Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-06-07
Malvern Hill and Its Relies and
RecOllectiOns.

brick Malvern House you see Turkey Bend
in the James river to the south. 1t is two
miles away, over ravine, hill and thicket,
and yet IL seems almost at your feet. In
that bend lay the gunboats which helped
save McClellan's army.
Thirty steps in the rear of the house is a
natural sink, the beginning of deep ravine
which runs into Deep Bottom. The bottom
Of this sink is solid bed of mari. In tax.
ing out mari they have taken out over fifty
cannon balls and unexploded shells, and
there are more to be discovered. The trees
are broken and thousand bullets have
been picked up along the steep sides.
To the southeast, on clear day, the eye
can discern Harrison's landing, which was
McClellan's haven of safety. To the north
east is the Crews farm, across which the
confederates surged as they came to the at
tack, and on which blood poured out until
the quivering earth would drink no more.
To the south and west is forest-below me
is the road leading to Richmond by way of
Varuna Grove. Between the hill and the
road where Porter was posted in reserve
that day is field of ripened corn. To the
right of this was meadow. To-day is a
tangled wilderness of shrubs and vines.
Malvern Hill is singular spot. 1t is an
almost level plateau of ground nearly two
miles long and about mile wide. On the
river side the banks are too steep for SOL
diers to climb. In front, or toward Rich
mond, the ground slopes away like lawn,
and the creek winds in and out and fur
uishes us with its banks natural cover for
ten thousand men. Mcclellan had fought
the battles of Fair Oaks, Williamsburgh,
Gaines Mill, Peach Orchard, and Savage
Station, and here was his last stand.
The retreating federal army at last
reached Malvern Hill Every day had wit
messed a bloody battle, and every night a
long march. Each battle was begun by
the confederates with the feeling that
the Union army would be cut to pieces
and captured. Each battle ended in vic
tory for the men in blue. If Mcclellan
reached City Point his army was saved.
Therefore, as he reached Malvern Hill, on
his retreat, the confederates made one last
desperate effort to crush him.
And, therefore, too, as Mcclellan reached
that grand battle-ground, he determined
that the foe which had SO exultantly pursued
his trail should receive bloodier check
than had yet been given his legions. There
were four roads by which the confederates
could pour their troops against McClellan's s
left. Sixty cannon were massed to strengthen
this flank. On the crest where forty of
those guns beloved thunder that day a
farmers boy is dragging in fall wheat. Fur
ther to the left, where the other twenty added
their flame and smoke, there is tangle Of
weed and briar and brush. As Mcclellan
sat on his horse that day, on this crest, his
eye could take in his whole semi-circle Of
battle and count three hundred cannon with
their black muzzles to the foe.
Dvwn uidoi ~ ----i ~r .ha hill hahind
knolls and ridges and banks of the creek
were four brigades Of federals. Before
them were the fields and meadows of the
Crews farm. Behind these fields were the
dark pine woods in which the confederates
were massing. About these men lying in
ambush were the sixty cannon, each CUR
having plunging fire on the plain. AL
night long Sykes, and Morrell, and Hooker
and Kearney and dozen other heroes haC
been busy, and as morning came little fur
ther was needed. A few guns were shifted
lines dressed, gaps filed, and in the full
glory of the glorious summer morning
the men waited for the fury of the storm t.
burst.
A death-lke silence fell upon the army a.
il waited. Here for the first time since tn,
swamps of the Chickahominy there was ex
ultation in the hearts of men as they stoo(
in battle line. The humblest soldier coulC
see that attack meant defeat, no matter wha
the force. COUGHS division was hiding a
the foot of the plateau, eager for the fight Il
open. Further up were the grim cannon
Beyond these the blue lines and the droop
ing flags. Hunted and bounded, the victim
had turned at bay. He was going to prov,
himself more than a match for the hosts o
Lee, jackson and Magruder.
To the right of Crews farm, on the field
hidden by rows OF shrubbery, the confeder
ate infantry marched and massed until tn
earth trembled. To the left, under the darl
pines, legions of men in gray stood waiting
From the pine-bordered Varuna Grove roa'
other legions debouched into the forests an,
marched by the flank until they formed il
battle-line across the green fields which wer
drinking in the summer sunshine. All tn
morning, lines Of gray marched to the righ
or left, batteries wheeled slowly into position
and that ominous silence which means NOR
than murder held the air and earth in it
grasp.
A sudden tremor quickly ran along tn
| lines of blue. The confederate skirmisher
came out of the pines in long, thin lin,
and boldly advanced into the fields. The
can count two hundred federal cannon O.
the plateau, and they can see the blue line
massed for battle, but they are coming
feel the way across the fields-to see wha
| that fringe of bushes conceals-to discove
what is hidden behind the ridges. The
skulk-they dodge about-they creep an
crawl over the grass like snakes. 1t is
mere handful-routed and sent flying
one volley from Couch's advance line. Tb
confederates now understand what is befor
them, and they wait for other brigades an
divisions to come up and swing into lin,
Every fifth man in those gray lines will
corpse before the sun goes down.
An hour after noon the storm bursts Ou
from those dark pine woods sweeps doubl
line of battle, banners rippling, muskel
cleaning, and lines dressed as If on parad
In ten seconds, more than two hundre
cannon, each piece having clear rang
open on the moving lines with shot, she
and canister. Where the shells burst ga
fifty feet wide is opened in the lines. Whel
grape shot and canister tear through, me
are piled three deep. Malvern Hill qui
cred from center to circumference und,
that terrible roar of artillery, and yet thos
gray lines came on. Behind them the fielC
were strewn with corpses, but the livin
wall rolled ON and on az If no power on cart
could stop it. The same steady, tram
tramp-no faster, no slower, and men wi
looked at them under the smokecoud, wo
dered if they were soldiers of flesh an
blood.
Now when the lines are only stone
throw from the men lying behind Il
creek, whole division springs up at Il
word, muskets are brought to an "aim
and sheet of fire a mile long leaps aero
the narrow space and withers and scorch
and shrivels whole brigades. 1t is Oh
grand, terrible crash, one furious shrek al
scream of ten thousand bullets seeking 4
prey, aud the ambushed tigers along II
creek and the grim guns on the hill have
further work TO do. OF all that grand lii
of battle few poor hundreds hobble ba,
beneath the shelter of the woods. Fro
creek to the forest the grass is no long
green. 1t is gray with the dead-it is n
with the blood of men torn TO fragment
Men never made more gallant advance
lines never met with bloodier repuls
Slowly the blue cloud lifted and tloat'
away over the thick forest towards Harl
sons Landing, and the guns We're still.
! The federal signal-men on Malvern III