Battle Commences

After a march of less than three miles from the Glendale battlefield, Confederates reached the foot of Malvern Hill at this spot. On July 1, a line of Union artillery supported by infantry held the crest of the hill in front of the West House, less than 800 yards away. When Southern infantry entered this treeless ground, the guns opened fire with devastating exploding shells and solid shot. For most of the day, the valley of Western Run behind this position provided natural shelter for soldiers of General D.H. Hill’s division. Late in the afternoon, Hill’s infantry began its assault against the Union line. George B. Anderson’s brigade advanced part way up the hill before stalling and falling back, while other brigades fought to within 200 yards of the Union guns but were decimated by canister rounds. The gentle slope and extensive field of fire gave the Union artillery an ideal setting for its destructive work.

Virginia · United States