National Republican., 1881-07-11
AT MALVERN HILL.
END OF THE SEVEN DAYS, BATTLE.
Description OF the Field-A Decided Victory for
the Union Arms Charging the Guns
Fire from the Rcar-To IIar.
rsOn's Landing.

] EhVH hhuuinNs
[NoTE.-The following article completes
the series descriptive of the Seven Days Of Battle,
the consecutive publication OF which was inter-
rupted by the terrible tragedy at the Baltimore and
| Potomac depot, involving the life Of the Presi-
| dentl
While the battle Of Glendale was being fought
on the 3Oth of June, 1862, the Fnh Corps under
General Porter, was lying at Turkey Bend, near
Malvern, at which point the material of the army
wagons, heavy guns, cattle, and stores Of every
descriptlon-had been accumulated. The immense
trains were packed near the southern edge of n
high plateau overlooking and but a short distance
from the James River. Late In the afternoon
about five o'clock, the enemy advanced In large
| force against Portcrs left flank, and quite sharp
engagement onsued, continuing about an hour, at
! the end ofwhich time the rebels were driven back
| by Warren's brigade of Sykes division,
| two three regiments belonging to the
division of Morre and the concentrated fire
| Of about thirty pieces Of cannon planted upon the
commanding ground between the wagon park and
the timber to the northwest, from whence the at
tacking column made its appearance. Two of the
| cnemys guns fell into the hands of the Union
/ troops during the conflict. Between dark on the
| night ofthe 30th Of June and nine o'clock on the
morning Of July General Porter occupied NAL
yern Hill, whore the battle of the last mentioned
| BOoANAoh
| better selected and when at mn early hour Cen
| cral Mcclellan. accompanied BY Generals Barnard
| Humphreys, and Others came upon the field he
| approved tho arrangements already made by the
commander OF the Fifth Corps, making only somo
slight changosi In thelocation oftroops after which
| no departed 10 perfect the line at other points.
| THE BATTLEFIELD
| Of Malvern has been so often described that
| short statement will suffice to give fair under.
| standing of its general features Let the reader
| Imagine an elevated plateau Of somo mile aud
half by three. fourths of a mile in extent over.
| looking the james River from which 1t Is scpar-
atcd by narrow strip of low, swnmpy ground on
| the south, and bordered on the west and north
west at distance OF six eight hundred yards by
II heavy wood. The high ground is well cleared
of timber and interscctcd by several roads. To.
ward the north and cast 1t slopes gradually
| until IL reaches n belt of timber perhaps
mile or more away, through which, running
! north passes the Quaker road, leading to White
Oak swamp, and which is intcrsectcd by the road
| from Richmond TO Charles City. From the nor:h.
west, cutting through the timber comes In the
| New Market road from Richmond, one branch of
which runs along tho southern edge of the plateau
while another branch further north uuites with
the Quaker road little south Of Glendale, where
| the battle of the 30th of June was fought The
| enemy wero expected to approach along the New
| Market, Charles City, and Quaker roads, and the
THE FIFTH CORPS HELD THE LEFT
of the line, one brigade upon the low ground, to
| cover the road from Richmond passing in that
| vicinity. General Couch's division Joined Porter
| on the right then came Kearney, Hooker Scdge-
wick, Richardson, Smith, and slocum, in the order
named and finally Keycs, with so much Of his
corps as had not been detached to other points.
The latter rested his len nearly upon the river I'm
| the vicinity of IIaXalls, short distance below
| Malvern. The line taken MS Il whole formed an
elbow at about the point where Couch's and Kcar-
neys divisions Joined each other, the angle point
ing northeasterly the two arms extending backward
south and southeastcrly to the james, as already
| indicated. The troops of Porter and Couch occu.
pied sort of ridge; and, having confOrmcd to Its
| contour presented Il slightly semi circular 'front.'
| curvins inward The artillery, some sixty pieces
was posted so that its fire couldbe concentrated at
any point along the Line its chief support lying in
| front Of the guns, the face of the country being
| favorable to such an arrangement. When the
line wns first formed General Porter found himself
| somewhat In advance of General Couch and sug.
gcstcd that the latter advance his line which he
subsequently, did. To the right of Couch, and
especially beyond Kearney, where tho troops were
moro deployed, the roads were baTrcaded, the
timber slOshed, and every possible obstacle inter
posed TO strengthen the position. The Pennsyl-
vGnia Reserves were stationed
BEHIND PORTER AND COUCH,
to bc used wherever the necessities of the case
might demand. In rear Of Porter's position
dozen or so siege gums had also been put in bat
terry TO assist in strengthening his line. The
enemy first appeared between nine and ten o'clock
in the morning, and began the conflict by opening
upon Porter, Couch and Kearney. At two o'clock
| q movement was made in front of Heinzelmans S
corps, but did not result in an attack. At three
o'clock heavy artillery fire was opened upon
| Kearney's left and upon Couch, and was speedily
followed by all advance of infantry upon the lat
ter The rebels moved on IN gallant style to within
two or three hundred yards when Couchs
men, who had been lying down, arose
and poured In such deadly yollcys that
the foe soon broke and retreated followed by
the Boys in Blue for some considerable distance,
and who, having gained more advantageous
position, and one which brought them into better
alignment with the Fifth Corps, held II during the
day. About half past four the firing ceased along
the whole front and for some little time the still
ness remained unbroken by any sounds of con.
tct Meanwhile Caldwells brigade, of Richard
sons division, was sent by General Porter TO
whom 1t had been ordered to report, to General
Couch, who placed it upon his right.
AT SIX O'CLOCK
the enemy opened with all his artillery upon Por-
ter and Couch. About half-past six o'clock the
battle began in dead earnest, The enemy had de-
| ternned upon attempting to carry the heights
held by Porter and Couch by storm. Pouring out
;
marching en- masse, brigade nfer brigade pushed
ovor the intervening open space in front of the
batteries upon the run. Shot and shell greeted
them with deadly effect; grape and canister and
fearful yolleys ofmusketry swept ranks they
dashed on like the waves of the sea. Great rents
were opened by the flying missiles hurled at them,
and whole companies seemed to be blottcd out of
existence in an instant Of time by the huge shells
from the Galena and jacob Bell, lying in the
James below the bluff; but with u courage worthy
ofa better cause they held their way in some in
stances up to within less than my yards of the
death dealing eugincry of war. There appeared
TO be no end to their numbers. Fresh troops were
continually being sent forward, and about seven
o'clock General Porter, finding himself hard
pressed, especially upon his extreme left, sent
Smcads aud two other batteries below
tho main road from Richmond running
along the southern edge of the hill
with instructions to prevent the enemy from pass
ing the point at which they were posted even
though the Union soldiers, compelled TO fall back
were subjected To their fire. This was u wise pre-
caution, for had the left been turned nothing could
have saved the Army of the Potomac from uttel
rOut Porter at the same time dispatched an'aidt
TO General Sumner, short distance ON tho right
I a.