CLOSE OF THE GLENDALE FIGHT. them. Even the guns, so severely | contested, were not held by them; the cheers of a New Jersey brigade, advancing in the dusk to the relief of McCall, impelling them to fall back in haste to the woods. In this closing struggle, Gen. Meade was severely wounded in the arm and hip; Gen. McCall, who had lost all his brigadiers, riding forward a short distance to reconnoiter the apparently deserted field, was suddenly confronted by the leveled muskets of Rebel infantry, and compelled to yield himself a prisoner; and when Gen. Seymour, who had succeeded to the command, withdrew by order, at 11 P. M., to share in or cover the general retreat, the batteries of the division, their horses long since killed, their men worn out with desperate fighting, were left on the hard-fought field, where nearly onefourth of the division had been killed or wounded. The noise of this vehement struggle had brought Hooker, from our left, and Burns's brigade, and Taylor's 1st New Jersey brigade, from Slocum's division, to the aid of McCall; so that we were doubtless in force to have won the battle just after we had lost it, had any daylight remained. Gen. Sumner, speaking from hear-say, thus mistakenly reports it: 163 menced; and, after a furious contest, lasting Heintzelman, who was present after the battle, also very mistakenly till 5 P. M., and that in less than an reports that McCall was not attacked hour his division gave way; adding: "General Hooker, being on his left, by moving to his right, repulsed the Rebels in the handsomest manner, with great Gen. Sedgwick in McCall's rear, also greatly slaughter. Gen. Sumner, who was with aided with his artillery and infantry in driving back the enemy. They now renewed their attack with vigor on Gen. Kearny's left, and were again repulsed with heavy loss." Lee, more plausibly though not quite fairly, says: "The superiority of numbers and advantage of position were on the side of the eRemy. The battle raged furiously until 9 P. M. By that time, the enemy had been driven with great slaughter from every position but one, which he maintained until he was enabled to withdraw under cover of darkness. At the close of the struggle, nearly the entire field remained in our possession, covered with the enemy's dead and wounded. Many prisoners, including a General of division, were captured; and several batteries, with some thousands of small arms, taken. Could the other commands have cooperated in the action, the result would have proved most disastrous to the enemy. After the engagement, Magruder was recalled to relieve the troops of Longstreet and Hill. His men, much fatigued by their long, hot march, arrived during the night." misled as well as delayed in his pasFitz-John Porter, having been sage through the Swamp, had only reached MALVERN HILL at 9 A. M.," "The battle of Glendale was the most when he proceeded to post his troops, severe action since the battle of Fair Oaks. this fight, says: 38 as they arrived, so as to command "The brigade carried into action 723 muskets; and of this small number the loss was 228, including 4 officers killed and 13 wounded." Gen. C. M. Wilcox reports the loss of his Alabama brigade in this battle at 471. Among the Rebel wounded were Brig.-Gens. Anderson and Featherston. It is probable that the respective losses here were about equal. 38 June 30. especially and assailed at every turn, rendered this retreat an ordeal for our men long to be remembered." Gen. McClellan had reached Malvern the preceding day. Early this morning, leaving Gen. Barnard with directions for posting the troops as they arrived, he had gone down the river on the gunboat Galena from Haxall's, to select a position whereon his retreat should definitively terminate. all the approaches, but those from Richmond and the Swamp. The last of our trains and our reserve artillery reached him about 4 P. M. of this day; about the time that Holmes's force, moving down the James, appeared on our left flank (our army having here faced about), and opened a fire of artillery on Warren's brigade, on our extreme left. He was at once astonished by a concentrated fire from 30 guns, and recoiled in haste, abandoning two of his cannon. The rear of our wasted, wayworn army reached the position assigned it, upon and around Malvern Hill, during the next forenoon," closely pursued by the converging columns of the Rebels. The anxious days and sleepless nights of the preceding week; the constant and resolute efforts required to force their 40 miles of guns and trains over the narrow, wretched roads which traverse White Oak Swamp; their ignorance of the locality and exposure to be ambushed "Huddled among the wagons were 10,000 stragglers-for the credit of the nation be it said that four-fifths of them were wounded, sick, or ↑ utterly exhausted, and could not have stirred but for dread of the tobacco warehouses of the South. The confusion of this herd of men and mules, wagons and wounded, men on horses, men on foot, men by the road-side, men perched on wagons, men searching for water, men famishing for food, men lame and bleeding, men with ghostly eyes, looking out between bloody bandages, that hid the face-turn to some vivid account of the most pitiful part of Napoleon's retreat from Russia, and fill out the picture-the grim, gaunt, bloody picture of war in its most terrible features. "It was determined to move on during the night. The distance to Turkey Island Bridge, the point on James river which was to be reached, by the direct road was six miles. But those vast numbers could not move over one narrow road in days; hence every by-road. no Jackson's corps, consisting of his own, with