The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-05-29
MALVERN HILL.
One of the BIoodiest Battles OF the War-Pralse
for Gen. Porter,

for Gen. Porter.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: William ].
Wray, CO. i, 23d Pa, in his interesting remi-
niscences of Malvern Hill in THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE of April Il, admits lack of infor-
nation on the subject and it seems TO me- is
strangely if not uugrateully silent regarding
the man who commanded there. From the
evidence in the official records and elsewhere
of tho leading actors on both sides, the facts
are now about as we'll established as those of
any other battle of the war | will not attempt
TO describe it., but there is no doubt that in
point of Importance IL exceeded that of the
third day ut Gettysburg, when Pickett made
his immortal charge. Tho Army of the Poto
mae was in more imminent pOrl than at any
other period of its history. defeat of the
Second Corps at Gettysburg on the third day
would not necessarily have been fatal. But
owing to the incOmpctenCy of the leader of tho
army and judging from his and the expressions
of some OF the highest officers on either side,
defeat ut Malvern would in all probability have
led TO the communications being cut aud the
surrender of our great and gallant army. No
one need be told that the consequences of such
q result must have been the success of the re-
belion.
Ii is mistake TO suppose that tho respective
forces were Mt all evenly matched in numbers
at Malvern Hill. Gen. Lee took into action his
entire strength, and his army had been heavily
reinforced, including swarms of stragglcrs and
skulkcrs made confident and hopeful, with
the entire South, by McClellau's folly in tax
ing flight before Lees inferior numbers, and
as wolves thirsting for blood and Mcclellan
certainly justified the suppostion that he
cravenly thought his brave boys were but as
lambs before thum. Lee numbered close upon
$4,000 men. With him were his most CON
spCuOus chiefs, among them Iongstreet, A.
t. Hill, Magrudor, Holmes, lIugor Stonowall
Jackson, Ewell, Early. Malone, Gordon, llamp-
ton, ID. Ii. Hill, the Andorsons, Semmes,
Toomb5, Cobb, Kershaw Pickett. Colston,
Trimblc, Dick Taylor, Ransom, Barksdale,
Lawton, Whiting, Hood, Wlndcr, Garland.
Ripley, Law, Colquitt, Branch, Armstead,
aud others among the flower of the slave hold
ing aristocracy,
About the only officer of the Army Of the
Potomac in the Peninsular campaign above
General of division with head upon his
shoulders sustained GOODNESS aud seli-COm-
mand, personal and moral courage, energy and
intrgpidity, was Gen. Fitz John Porter, who
commanded at the battle of Malvern Hill. AL
though Gen. Mcclellan leaned heavily upon him
in times Of unusual moment, Ia peris brought
on 10y his own timldity, yacllation aud wrong
medicines, and when afraid 10 rely upon him
sell or anyone else, to all appearances his
foolish vanity would not allow him to seek his
counsels upon most occasions, much less to
adopt his bold prOmptiuss, more than once
given. Porter made no fewer than n hundred
balloon ascensiOus during the campaign, the
usual hight 1000 feet, when below 800 often
exposed to cannon frc,-and from tho evidence
OF his own eyes must have formed an approx
innate estimate of tho enomy's numbers. But
Mcclellan proiesscd TO believe in preference
the estimates OF one Of the Orleans Princes, on
statements from detectives. and which were
more than double the enemy's true numbers. IL
has been said that upon one occasion the balloon
broke from It's anchor, giving Porter lofty
airing around Richmond, presumably with
valuable information, but returning him safely.
lie conducted the siege OF Gurktown-an al
together unnecessary and dilatory engineering
idea OF Mcclellan s-tO a successful conclusion.
lie commanded at Hanover Courthouse the
only aggressive action permitted by Mcclellan
on the Peninsula, with brilliant success cnptur-
ing many prisoners His imperturbable cool
ness here, under fire, was so exceptional at that
time IN SO high officer that IT. was a subject
for general remark by the newspaper CORE
spondcnts. At Mechanicsville lac gave Lee
bloody aud decisive rcpnlse, iuHicting loss
OF about 5000, which ought To have encouraged
Mcclellan 10 hold his ground, who, however,
ordered a retioEradc movement, much against
PoIters VACCINATIONS, rs appears by the records.
Under most dlscoursging circumstance
men knowing that a line OF retreat had been
marked out Tor them by Mcclellan, aud who,
with about three .iourths OF tho army at his
disposal idle, LEFT him in the lurCh-ho
fought at Gaincss Mill one of the most apcn-
did battles OF the war, Lee suffering moro ae-
vcroly than on the third day at Gettysburg
During the earlier part al McClolsn's flight
anu uHIi he awaited himself Of the protection Of
the gunb0ats, he stuck TO Porter ~ If his per-
soual safety depended solely upon him. as the
newspaper correspondents wrote, and who were
most friendly to him.
At tie battle Of Malvern Hill, Porter made
all The dispositions aud had az his disposal TO
meet Lees grand array OF numbers aud mil
itary talent only the remnants of Sykesa,
McCails and Morcl's Divisions composing the
Filth lor Porier'sl Corps. Hunts reserve artil-
Icty Including lylcr's siege Connecticut grtil-
iery), Coachs Division. of Keyoss Corps, the
brigades OF Mcaghcr and Caldwell. of Summers
Corps, and sIckless Brigade Of Hcntzeiman's
Corps. In all they were hardly third Of
Lees numbers-s0 0O0-as already stated And
more, the Fifth Corps bore tie brunt OF the So
called "seyen-days battles - and this was the
last of the seven.
Between aud o'clock in the afternoon the
| fight was opened by Lee with storms Of cannon.
! balls aud shells from his entire force Of artil.
! Icry, which was returned Handsomely, aud
with more skilllul service aud precision by
/ P0rter,s batteries, and both tho infantry aud
artillery were as steady and stcadiast NJ the
rocks OF the hill itself. Column after column
ana line alter line Of Lees vast host came for
ward throughout the afternoon 10 the assault,
| from the encircliug woods; the reeiInental
| formations plainly visible coIOrs flying, the
onseis being made in 8s good order as If on re-
view under deadly artillery FIRE; aud com
| ing TO close quarters met the hot ire of our in
| lantry IN the repeated assaults but only TO
| encounter irlghtlul hayOc and complete and
| overwhelming defeat. The Union forces suf
| iered not little, there being many dead and
| wounded.
with intervals but few aud short the fight
and carnage continued till night On several
parts Of the field our organizations would rush
forward TO meet the enemy's onscts, never
| failing TO drive them back, with Increased
slaughter, the capture of nags, guns and
| many prisoners. On no occasion have Ameri-
can soldiers exhibited greater hcroism, from
| the General commanding to the drivers Of the
| artilIery-eycn squad Of cavalry did some
good work at the guns. The corps Of Sumner
| aud HeintzcIInan stood silently in the back
ground, under strict orders from Gen. McClel-
| Ian, who had retired TO the gun boats At an
| exciting moment in the battle Gen Sumner,
being the senior officer in the neiphb0rhood
| ana seemingly parlaking somewhat Of McClel-
! lans decentralization, aud who had on some
| other occasions shown exceptional resolution,
| sent orders, though not commanding in the bat,
Tie. for Porter 10 fall back and take n position a
| mile or 80 10 the rear; but Porter protesting SO
stoutly, aud urging the likelihood OF disastrous
consequences, the order was not insisted upon
and the fight went on.
Again during the fight. In a critical emer-
gcncy, sumner hGsitatcd TO respond 10 Porter's
request 10 lend him the small assistance of two
| bFigades but through the vigorous persuasioug