Battle of Malvern Hill

Part of the Seven Days Battles during the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War (Eastern Theater)

A watercolor of the Battle of Malvern Hill by Robert Sneden

Date	July 1, 1862 (1862-07-01)
Location	Henrico County, Virginia Coordinates: 37°24′45″N 77°15′03″W / 37.4124°N 77.2509°W / 37.4124; -77.2509
Result	Tactical Union victory

Belligerents

United States (Ground and naval forces)

Confederate States of America (Ground forces)

Commanders and leaders

Abraham Lincoln
George B. McClellan
Fitz John Porter

Jefferson Davis
Robert E. Lee

Units involved

Army of the Potomac

Army of Northern Virginia

Strength

54,000
33 batteries, 171 guns (more in reserve)
3 ships

55,000
12–14 batteries

Casualties and losses

~3,000

~5,650

The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, was fought on July 1, 1862 between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by Gen. Robert E. Lee, and the Union Army of the Potomac under Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan. It was the final battle of the Seven Days Battles during the American Civil War, taking place on a 130-foot (40 m) elevation of land known as Malvern Hill, near the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia and just one mile (1.6 km) from the James River. Including inactive reserves, more than fifty thousand soldiers from each side took part, using more than two hundred pieces of artillery and three warships.

The Seven Days Battles were the climax of the Peninsula Campaign, during which McClellan's Army of the Potomac sailed around the Confederate lines, landed at the tip of the Virginia Peninsula, southeast of Richmond, and struck inland towards the Confederate capital. Confederate commander-in-chief Joseph E. Johnston fended off McClellan's repeated attempts to take the city, slowing Union progress on the peninsula to a crawl. When Johnston was wounded, Lee took command and launched a series of counterattacks, collectively called the Seven Days Battles. These attacks culminated in the action on Malvern Hill.

The Union's V Corps, commanded by Brig. Gen. Fitz John Porter, took up positions on the hill on June 30. McClellan was not present for the initial exchanges of the battle, having boarded the ironclad USS Galena and sailed down the James River to inspect Harrison's Landing, where he intended to locate the base for his army. Confederate preparations were hindered by several mishaps. Bad maps and faulty guides caused Confederate Maj. Gen. John Magruder to be late for the battle, an excess of caution delayed Maj. Gen. Benjamin Huger, and Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson had problems collecting the Confederate artillery.

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Wikipedia