THE BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL.
AN ORDERLY AT HEADQUARTERS.
B EFORE the battle of Gaines’s Mill (already described byme in these pages), a change of base from the York tothe James River had been anticipated and prepared for byGeneral McClellan . After the battle this changebecame a necessity, in pi'esence of a strong andaggressive foe, who had already turned our right,cut our connection with the York River, and wasalso in large force behind the intrenchments be-tween us and Richmond. The transfer was begunthe moment our position became perilous. It nowinvolved a series of battles by day and marches bynight which brought into relief the able talents,active foresight, and tenacity of purpose of ourcommander, the unity of action on the part ofhis subordinates, and the great bravery, firm-ness, and confidence in their superiors on the part of the rank and file.
These conflicts from the beginning of the Seven Days’ fighting were theengagement at Oak Grove, the battles of Beaver Dam Creek and Gaines’s Mill,the engagements at Golding’s and Garnett’s farms, and at Allen’s farm orPeach Orchard; the battle of Savage’s Station ; the artillery duel at White OakSwamp; the battle of Glendale (or Charles City cross-roads); the action ofTurkey Creek, and the battle of Malvern Hill. Each was a success to ourarmy, the engagement of Malvern Hill being the most decisive. The resultof the movement was that on the 2d of July our army was safely establishedat Harrison’s Landing, on the James, in accordance with General McClellan ’sdesign. The present narrative will be confined to events coming under myown observation, and connected with my command, the Fifth Army Corps.
Saturday, June 28th, 1862, the day after the battle of Gaines’s Mill, mycorps spent in bivouac at the Trent farm on the south bank of the Chicka-liominy. Artillery and infantry detachments guarded the crossings at thesites of the destroyed bridges. Our antagonists of the 27th were still northof the river, but did not molest us. We rested and recuperated as best wecould, amid the noise of battle close by, at Garnett’s and Golding’s farms, inwhich part of Franklin’s corps was engaged, refilling the empty cartridge-boxes and haversacks, so as to be in readiness for immediate duty.
Our antagonists on the north bank of the river were apparently almostinactive. They seemed puzzled as to our intentions, or paralyzed by theeffect of their own labors and losses, and, like ourselves, were recuperatingfor a renewal of the contest in the early future; though to them, as well asto us, it was difficult to conjecture where that renewal would be made. Theonly evidence of activity on their part was the dust rising on the road down