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THE BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL.

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THE MALVERN HOUSE. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN 1885.

During the engagement at Turkey bridge and the bat- ■which it fronts. It was built of imported English brick,tie of Malvern Hill, this house was the headquarters of of a dark but vivid red. The main battle-field is in the di-General Porter, and was a signal-station in connnuni- rection of the trees on the right, and Tyler’s siege-gunscation with the gun-boats in the James Kiver, toward werenear the small trees in the left distance.— Editors.

Almost at the crisis of the battle—just before the advance of Meagher andSickles—the gun-boats on the James River opened their fire with the goodintent of aiding us, but either mistook our batteries at the Malvern house forthose of the enemy, or were unable to throw their projectiles beyond us. Ifthe former was the case, their range was well estimated, for all their shotlanded in or close by Tyler’s battery, killing and wounding a few of his men.Fortunately members of our excellent signal-service corps were present asusual on such occasions, and the message signaled to the boats, “ For God ’ssake, stop firing,” promptly relieved us from further damage and the demoral-ization of a “ fire in the rear.” Reference is occasionally seen in Confederateaccounts of this battle to the fearful sounds of the projectiles from those gun-boats. But that afternoon not one of their projectiles passed beyond myheadquarters; and I have always believed and said, as has General Hunt,that the enemy mistook the explosions of shells from Tyler’s siege-guns andKusserow’s 32-pounder howitzers, which Hunt had carried forward, for shellsfrom the gun-boats.

While Colonel Hunt and I were returning from the front, about 9 o’clock,we were joined by Colonel A. V. Colburn, of McClellan’s staff. We all rejoiced