The Battle of Malvern Hill

Look for "101st NY" next to "KEARNY"

Excerpt: "We were all anticipating a fine meal when we reached the "open field" and "our camp." We marched there and were immediately put into line of battle in a large open field. We could distinguish a line a half mile in front of us, loading and firing and they were bringing the wounded past us in litters. Then this was to be our camp ground and our breakfast! We are orderd to lay down in front of a battery which we supported the greater part of the day. We can see the Rebels galloping across an open field about a mile in front of us. It is exceedingly hot and most of our men are asleep both Officers and men. Every little while a shell will burst among or near us killing and wounding some. The shot and shell fly over our heads and many strike in front of us coming short of the mark. One shell burst within 10 feet of me wounding three men and tearing the clothes of the two men who lay on either side of me."

"At 2 Oc. P.M. the fighting commenced again. And it was truly a grand but terrific sight. Acros the open field to our left where we lay...there were several bayonet charges during the afternoon. The Rebs. were trying to come up across the open field and our men would come up Regt. after Regt. and without firing a shot- chase them off the field. The musketry was mostly in the woods in front of us."

Excerpt: "Our forces were posted in a semi circle abot the brow of Malvern Hill and far to the left of where we lay- the Rebel McGruder with 30.000 men was charging our batteries. I could distinctly see fromt he position we occupied, an eminence. This was one of the grandest sights of my life. The Rebs came out of the woods massed in column and charged desperately. Our men would wait until they came ear and then mow them down by hundreds. They would fall back and form and come again. It was a useless and fruitless sacrafice of life for even if they had reached our pieces McC had his infantry drawn up to the rear ready to charge them back. The prisoners we took here were drunk, and all had whiskey in their canteens. No one could ever have forced sober men up in this manner where it was certain death. It is said that Gen. McGruder was drunk himself and had his Regulars drawn ip in live and Artiller leaving all his own men to drive them up to our cannon and to face death. Such a slaughter I believe is not recorded in this or any other war."

Excerpt: "By 7 Oc. P.M. we had silenced every Rebel piece of Artillery- at this time I saw a battery of six pieces go around to the left of the piece of woods in our front which with the Artillery we were supporting kept up an incessant cross fire into the woods. The effect must have been wonderful for we could see the shot and shell go crashing thro' the woods. We shelled the Rebs. completely out of this piece of woods but not until they came nearly thro' so near that the balls came whizzing over our heads and some very near us. This fire was kept up until 10 Oc. at night. And far to the left the canonading was fearful I should think a hundred pieces of Artillery were worked here constantly until 10 Oc. at night. We could see the general and staff officers galloping over the open field shouting to each other, the shot and shell streaking all about them. This imagination can conceive of no more exciting scene than this we witnessed."

"And with all the gun boats belched forth their ponderous shots which came thundering over our heads carrying death and destruction into the Rebel ranks. The Eve. was dark (cloudy) and the shot of flame from the cannons mouth with the dense volume of smoke added to the fearful noise was calculated to impress one with the awful sublimity of a battle scene. We had 9 or 10 killed 20 or 30 wounded and 70 or 80 missing from the 101st at the close of the day. We had nothing to eat except one box of hard bread which we secured this day."

"We have this day fought one of the bloodiest battles of the war, against an excellent enemy and have whipped him thoroughly. It has been the bloodiest day on record for the Rebels- Our loss altho' heavy is in comparison light. We lay behind our breast work with orders to keep awake to night."