Whiting's, D. H. Hill's, and Ewell's divisions, came in the Rebel advance down the Quaker Road, whereon our army had mainly emerged from the Swamp; while Magruder, with most of Huger's division, advancing on the direct roads from Richmond, menaced and soon assailed our left. Longstreet's and A. P. Hill's divisions, having had the heaviest of the fighting thus far, and been badly cut up, were held in reserve by Lee in the rear of Jackson, and were not brought into action. It is none the less true, how matter how circuitous, had been searched out by questioning prisoners and by cavalry excursions. Every one was filled by one of the advancing columns. The whole front was in motion by seven P. M., Gen. Keyes in command of the ad vance. "I rode with Gen. Howe's brigade of Couch's division, taking a wagon-track through dense woods and precipitous ravines winding sinuously far around to the left, and striking the river some distance below Turkey Island. Commencing at dusk, the march continued until daylight. The night was dark and fearful. Heavy thunder rolled in turn along each point of the heavens, and dark clouds overspread the entire canopy. Wo were forbidden to speak aloud; and, lest the light of a cigar should present a target for an ambushed rifle, we were cautioned not to smoke. Ten miles of weary marching, with frequent halts, as some one of the hundred vehicles of the artillery train, in our center, by a slight deviation, crashed against a tree, wore away the hours to dawn, when we debouched into a magnificent wheat-field, and the smoke-stack of the Galena was in sight. Xenophon's remnant of the Ten Thousand, shouting, The seal the seal' were not more glad than we." THE BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL. ever, that the entire Army of Virginia was present, engaged in or supporting the attack, and animated by a sanguine confidence that its results could differ only in being more decisive from those of the recent bloody conflicts. But much time was consumed in getting into position and bringing up the artillery necessary to respond to our heavy and well-placed batteries, so as to cover the advance of assaulting columns of infantry. Jackson, at 3 P. M., pushed forward D. H. Hill's division on his right, and Whiting's on his left, with part of Ewell's in the center, holding his own division in reserve; Huger simultaneously advancing on their right, with Magruder's three divisions on his right, under general orders to break our lines by a concentric fire of artillery, and then "charge with a yell" on our entire front with columns of infantry, which, however torn and thinned by our fire, should rush right over our defenses, as they did in the final assault at Gaines's Mill, and drive our fugitive army into the James far more hurriedly than Porter's wing had been driven across the Chickahominy. The infantry attack, after a brief cannonade, was made accordingly, and for the most part with great intrepidity; and, though the carnage was fearful, some ground was gained by Magruder on our left, where Kershaw's and Semmes's brigades, of McLaws's division, charged through a dense wood, nearly up to our guns; as did those of Wright, Mahone, and Anderson, still farther to their right, and Barksdale, nearer to the center; while D. H. Hill, with Jackson's foremost division, charged on Couch's 165 division next, then Kearny and Hook- | ion, were ordered up to the support er, forming Heintzelman's corps; next to these, Sedgwick and Richardson, under Sumner; with Smith and Slocum, under Franklin, on our right; while McCall's shattered Pennsylvania Reserves and our cavalry were posted in the rear, near the river. Batteries above batteries, along the brow of the hill, rendered the attack little less than madness, on any other presumption than that our men were cowards, who, if resolutely charged, would inevitably run. Apart from the great strength of our position, we had more men than the Rebels, and many more and heavier guns; and then the battle opened too late in the day to justify a rational hope of success: the main assault being made, after a very considerable pause for preparation, so late as 6 P. M.; yet it was made with such desperation-the sheltering woods enabling the Rebels to form their columns of assault within a few hundred yards of our batteries, emerging on a full run, and rushing upon our lines in utter reck lessness of their withering fire-that Sickles's brigade of Hooker's division, and Meagher's, of Richardson's divis "Jackson reports the loss of his corps (comprising his own, Ewell's, Whiting's, and D. H. Hill's divisions) in this fight: 377 killed, 1,746 wounded, 39 missing; total, 2,162. Magruder thinks his loss will not exceed 2,900 killed and wounded, out of 26,000 or 28,000 under his orders. Brig.-Gen. Ransom reports the losses in his brigade at 499, out of 3,000. Brig.-Gen. Mahone, of Huger's division, reports a total loss of 321, out of 1,226. Gen. A. R. Wright reports the loss of his already weakened brigade, in this fight, at 362. D. R. Jones reports the losses in his division at 833. Among the wounded in this fight were Brig.-Gen. Jones, Va.; Col. Ransom, 35th N. C., severely; and Col. Ramseur, 40th N. C. Brig.