Battle of Malvern.
| 1 Warren's Brig., Sykes's Div. 2 Buchanan's " " " 8 Chapman's " " " 4 Griffin's " Morell's " 5 Martindale's " " " 6 Butterfield's " " " 7 Couch's Division. 8 Sumner's and Heintzelman's Corps. | 9 McCall's Division. 10 Abatis. A Jackson, D. H. Hill, and Ewell. B Longstreet. C Magruder and Huger. D A. P. Hill. E Holmes. |
General Magruder brought all of the cannon into position which could be advantageously posted, and at two o'clock opened a rapid fire, which was replied to by the batteries on the hill. He threw forward his skirmishers at an earlier hour.
Jackson moved forward a division upon Couch an hour later, but it was hurled back in confusion by the fire of the batteries, and the deadly volley delivered from the rifle-pits.
Holmes, all the while, had been edging towards the river, to gain the rear of McClellan, but the enormous shells from the gunboats, which tore down the forests, paralyzed his soldiers.
There was a consultation among the Rebel commanders. Lee had intrusted the command in his center to Magruder. His brigadier-generals did not want to advance over the plain.