"I have no desire to treat lightly the reverses on both flanks on my division in this hard-fought field; they were the almost inevitable results of greatly superior numbers, impelled on those points with great impetuosity; but the Pennsylvania Reserves as a division, although terribly shattered, were never "routed"; they maintained their ground with these exceptions, for three hours against thrice their numbers, in, I believe, the hardest fought and bloodiest battle in which they ever have been engaged, and in this opinion I am sustained by most of those officers, if not all, with whom I have conversed on the subject.

Had my division been routed, the march of the Federal army would certainly have been seriously interrupted by Lee forcing his masses into the interval. (See General Porter's statement herewith.) When I was surrounded and taken prisoner, I was conducted at once to Lee's headquarters. Here Longstreet told me they had seventy thousand men bearing on that point, all of whom would arrive before midnight; and had he succeeded in forcing McClellan's column of march, they would have been, thrust in between the right and left wings of the Federal army. Now, under this very probable contingency had I not held my position (see General Porter's report herewith) the state of affairs in the left wing of McClellan's army would have been critical indeed; but Lee was checked (as Longstreet admitted) by my division (see Surgeon Marsh's report herewith), and the divisions in the rear, together with the Pennsylvania Reserves and others, moved on during the night, and joined McClellan at Malvern Hill before daylight. What share my divisior had in effecting this happy result let the country judge."

General Porter writing to General McCall from Washington, October 20th, 1862, says: "Had not McCall held his place on New Market road, June 20th, that line of march of the (Federal) army would have been cut by the enemy."

General Meade, to the same, from camp, near Warrenton, Virginia, under date of November 7th, 1862, writes: * * * "It was only the stubborn resistance offered by our division (the Pennsylvania Reserves), prolonging the contest till after dark, and checking till that time the advance of the enemy, that enabled the concentration, during the night, of the whole army on James river, which saved it."

Colonel Roy Stone, one hundred and forty-ninth regiment, Pennsylvania volunteers, who commanded the "Bucktails," at New Market cross roads, writes:

'Meantime the enemy (recoiling from Sumner and Hooker) turned to the left and was repulsed by your centre. About sunset I was ordered to the right, and went directly to the ground occupied by me when the action commenced, and I can bear witness that the ground held by the centre of your division when the battle opened, was held by your troops in the face of a large force of the enemy long after dark; and so far as my observation extended, the only regiments that broke in the early part of the fight were those that had become disordered by their own charge into the enemy's line." Colonel Hays, Eighth Reserves, writes: * "I. ordered the line to advance and take a position in a field immediately in front of where General Seymour had been in the commencement of the action. We e lay till four o'clock, the next morning, and so near the enemy that we could hear the voices of officers giving orders."

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Lieutenant-colonel Warner, commanding Tenth Reserves, writes: "The enemy being checked in these woods, the regiment again formed in line, with others of the Reserves who were rallied at this point, and moved forward to within a hundred yards of the ground it held at the beginning of the battle. Here it remained in line of battle, till 11 o'clock at night, when it was ordered to move to Malvern Hill."

Surgeon N. F. Marsh, Fourth Pennsylvania cavalry, writes:

"WASHINGTON, November 25th, 1862.-General:After the battle of the 30th of June, I remained at 'Willis' Church, with a large number of our wounded. The next morning I was directed by General Jackson (Stonewall) to report to General Lee. I found General Lee in company with General Longstreet, Magruder and Hill, on the New Market road. I addressed General Lee and informed him that I was a Federal surgeon, and had remained to care for our wounded, and wished protection' and supplies for our men. He promised supplies, and directed General Longstreet to write the necessary permit. At the time I approached they were discussing the battle of the previous day, being then on the ground. General Longstreet asked me if I was present. I replied I was. He asked what troops were engaged. I replied I only knew the division I was connected withMcCall's-which fought just where we then were. General Longstreet said, 'Well, McCall is safe in Richmond; but if his division had not offered the stubborn resistance it did on this road, we would have captured your whole army. Never mind, we'll do it yet.'