-Gen. J. R. Trimble, of Ewell's division, giving an account of the conduct of his brigade in this battle, says: of Porter and Couch, who held our right front, which Jackson was charging; but not one of our guns was even temporarily captured or seriously imperiled throughout the fight, wherein the losses of the Rebels must have been at least treble our own." Darkness closed this one-sided carnage; though our guns were not all silent till 9 o'clock, when the Rebels on our front had been fairly driven out of range; though on our left they sunk to rest in ravines and hollows somewhat in advance of the ground. they had held when their artillery first opened. And still, as throughout the struggle, our gunboats continued to throw their great missiles clear over the left of our position, into the fields and woods occupied by the enemy, probably doing little positive execution, since that enemy was not in sight, but adding materially to the discomforts of his position. Gen. McClellan, who had been down to Harrison's Bar in the Galena, in the morning, landed toward night, and was on the field during the last desperate charge of the enemy." "The next morning, by dawn, I went off to ask for orders; when I found the whole army in the utmost disorder; thousands of straggling ambulances, wagons, and artillery, obstructing men asking every passer-by for their regiment; every road; and altogether, in a drenching rain, presenting a scene of the most woeful and disheartening confusion." OUR RETREAT TO HARRISON'S BAR. 167 Our victorious army began at once | not leave Malvern till after daylight to evacuate, by order," the strong of the 2d. The last of our wagons position wherein they had just was not in place at the new position achieved so decided and bloody a till the evening of the 3d, when the success, leaving their dead unburied rear-guard moved into camp, and and many of their wounded to fall the army was at rest. A small into the hands of the enemy; mak- Rebel force had followed our rearing a hurried and disorderly" night- guard, and this day threw a few march, over roads badly overcrowd- shells; but was soon driven off by ed, to the next position selected by the response of our batteries and their commander, at Harrison's Bar, gunboats. seven miles down the James. The movement was covered by Keyes's corps, with the cavalry, which did The following extract from the Diary of Dr. R. E. Van Grieson, then Surgeon of the gunboat Galena, of which the accuracy is not disputed, seems to embody all the essential facts: "U. S. STEAMER GALENA, July 1, 1862. McClellan has just come on board 49 A. M. again. "10 A. M. Under way down the river, taking McClellan with us; who, being considerably fatigued, has gone into the cabin for a little sleep. About noon, we came to Harrison's Bar. 12:30 P. M. Tug came alongside, and took McClellan and Franklin to the encampment. In about an hour, McClellan returned, when we started up the river. As we pass on up, we can hear heavy firing. After passing Carter's Lauding, it increases to a perfect roar. McClellan, though quietly smoking a cigar on the quarter-deck, seems a little anxious, and looks now and then inquiringly at the signal officer, who is receiving a message from shore. After a while, the signal officer reports Heavy firing near Porter's Division. Next came a message demanding his presence on shore. A boat is manned, and McClellan left. The firing still continues-nearer and louder than before. About 6 P. M., we ran a little farther up, and threw in a few shell with good effect. "9 P. M. The firing has about ceased. News on shore-Slaughter immense Enemy in full retreat.' "10 P. M. McClellan has just returned with Gen. Marcy. Mac says 'They took one gun from us yesterday; but to-day we have taken many of their guns and colors.' "Yes,' said Marcy, 'we whipped them like the devil to-day.' 12 M. From what I can gather from the conversation of McClellan, we may expect to see the major part of the army at Harrison's Landing to-morrow." Gen. McClellan, in his report, says: "I left laxall's for Malvern soon after daybreak. Accompanied by several general officers, I once more made the entire circuit of the position, and then returned to Ilaxall's, whence I went with Capt. Rodgers to select the final loca Gen. McClellan reports the aggregate losses of his army in the Seven Days' fighting and retreating, from tion for the army and its dépôts. I returned to Malvern before the serious fighting commenced; and, after riding along the lines, and seeing most cause to feel anxious about the right, remained in that vicinity." The Rebels made no attack on our right, and it was at no time in action. 43 Even Fitz-John Porter's devotion to his which elicited his most indignant protest. chief was temporarily shaken by this order, "Gen. Hooker, when examined before the Committee on the Conduct of the War, testified with regard to this affair as follows: "Ques.: Were you in the battle of Malvern? "Answer: Yes, sir; and at that place we won a great victory. "Q. Could you have gone into Richmond after that fight? "A.: I have no doubt we could. The day before, I had had a fight at Glendale; and, under the orders, I had to leave my wounded behind me, and I left two surgeons to take care of them. The enemy, in coming to Malvern, had to march right by my hospital. My surgeons afterward reported to me that, abou: 3 P. M. on the day of the battle of Malvern, the enemy commenced falling back, and kept it up all night; that they were totally demoralized, many of the men going off into the woods and trying to conceal themselves from their officers; and that they were two days collecting their forces together. "Q.: Had the defeat of the enemy at Malvern been followed up by our whole force, what would have been the probable result? "A.: Richmond would have been ours beyond a doubt. "Q. Instead of that, you fell back to Harrison's Landing? "A.: Yes, sir. We were ordered to retreat; and it was like the retreat of a whipped army. We retreated like a parcel of sheep; everybody on the road at the same time; and a few shots from the Rebels would have panic-stricken the whole command." |