THE PENINSULAR CAMPAIGN.

186

Accordingly, the army was carefully posted on the admirable position ofMalvern Hill, with the right thrown back below Haxall’s. The left was thenatural point of attack, and there the troops were massed and the reserveartillery placed, while full preparations were made to frustrate any attemptto turn our right. Early in the forenoon the army was concentrated andready for battle, in a position of unusual strength — one which, with suchtroops as held it, could justly be regarded as impregnable. It was, then,with perfect confidence that I awaited the impending battle.

The enemy began feeling the position between 9 and 10 A. m., and at 3 p. m.made a sharp attack upon Couch ’s division, which remained lying on theground until the enemy were within close range, when they rose and delivereda volley which shattered and drove back their assailants in disorder. At 4p. m. the firing ceased for a while, and the lull was availed of to rectify theposition and make every preparation for the approaching renewal of theattack. It came at 6 p. m., opened by the fire of all their artillery and followedby desperate charges of infantry advancing at a run. They were alwaysrepulsed with the infliction of fearful loss, and in several instances our infan-try awaited their approach within a few yards, poured in a single volley,and then dashed forward with the bayonet. At 7 p. m. the enemy was accu-mulating fresh troops, and the brigades of Meagher and Sickles were sentfrom Sumner’s and Heintzelman’s corps to reenforce Porter and Couch ;fresh batteries were moved forward from the reserve artillery and the ammu-nition was replenished.

The enemy then repeated his attacks in the most desperate style until dark,but the battle ended with his complete repulse, with very heavy losses, andwithout his even for one moment gaining a foothold in our position. Hisfrightful losses were in vain. I doubt whether, in the annals of war, therewas ever a more persistent and gallant attack, or a more cool and effectiveresistance.

Although the result of this bloody battle was a complete victory on ourpart, it was necessary, for the reasons already given, to continue the move-ment to Harrison’s, whither the trains had been pushed during the night ofthe 30th of June and the day of the 1st of July. Immediately after the finalrepulse the orders were given for the withdrawal of the army. The move-ment was covered by Keyes’s corps. So complete was the enemy’s discom-fiture, and so excellent the conduct of the-rear-guard, that the last of the trainsreached Harrison’s after dark on the 3d, without loss and unmolested by theenemy.

This movement was now successfully accomplished, and the Army of thePotomac was at last in a position on its true line of operations, with itstrains intact, no guns lost save those taken in battle, when the artillerists hadproved their heroism and devotion by standing to their guns until the enemy’sinfantry were in the midst of them.

During the “ Seven Days ” the Army of the Potomac consisted of 143 regi-ments of infantry, 55 batteries, and less than 8 regiments of cavalry, all told.The opposing Confederate army consisted of 187 regiments of infantry, 79