The nature of the terrain forced the two wings of Lee's army to wage two separate battles.

The nature of the terrain is described as the elevated plateau known as the Malvern Hills consisting of vast farm fields stretching from the steep slopes of the Malvern Cliffs in the west to the Western Run in the east. Willis Cathedral Road, running roughly north to south, bisected the Confederate position on the hilltop. On the west side of this road, the land rises slightly from the northern part of the field to the top of Malvern Hill, near the Crew's House. Confederate troops on this portion of the battlefield under the command of Benjamin Huger and John Magruder advanced while continuously coming under the Confederate artillery and small arms fire that devastated their ranks.

Regarding the nature of the terrain, the eastern portion of the field, the front of "Stonewall" Jackson, is broken by awkward projections of woodland and steep streams. These features allowed Jackson's men to advance towards the Confederate line out of sight of the Confederate gunners at the top of the hill, but they were also completely cut off from their comrades west of the road. Unable to see - let alone support - each other, Lee's two armies had to fight separately. Therefore, the nature of the terrain is one of the indispensable facts in the list of facts about the Battle of Malvern Hill.