National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-09


with tho charging step, but they seldom
attained the foot Of the blazing volcano
whose fire thoy were endeav0ring to
quench, and whom they came running
back defeated In q confused mass, their
retreat was even more disastrous to them |
than their orderly advance. And this |
useless hurting Of these devoted brigades |
against position even more impregnable
than haryo's heights at Fredericksburg
continued at intervals until the sun went
down. The confederate batteries, which
II Exceeded in deploying from tho woods
nto the plain, were invariably knocked
into smithereens by tho time they had
fred two or three rounds.
From time TO time flying aid-de-camps,
rs they dashed by us, would shout, "All
going we'll on the right" Their left
wing Is doubled up" jackson 10 driv-
ing them," and 30 on, but for the life OF
us wo couldn't SEQ, II all this were true,
why tho sacrifice Of men plainly visible in
the center was necessary. Thus matters
wont on until shutdown, whom the brigade
was ord cred attention, and We supposed
that We wore to be ordered into instant
action; and from the streams Of wounded
going TO tho rear. and their statements
that our troops had not gained foot OF
ground aud woro much used mp, We au-
cured most unfavorsbly for the result,
should Mcclellan throw forward his left
wing in full forco. However. no didn't
do so, aud when darkness closed In we
wero ordered to stack arms and go to sleep.
Save now and then n rafting volloy at
various points Of the limo, the musketry
had at this tiNe ceased, although tho
batteries shelled the woods and each other
until 0 or 10 o'clock, whom they too were
hushed.
We passed into sleep that night with
tho unpleasant consciousness that our
arms had sustained bloody repulse, and
that in all probability we should have
another sspguinary battle on the morrow
with the issue thereof very doubtful. IL
will not be doubted that this feeling was
somewhat damper upon our martial on
thusiasm.
The next morning at sun mp We received
the welcome intelligence that tho federal
army had retroated from its strong posi-
ton in tho night. As our brigade was in
reserve tho day before, IL was ordered
into what might DO termed o technical
pursuit--very technical, indeed, 1t proved
to bo,,ss no very energetic attempt was
made so far as could to tackle the roar
guard Of tho retroating army. In order
to gain the line of retreat the brigade,
followed by the other brigades of the
division, made detour, passed over tho
road through tho piuos leading into tho
plain. Hero the effect Of tho coucontra-
tod fre of tho federal batteries was awful
TO contemplate. On either side Of the road
for hundred yards the trees were moved
down and splintored up as IL tornado
had passed. Overturned guns, exploded
caissons and ammunition wagons, dead
horses and dead artillerists, were. heaped
H.. f,,.t axsrtN y.
great difficulty that the infantry could
force pathway to the open space beyond.
Hero again on either side was veritable
wreck CT dismounted guns, broken wheels,
timber chests, horses mashed up, and men
crushed out of all semblance to humanity.
Tho morning was bright and beautiful,
with a fresh breeze from the river blow
| ing, but Its downy wings were laden with
tho odors of slaughter house, seized
upon in passing over the fatal plain below.
| have seen many battlefelds, but never
one so horrible and repulsive to the sight
as this same one of Malvern Hill. /
never had nightmare for months
afterward when all its features were
not recalled, and tho semblance In
the dreams could not intensity
the horror Of the waking reality.
| From the thickets to the foot of the
|
planted it is no exaggeration to say that
for o mile and half ono might have
walked on dead men without putting foot
to earth. And such dead menl Heads
cut off, limbs Topped, bowels torn out
legs torn from the trunks, trunks crushed
into an undistinguishable mass-a heaped
up mass of pounded flesh, that had
been strong, breathing men twelve hours
before. Oh! 1t was horrible! and thii
especially whore the huge shells o
the gunboats had exploded among
the assaulting ranks. We crossed
the plain, avoiding stepping on the
dead as we'll as we could, ant
came to the road whore Jackson
had fought. Saveltha 7 the dead wore mo-
lying 80 thickly as on the plain the SAINT
which the federal batteries had been
massed, for nearly all were the victims of
cannon shot or she'll. The federal infantry
bore, comparatively speaking, but u small
share in this battle, while the confederat,
infantry, owing to tho lay of the land
were very imperfectly supported by thei
artillery.
As said above, the pursuit was n,
pursuit at all, properly speaking, and thu
confederate army encamped few mile
beyond the field, leaving Gen. Mcclellan
to pursue his way unmolested to hi
shelter at Hsrrison's landing.
One thing want to say, is that all tn,
confederate wounded captured In thi
campaign, and who were recaptured IL
the pursuit. gave warm testimony to tn
humanity and kindness with which the.
were treated by the Yankee surgeons, ant
many O man 10 living at this day witt
would now BIO dead lift had not been fol-
that kindness.
Thus ended the first battle, whicl
showed the wonderful pluck and endur
ance of the army of the Potomac ATTIC
repeated disaster-qualities which wer
maintained to the end Of the struggle.
MURRAY.