The bare, sweeping vista from the crest of Malvern Hill, and the quiet, undecorated landscape evoke poignantly the presence of those who struggled and died there.

The cultivated fields, interspersed with belts & clusters of timber & dotted with delightful residences, extended several miles. The hills were quite high but the slopes gradual & free of abruptness. Wheat was in shock, oats were ready for the harvest, & the corn was waist high. – Lt. Charles Haydon, 2nd Michigan Infantry, quoted on NPS marker

Our National Park Service, and all the volunteers along the way, have done a splendid job in preserving the spirit of Malvern Hill. For the most part, you can’t see the low-key guide signs or any 20th century edifices, save for glimpses of the road and utility poles, until you’re right up on them. And while I respect and understand the urge to honor the dead, the sight of many monuments scattered all around (at Antietam, for example), breaks the sense of past and place, of what actually happened on the land.

The bare, sweeping vista from the crest of Malvern Hill, and the quiet, undecorated landscape evoke poignantly the presence of those who struggled and died there.

I used the Civil War Trust Malvern Hill Battle app while I was there. It was awesome! For more on the battle, and to get the free app, visit the Civil War Trust.