At the Battle of Malvern Hill, 1 July 1862, the Union V Corps, reinforced by formations from across the Army of the Potomac, used massed artillery and infantry support against successive waves of Confederate assaults upon their line. Held in reserve and sustaining casualties from Confederate artillery, SGT Bennett and the 22
nd Massachusetts relieved the 62
nd Pennsylvania’s position in line after expending all of its ammunition. The men from Massachusetts would now face the final assault of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Seven Days Battles.
Sources used for this episode:
Bennett, Edwin C. Musket and Sword, or The Camp, March, and Firing Line in the Army of the Potomac. Coburn Publishing Co., 1900. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044019374651&seq=15.
Scott, Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 11, pt. 2: Reports. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730152&view=1up&seq=3.
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