The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-07-18
A YIRGINIAN VICTORY.
THE BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL
DESCRIBED BY A PARTICIPANT.

An Ex-Confederate Tells About Nahone's
Brave Brigade-Charging Through the
Observation-Disclosures Back with Terrible
slaughter--The Night After the Battle.
About in the afternoon our brigade MA
homes, which had been slowly marching
along the Quaker or Willis church road in
the direction of Malvern Hill, is halted. A
few PAGES ahead of us was dashing looking
general officer, mounted and splendidly uni
formed, with large retinue of staff officers
and couriers. Cen Malone rode up to this
officer to receive his orders. Just at this
time solid shot fired from a gun of a
Federal battery near Crews house, now con-
cealed from our view by an intervening body
of woods, came skipping along, nearly spent,
narrowly missing the group of officers and
couriers and passing through our ranks,
opened for the purpose, we saw it bound
ing slowly toward us-a reminder that the
enemy was near at hand. All around the
open field through which this shot came
bounding toward us, were pieces of artillery.
Gen. Magruder ordered Gen. Malone to
charge the enemy's batteries along with Gen.
Wright. The men in the ranks understood
this order to be to charge the battery that
fired the shot, which, like gauntlet thrown
down, seemed to challenge our assault
In few moments we are in motion, form
ing line of battle with our faces in the
direction of the Federal artillery, : hose fire
seems now to increase. Between us and the
enemy intervenes the body of woods referred
to, and we saw nothing of them as we move
forward. A hundred or two yards of forward
movement brought us into these woods, a
body of large chestnuts and oaks Through
the tops of these tail trees, far above our
heads, the shot and shell of the Federal artil-
lery howl and crash, putting us in constant
danger of injury from falling fragments of
huge limbs of trees. But on we went until
We reached ravine or gully, along the bot
tom of which ran a small branch. Here we
halted. In the ravine was brigade of troops,
all sitting with their backs to the wall of the
gully next to the enemy, seemingly secure
from danger, ensconced, as they were, in
what appeared to be comparatively bomb
proof, and looking far more comfortable than
we felt uLder an order to charge battery
and on our way to execute this order. The
occasion of our temporary halt just here was
an examination as to the route by which it
would be best to go forward
We were now very close to the enemy. At
the foot of the hill upon the table ground
that we feel the vibrations of the earth at
each discharge of the Federal guns Not 300
yards interviewed between us and these guns,
the slope of the hill, however, perfectly pro
tecting us, we being now opposite to the ex-
IRENE left of the Federal line of battle. To
our right in beautiful field, the meadow
mentioned by Gen. Wright, with its yellow
shocks of recently harvested wheat, are sta
toned the Federal sharpshooters, against
whom we have been warned. Posted behind
the shocks of wheat, they see us, but we can
not see them. Esvhie they pick off our men as
they come uptO take position in line of battle
at the foot of the hill preparatory to the in
tended charge.
As marched along to this position looked
over toward the woods on Turkey creek,
skirting this meadow. The prospect was
beautiful; everything i'll that direction saw
so tranquil that clear summer afternoon, in
striking contrast with the harsh notes of
war. The crisis was now at hand. Gen.
Malone, selling the colors of one of our
regiments, commanded us to move forward
We rush up the slope of the hill toward the
enemy yelling at the top of our voices. Just
near the brow of the hill caught a glimpse
of four artillery horses hitched to a gun, or
to caisson, dashing away at full speed My
heart leaped with joy. The enemy are fly
ing Their artillery and infantry are routedl
We are victors without firing a gun. But /
was terribly mistaken. l saw only those
four horses in flight. No men, no other
horses drawing pieces of artillery, no in
fantry, are flying.
Our line of battle was allowed to get we'll
upon the hill, when the enemy's infantry
stationed not more than one hundred aud
1.s
their artillery in the rear of the infantry,
suddenly opened upon us with terrific fury.
Our men were driven back with terrible
loss, but only to gain the protection of tie
brow of the hill, there to rally and return to
the charge. The enemy's infantry line
meanwhile seemed immovable 1t stood as
If at dress parade. Soon, however, dense
volumes of smoke considerably obscured
their line, but there were the red flashes of
the guns and the crimson looking Federal
colors floating over the dark line of men
plainly visible
Every few minutes a column, a regiment
or two, would move steadily forward in line
of battle toward the enemy, cheering as
they advanced. Then there would be Che
deafening roll Of musketry and in few mo
ments all would be hidden from view by
smoke. On the occasion of one charge my
eyes were upon the advancing line whers it
received the fire of the enemy. The poor
fellows reeled and fell, it seemed, by the doz-
ems The line, broken, was forced back to
seek shelter under the brow of the hill. In
"A few minutes the men rallied, and returning
TO the charge met the same fate This whs
fair sample of the many charges made dur ing
the afternoon.
About sunset an advance was ordered, and
we moved forward to the next hill, some
seventy-tive yards in our front, Col. David
A. WeisiCer the colonel of nnr. repirnf Mt