Stonewall Jackson's Men Threaten the Union Right

"There was no cessation or diminution yet of the enemy's fire - musketry here - which swept the field to such an extent that it was difficult to believe anything could escape unhurt."
- Lt. McHenry Howard, Confederate staff officer

The 15,000 men of Stonewall Jackson brought to the battlefield saw little action on July 1 before dusk. Responding then to calls for help from other hard-pressed Confederates, Jackson sent most of two divisions up the front slope of Malvern Hill just east of "The Parsonage."

The attack sputtered out almost immediately. Units collided in the growing darkness, or wandered unguided into the swampy woods. Parts of four different brigades managed to find positions along this little ridge, where they delivered effective volleys through the twilight, primarily against Sickles and Barlow. Only the arrival of total darkness stopped the action here.

The fighting on the northeast end of Malvern Hill offers a partial explanation of how the Union army surprisingly lost 3,000 men killed and wounded. Although this battle is justly famous for the dominance of Union artillery, there still were many bitter, close-quarters infantry actions that led to large numbers of casualties.

"Our regiment had orders to fire ? we made it count while we was at it there wasent won man flinched in our regiment. I felt it my duty to stand till I fell or conquered."
- William Harman, 65th New York Infantry

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Show me all markers in:  Henrico, VA  |  Henrico County  |  23231  |  Virginia  |  United States of America

Infantry Against Infantry
Twilight Action
Malvern Hill Trail
The Battle of Malvern Hill
Methodist Parsonage
Battle Commences
Willis Church Parsonage
The Gathering Storm
Confederate Attacks Stall
Seven Days Battles

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