Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-07-11

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on that field they held strong hopes Of q
decisive victory over McClcllan's moving
army 10 soon a. II could be- brought to bay,
and when they learned, on the night Of the
30th Of June aud morning Of July 1. that ID
hal come n n stand with It's hnck 20 the
river. aud saw their own forces united. the
prize seemed ALREADY within their grasp.
When, however, the southern generals
reached the SCENE after their hurried night
march and learned what Little Mncn had
been about on Malvern Hill during the
preceding twontyiour hours, while a Dor.
tlon OF his troops had fully occupied their
attention elsewhere, they shook their heads
dubionsly They saw sighisto appnli thoin.
aud though their brave soldiers were equal
20 most desperate efforts, even 10 charging
up long, exposed slopes where the Union
artillery could comb the ground with can.
lister. the ilr.t prsentlmont was the correct
one. Mcclellan couldn't DO oastod from
his position by direct attack, even II thclr
tcus Of thousands should he sacrificed TO
the last fnnu. The first description u Nal.
yern lilll was carried TO tho Confederate
commander. Robert u. lee. by Con. ID. II.
Hill. and Ia giving iu his information the
latter observed. III Gen. Mcclellan /. there
In force we had better let him alone"
Gen. longstrcot was present, aud said
laughingly TO Hill, Don't get scared now
TINT We have got HIN whipped"
Ice apparently sympalhlfcl with Long.
streets view. ior he ordered an attlnk, and
Hits division bore the brunt 81 lt.
By singular good fortune I saw the
whole Union armament on Malvern Hlll
~ II appeared from the cnemys Hue.
about un hour before the hall opened, aud
| remember distinctly two thoughts up.
pcrmOst In nay mind. one was that
wunld be happy 10 get inside Of our lines
Oh that hill ~ soon Us possible. and tho
other that the Coniodcrutos would fnd the
place slaughter pon should they attempt
the same feat.
Our division had bccn ia the rear giinril
the previous day, June ~, defending tho
crossing at White Oak Swamp. aud had
held ON until midnight Between a. M.
and daylight ON the 1T we hnh marched
toward tho JNucs river on parallel routes
with Lees troops, aud We climbed M tho
sloplng grudcs on 20 Malvern I'M iust
ahead Of the enemy. 30 thnt the prupar.
htions made N receive them were complete
Tor our Inspection. For mile before VIZ
reached tho front line ON the slopes every
exposed spot In the rood. aud. NO Tar rs We
could see, In the adjoining fields, was GOV.
orcd by our cannon The line was q semi.
circle. resting on James river ON ono side
aud on q swamp aud creek on the other,
and every commanding knoll was crowned
with cannon. and could only be approached
By tho Conisdcratcs across opeh fields or
bare aloecs, whore the range of our rlhcs
aud artillery would be unobstruoted-
Tho most exposed positions were ocru
pied by Morrll's and Mnrtindalo's diyis.
ions Of Fliz John porlcrs Fifth corps and
by COUGHS division u Kcycs' Fourth
corps Porter- corps had made deeper
nto fight at Mechanio,yillc aud Gaines
Mil, June % aud n, tho opening oi tho
Seven Days" battles, but had been
spared during the subsequent engagements
TO he fresh on this the closing day " tho
series. COUGHS division was fresh, but all
the other troops u our army had sen
hard work marching and fighting night
aud day for week. Couch'a division oc.
cupled the right Of the line, aud IN front II
Il the ground was cut up by numerous
deep rayinos a quarter Of milo distant.
The right rested upon stream called
Western Run and could not 30 easily
turned.
Porter's two divisions occupied Crews
Hin on tho extreme left OF McClclans
line Tho positions held by both Porter
aud Couch had been selected on the 81th
by Porter, whom the commanding general
had appointed TO lead on this last day VI
battle ~ he had done on the fields OF Juno
~ and "a. before Richmond. Mcclellan
examined the positions shortly before the
Confedcrates opcncd the attack, aud ap-
proved Of them, aud as fast as the remain.
Inc troona-tho eorna ~ gunuer Eruullin
and Heinsleman-ren reached the field they
were placed In reserve by 10 o'clock the