ACHIEVEMENTS OF FIELD ARTILLERY. 
627 
opponents that his most determined rush never reached so near the 
batteries as to seriously threaten their safety. Some, it is true, in 
exposed positions limbered up and withdrew to more favourably situated 
spots in rear, but there they again came into action and opened fire on 
him. 
The cry for artillery, which never fails to rise when infantry find 
they can no longer make headway, now went up from the Confederates. 
The power of artillery had paralysed the forward movement, and the at¬ 
tack cowered helplessly whereever cover might screen it from the shells. 
Armistead called to Longstreet for more batteries, but called in vain. 
Magruder wanted 30 pieces of rifled artillery, but it did not come. 
D. H. Hill sent to tell Jackson how the fire of isolated batteries was 
worse than useless, how guns thus thrown into action were exposed to 
destruction in detail, and pleaded, nay, even insisted, that 100 guns 
should be concentrated on the Federal line. 
One is reminded of Ney sending to Napoleon for infantry in the 
evening at Waterloo, and Napoleon’s reply, “ Voulez-vous que J ’ en 
fasse?” Here, too, Jackson’s only response was an order to advance at 
the signal as had been arranged. 
At length, about 5.30, Hill fancied he heard the shouting which was 
to tell him to move forward. “ Garland in fact attacked the hill with 
impetuous courage, but his strength was soon spent and he sent for 
reinforcements.” 
“ The 6th Georgia, and the brigade of General Toombs, which was 
under partial shelter in the rear, was sent to his assistance, and General 
Hill in person accompanied the column. They showed a bold front as 
they approached the crest, but discipline was no avail to hold them 
there, much less to make them advance further. They soon retreated 
in disorder.” 1 Gordon’s brigade made some progress at first, but soon 
he fled, and Ripley’s, Colquitt’s, and Anderson’s brigades were wildly 
streaming back also. Demoralised and panic stricken they sought the 
woods for safety. 
From other divisions, too, reinforcements were sent to Hill, but none 
would tempt their fate for long before those merciless batteries. They 
suffered heavy losses but accomplished nothing, and were soon huddled 
together a disorganised mass of men whereever shelter might be found. 
Hill himself has lately told the story in the Century Magazine, and this 
is what he says :—“ Our loss was double that of the Federals at 
Malvern Hill. Not only did the fourteen brigades which were engaged 
suffer, but the inactive troops, and those brought up to act as reserves 
too late to be of use, met many casualties from the fearful artillery fire 
which reached all parts of the woods for miles around. Hence more 
than half the casualties were from the Federal field pieces, an un¬ 
precedented thing in warfare.” 
This evidence of an actor in the drama, and an eye-witness of what 
occurred, is eloquent in favour of the claim artillery puts forward to a 
power of accomplishing something more than that merely moral effect 
which is all that many seem willing to credit it wfith. 
Nor does General Hill speak alone. All the Confederate Generals 
i “ The Peninsula,” by A. S. Webb. 
