. Two of the
men were 80 mutilated as to be scarcely
recognizable in death, and nineteen others
were wounded. When it became apparent
that this company could no longer main
tain its position without immediate support,
the third attack was made 10 heavy column
from the centre, the men moving forward in
great steadiness, but only to be repulsed as
before. Night was now coming on and
flank movement having been made by jack
son on the enemy's right, with great havoc
to their ranks, they withdrew with their
batteries and retreated 10 the darkness.
Thus was brought to close the memorable
fight of Tuesday, the first Of July. 1t diff
fered from the saDguinary battle of Gaines
Mill in this, that it was fought principally
at long range, with artillery, whereas the
encounter at the mill was between the in-
fantry, hand to hand, and under the breast
works of the foe.
During the whole OF this tremendous can
nonade of Tuesday, Gen. Lees headqaar-
tiers were at . small house on the road side
within range. Several of the enemy's case
shots burst in the yard, and upon the day
OF 10y visit the fragments of shells could be
picked up all around the building.
Continuing my ride beyond the battle
field OF Tuesday, about mile and q half [
came to the Malvern Hill mansion, which
is occupied as Federal hospital, and there
saw two hundred and fifty of the wounded
Yankees, in all conditions OF horrible mu
tilation, many minus leg or an arm, others
with wounds in the head, others again shot
ia the body, all recurring the utmost care