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A battle in the Civil War, the last of the "Seven Days'" battles, July 1, 1862, by which McClellan completed his change of base to the James River. After the battle of Frayser's Farm, McClellan had retreated with his 85,000 Federal troops to Malvern Hill, a strong position on an elevated plateau shaped like an amphitheatre. His lines were securely posted behind fences, ditches and hedges, their batteries and infantry commanding the slope which the Confederates must ascend to attack them. Lee ordered an attack, which was meant to be made simultaneously by all parts of his line at a given signal, the "Confederate yell." But his lieutenants were so separated that the signal could not be heard, and the attacks were therefore feeble and disorganized. D.H. Hill and Magruder bore the brunt of the fight. Time after time they charged the impregnable Federal position, but in vain. They were always driven back with fearful slaughter. The battle lasted until nightfall. During the night McClellan retired under cover of a violent storm.