THE MAIN BATTLE-FIELD —VIEW OF THE UNION X’OSITION FROM THE WOODED KNOLL SHOWN ON TI1E FOLLOWING PAGE.
Rhode Island Artillery, both watching the Richmond road and the valley, and protecting our left. On their right, under cover of a narrow strip of woods, skirting the Quaker road, were the brigades of Martindale and Butterfield, while in front of these, facing north, was Griffin’s brigade. All were supporting batteries of Morell’s division, commanded by Captain Weeden and others, under the general supervision of Griffin, a brave and skilled artillery officer.
About 3 o’clock on Monday the enemy were seen approaching along the River road, and Warren and Hunt made all necessary dispositions to receive them. About 4 o’clock the enemy advanced and opened fire from their artillery upon Warren and Sykes and on the extreme left of Morell. causing a few casualties in Morell’s division. In return for this intrusion the concentrated rapid fire of the artillery was opened upon them, soon smashing one battery to pieces, silencing another, and driving back their infantry and cavalry in rapid retreat, much to the satisfaction of thousands of men watching the result. The enemy left behind in possession of Warren a few prisoners, two guns and six caissons, the horses of which had been killed. The battery which had disturbed Morell was also silenced by this fire of our artillery. On this occasion the gun-boats in the James made apparent their welcome presence and gave good support by bringing their heavy guns to bear upon the enemy. Though their fire caused a few casualties among our men, and inflicted but little, if any, injury upon the enemy, their large shells, bursting amid the enemy’s troops far beyond the attacking force, carried great moral influence with them, and naturally tended, in addition to the effect of our artillery, to prevent any renewed attempt to cross the open valley on our left. This attacking force formed a small part of Wise’s brigade of Holmes’s division. They were all raw troops, which accounts for their apparently demoralized retreat. This affair is known as the action of Turkey Bridge or Malvern Cliff.
Our forces lay on their arms during the night, in substantially the positions I have described, patiently awaiting the attack expected on the following day.
of Buchanan on his right, in a clump of pines, extended the line northward, near the Crew (sometimes called the Mellert) house.
Morell, prolonging Sykes’s line on Crew’s Hill, with headquarters at Crew’s house, occupied the right of the line extending to the Quaker road. To his left front, facing west, was the 14th New York Volunteers, under Colonel McQuade, with a section of Captain W. B. Weeden’s Battery C, 1st
land over which an attacking force must advance was almost entirely cleared of forest and was generally cultivated.
I reached Malvern Hill some two hours before my command on Monday, June 30th; each division, as it came upon the field, was assigned to a position covering the approaches from Richmond along the River road and the debouches from the New Market, Charles City, and Williamsburg roads. Warren, with his brigade of about six hundred men, took position on the lowlands to the left, to guard against the approach of the enemy along the River road, or over the low, extensive, and cultivated plateau beyond and extending north along Crew’s Hill. Warren’s men were greatly in need of rest.
The brigade had suffered greatly at Gaines’s Mill, and was not expected to perform much more than picket duty, and it was large enough for the purpose designed, as it was not probable that any large force would be so reckless as to advance on that road. Warren was supported by the 11th U. S. Infantry, under Major Floyd Jones, and late in the afternoon was strengthened by Martin’s battery of 12-poundei׳s and a detachment of the 3d Pennsylvania cavalry under Lieutenant Frank W. Hess.
On the west side of Malvern Hill, overlooking Warren were some thirty-six guns, some of long range, having full sweep up the valley and over the cleared lands north of the River road. . . .
Major Charles S. Lovell, commanding Colonel William Chapman’s brigade of Sykes’s division, supported some of these batteries, and, with the brigade
BREVET BRIGADIER-GENERAL JAMES MCQUADE, TJ. S. V.
At Malvern Hill colonel of tlie 14th New York.
Died in 1885.
Caldwell and Thomas F. Meagher of Sumner’s corps, and the brigade of D. E. Sickles of Heint-zelman’s corps. Though Couch was placed under my command, he was left uncontrolled by me, as will be seen hereafter. The other brigades were sent to me by their respective division commanders, in anticipation of my needs or at my request.
This new position, with its elements of great strength, was better adapted for a defensive battle than any with which we had been favored. It was elevated, and was more or less protected on each flank by small streams or by swamps, while the woods in front through which the enemy had to pass to attack us were in places marshy, and the timber so thick that artillery could not be brought up, and even troops were moved in it with difficulty. Slightly in rear of our line of battle on Crew’s Hill the reserve artillery and infantry were held for immediate service. The hill concealed them from the view of the enemy and sheltered them to some extent from his fire. These hills, both to the east and west, were connected with the adjacent valleys by gradually sloping plains, except at the Crew house, where for a little distance the slope was quite abrupt, and was easily protected by a small force. With the exception of the River road, all the roads from Richmond, along which the enemy would be obliged to approach, meet in front of Crew’s Hill. This hill was flanked with ravines, enfiladed by our fire. The ground in front was sloping, and over it our artillery and infantry, themselves protected by the crest and ridges, had clear sweep for their fire. In all directions, for several hundred yards, the

BERDAN’S SHARP-SHOOTERS (OP MORELL’S DIVISION) SKIRMISHING IN THE MEADOW WHEAT-FIELD.
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