MALVERN HILL, Battle of. After the close of the battle of Glendale (q.v.), 30 June 1862, the Army of the Potomac was put in posi tion on Malvern Hill, an elevated open plateau on the left bank of James River, 60 feet high, and about 1V2 miles by rA mile in area. On this plateau the army was disposed in a large arc, both flanks resting on the river and pro tected by gunboats. Porter's Fifth corps was on the left, Couch's division of Keyes' corps on the right of Porter, Heintzelman's two divisions-- Kearny and Hooker —on the right of Couch, Sumner's corps on the right of Heintzelman, and Franklin's corps on the right of Sumner. Peck's division of Keyes' corps was on the right of Franklin and was the extreme right of the army, and it and the left of Porter's line stood back to back. There were numerous batteries of artillery along and in rear of the line. The position was a very strong one: the Confederate D. H. Hill says: nTier after tier of batteries were grimly visible on the plateau rising in the form of an amphi theatre?) The approach to the position was over 400 to 500 yards of open ground swept by artillery fire. When it was discovered early in the morning of 1 July that McClellan bad fallen back from Glendale during the night. Lee gave orders for immediate pursuit. Jack son marched by the Willis road, and when in sight of Malvern Hill he forthed line, with Whiting's division on his left and D. H. Hill's on his right, one of Ewell's brigades occupying the interval. The rest of Ewell's division and Jackson's own division were held in reserve Magruder was directed to take position on Jackson's right, but before his arrival two of Huger's brigades came up and were placed next to Hill. The Confederates felt the Union lines with infantry and artillery, and when Magruder came up, about 2 P.M., Huger's two brigades— Armistead and Wright—with four batteries, were ordered forward. The batteries, as they emerged in succession from the woods, were promptly knocked to pieces by the fire of over 60 guns brought to bear upon them, and the two brigades were repulsed with loss. This attack fell upon the right of Porter and kit of Couch, and the latter was now reinforced by Caldwell's brigade of Sumner's corps. Sr serious advance had been made on other pare of the line, but Hill had suffered severely from artillery fire in getting his troops in position opposite Couch's right. At 5:30 P.M. Magruder assaulted Porter's line and the left of Couch with the five brigades of Armistead. Cobb Wright, Mahone and Barksdale. All were met by such a terrific fire of artillery and rnuskerre which swept the slope of the hill, that they could make no headway, though gaining tem porary advantages, and fell back with great loss. Toombs', G. T. Anderson's and
som's brigades were now ordered in; Toombs got lost in the thick woods; Anderson and Ransom shared the fate of those preceding them, and fell back. Magruder's fight ended before dark. While Magruder was thus en gaged with Porter and the left of Couch, D. Hill, on his left, advanced against Couch's right, which, as the action progressed, was reinforced by Caldwell's brigade, three regiments of Hooker's division under Sickles and some of Kearny's division. Hill's five brigades were commanded by Generals Garland and Ripley and Cols. J. B. Gordon, A. H. Colquitt and C. C. Tew. The slope to Couch's line was about 800 yards, without cover, and the advance directly in the face of guns on the slope and bristling on the summit, from which burst forth such a terrific fire of shell and canister brigades withered under it. gade was picked up and sent to their but the six brigades wert hurled back. some rn great disorder after the loss of half their men.
Later in the evening •Taylor's brigade of Ewell's division, on Hill's left, moved against the left of Kearny's division, and was repulsed by artillery Ere alone: Half an hour after Hill had been disastrously repulsed and his troops scattered, McLaw's division of two brigades— Semmes and Kershaw — came up assaulted Porter's right. Semmes made some headway up the slope, but was met by the 69th and 88th New York of Meagher's brigade, which Sumner had sent to Porter's assistance, and was repulsed after a hand-to-hand encounter. Kershaw, on Semmes' left, was likewise repulsed, and his repulse at twilight marked the close of the battle, but it was 9 o'clock before the firing ceased and quiet settled down on the bloody field. Sixteen Confederate brigades had heroic ally thrown themselves against the Union left, but were repulsed by the artillery and nine brigades. Advanced regiments were forced back, but generally recovered ground; batteries or parts of batteries were withdrawn, but again run forward; yet °never for an instant was the Union line broken or the guns in danger?) The Confederate loss was over 5,500; Jackson's four divisions had 2,301 killed, wounded and missing ; Magruder and Huger about 2,900. The Union loss was less than 2,000. Consult 'Official Records' (Vol. XI) ; Webb, 'The Peninsula); 'McClellan's Own Story' ; Allan, 'History of the Army of Northern 'Virginia' ; The Century Company's 'Battles and Leaders of the Civil War' (Vol. II).