THE BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL.

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GENERAL UTZ JOHN POUTER’S HEADQUARTERS IN THE IVESTOVER MANSION, CAMP AT HARRISON’SLANDING, JULY , 1862. FROM A WAR-TIME SKETCH.

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It was something fearful and sad to contemplate; few steps could he takenwithout trampling upon the body of a dead or wounded soldier, or withouthearing a piteous cry, begging our party to be careful. In some places thebodies were in continuous lines and in heaps. In Mexico I had seen fields ofbattle on which our armies had been victorious, and had listened to pitifulappeals; but the pleaders were not of my countrymen then, and did not, asnow, cause me to deplore the effects of a fratricidal war.

Sadder still were the trying scenes I met in and around the Malvern house,which at an early hour that day had been given up to the wounded, and wassoon filled with our unfortunate men, suffering from all kinds of wounds.At night, after issuing orders for the withdrawal of our troops, I passedthrough the building and the adjoining hospitals with my senior medicalofficer, Colonel George H. Lyman. Our object was to inspect the actual con-dition of the men, to arrange for their care and comfort, and to cheer themas best we could. Here, as usual, were found men mortally wounded, bynecessity left unattended by the surgeons, so that prompt and proper caremight be given to those in whom there was hope of recovery.

While passing through this improvised hospital I heard of many sad cases.One was that of the major of the 12th New York Volunteers, a brave andgallant officer, highly esteemed, who was believed to be mortally wounded.While breathing his last, as was supposed, a friend asked him if he had anymessage to leave. He replied, u Tell my wife that in my last thoughts wereblended herself, my boy, and my flag. ” Then he asked how the battle hadgone, and when told that we had been successful he said, “ God bless the old

fla-” and fell back apparently dead. For a long time he was mourned as

dead, and it was believed that he had expired with the prayer left unfinished

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