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On Thursday, 3d July, General Roger A. Pryor came into the Church (hospital,) and we had a long conversation. He repeated in substance what General Longstreet said, and spoke in the highest terms of the 'pluck displayed by McCall's Pennsylvania troops.'

"The interest I felt in the Reserve Corps made me careful to remember these acknowledgments of the rebel generals."

Surgeon James R. Riley, of the One hundred and twenty-seventh Penna. Vols. writes:

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Washington, January 16, 1864.--General:--On the 18th of December, 1862, I was engaged dressing the stump, having previously amputated the leg of Captain (name not recollected,) of the Twelfth Mississippi regiment, who had been wounded at the battle of Fred

ericksburg, when he asked me what corps I belonged to, I replied the Pennsylvania Reserves. He said he had been in seventeen battles, and in all those on the Peninsula; that if the Pennsylvania Reserves had not fought so well at Mechanicsville, where they had their best troops, and again at New Market cross-roads, the Confederates would have captured McClellan's army."

It is not necessary to dwell longer upon this subject, as the above adduced testimony sets at rest the matter beyond all controversy.

While the battle of Charles City cross-roads was progressing, the enemy were attempting to force a passage of White Oak swamp which was held by General Franklin. Between twelve and one o'clock they opened a fierce cannonade upon the divisions of Smith and Richardson, and Naglee's brigades at this bridge. This artillery fire was continued by the enemy through the day, and he crossed some infantry below our position. Richardson's division suffered severely. Captain Ayres directed the artillery with great effect. Captain Hazzard's battery, after losing many cannoniers, and the Captain being mortally wounded, was compelled to retire. It was replaced by Pettit's battery, which partially silenced the enemy's guns.

General Franklin held his position until after dark, repeatedly driving back the enemy in their attempts to cross the White Oak swamp.

The rear of the supply trains and the reserve artillery of the army reached Malvern Hill about four o'clock that afternoon. About this time the enemy began to appear in General Porter's front, which was posted on the left, holding the river road to Richmond, and at five o'clock advanced in large force against his left flank, posting artillery under cover of a skirt of timber, with a view to engage our force on Malvern Hill, while with his infantry and some artillery he attacked Colonel Warren's brigade. A concentrated fire of about thirty guns was brought to bear on the enemy, which, with the

infantry fire of Colonel Warren's command, compelled him to retreat, leaving two guns in the hands of Colonel Warren. The gunboats rendered most efficient aid during the attack.

CHAPTER XV.

BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL. MARCH TO HARRISON'S LANDING. CRUELTY TO OUR WOUNDED. HUNTING GREYBACKS. WHITE GLOVES AND RAGGED CLOTHES. VISIT OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

BATTLE OF MALVERN HILL, JULY 1ST.-At Malvern Hill was collected the whole Army of the Potomac with all its artillery, to give battle once more to the vigilant foe, who, though defeated in every battle of the seven days' fight except one, (Gaines' Mills,) were victorious in the campaign. Flushed with the knowledge of our retreating, the sight of our dead, the capture of many of our wounded, and the spoils of the field, they in spite of their terrible losses, almost looked upon it as a triumphant march, and believing they had driven us to the water's edge, they considered our capture or annihilation as certain, and so confident were they of this, that Jef ferson Davis, accompanied by the officials of his Government, visited the army to receive the sword of McClellan.

Malvern Hill is an elevated plateau, about a mile and a half by three-fourths of a mile in area, mostly clear of timber, and with several converging roads crossing it. In front were numerous ravines, and the ground sloped gradually towards the north and east to a heavy woods, giving clear range for artillery in those directions. Towards the northwest the plateau falls off more abruptly into a ravine, which extends to James river. Upon this hill the left and centre of our line rested, while the right