94–95; Welcher, pp. Although Lee was outnumbered, about 60,000 to 100,000, his men fought fiercely and the dense foliage provided a terrain advantage. 661–62; Kennedy, p. 282; Jaynes, pp. With these additional troops, and by managing to replace many of his 20,000 casualties to that point in the campaign, Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had 59,000 men to contend with Meade's and Grant's 108,000. By late June, however, less than two weeks after the end of the battle, Lee had been forced to submit to a siege around Richmond and Petersburg. 285–86, 289–90; King, p. 304. Gens. It was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign during the American Civil War, and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles. [26], To Upton's right, the brigade of Col. William S. Truex found a gap in the Confederate line, between the brigades of Clingman and Brig. He is too incompetent, and too high rank leaves us no subordinate place for him. Meade also ordered Warren and Burnside to attack Lee's left flank in the morning "at all hazards," convinced that Lee was moving troops from his left to fortify his right. Meade ordered his three corps commanders on the left to assault at once, without regard to the movements of their neighboring corps. He sent Hancock's Corps ahead of his army, hoping that Lee would attack it, luring him into the open. Donate today to preserve Civil War battlefields and the nation’s history for generations to come. 290–91; Salmon, pp. For the morning assault on June 3, he can account for only 3,500 to 4,000 Union killed, wounded, and missing, and estimates that for the entire day the Union suffered about 6,000 casualties, compared to Lee's 1,000 to 1,500. To achieve this, Major General Winfield S. Hancock's II Corps was shifted from Totopotomoy and placed on Wright's left. Recognizing the danger, the breach was quickly sealed by the Confederates who then proceeded to throw back the Union attackers. 276–77; King, p. 297; Welcher, p. 989. Union infantry reinforcements arrived throughout the day. Once Hancock was in position, Meade intended to move forward with three corps before Lee could prepare substantial defenses. Jaynes, p. 149; Furgurson, pp. Salmon, pp. The Union assault had cost it 2,200 casualties, versus about 1,800 for the Confederates, but some progress had been made. [31] Gordon Rhea, considered the preeminent modern historian of Grant's Overland campaign, has examined casualty lists in detail and has published a contrarian view in his 2002 book, Cold Harbor. 686–87; Salmon, pp. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. One Federal remembered that “I saw no live man lying on this ground. As the Confederate infantry began to arrive late in the day, Sheridan, concerned about his advanced position, withdrew back towards Old Church. Meade was also concerned about his left flank, which was not anchored on the Chickahominy and was potentially threatened by Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry. He was convinced that Lee had demonstrated the weakness of his army by not attacking when he had the upper hand. Both Wright's and Smith's corps moved forward. The wounded must have suffered horribly before death relieved them, lying there exposed to the blazing southern sun o' days, and being eaten alive by beetles o' nights.”. Grimsley, pp. 986–87; Kennedy, p. 291. Early's Confederate Second Corps, on Lee's left flank, pushed forward and captured several of Warren's skirmishers. Wright decided to wait until after Smith arrived, which occurred in the afternoon, and the XVIII Corps men began to entrench on the right of the VI Corps. In early June 1864, not quite two years later, the fortunes of war brought the armies back to the old battlefield, but with their roles reversed. Gen. John Gibbon, became disordered in swampy ground and could not advance through the heavy Confederate fire, with two brigade commanders (Cols. I was killed. Grant's campaign objective was not the Confederate capital of Richmond, but the destruction of Lee's army. Union soldiers still pinned down before the Confederate lines began entrenching, using cups and bayonets to dig, sometimes including bodies of dead comrades as part of their improvised earthworks. Several hundred prisoners and four guns were captured. 270–71, 279–83; Kennedy, pp. [43], Meade inexplicably bragged to his wife the next day that he was in command for the assault. This charge seemed to revive their hopes temporarily; but it was of short duration. Gen. Robert E. Rodes on the left, Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon on the right—used this area as their avenue of approach for an attack that began at 7 p.m. Warren later described this attack as a "feeler", and despite some initial successes, aided by the poor battle management of Crittenden, both Confederate probes were repulsed. 151–52; Rhea, pp. As Union Brig. His army disengaged on May 27 and crossed the river. Please consider these 10 facts to expand your knowledge and appreciation of the Civil War Trust's ongoing preservation efforts on the historic battlefield. The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 (with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3). [23], By 9 a.m. Wright's lead elements arrived at the crossroads and began to extend and improve the entrenchments started by the cavalrymen. On the evening of June 1, the Union VI Corps and XVIII Corps arrived and assaulted the Confederate works to the west of the crossroads with some success. If Smith moved due west from White House Landing to Old Cold Harbor, 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of Bethesda Church and Grant's left flank, the extended Federal line would be too far south for the Confederate right to contain. The wartime proprietor of the tavern was Isaac Burnett. As Truex's men charged through the gap, Clingman swung two regiments around to face them, and Anderson sent in Brig. Breckinridge's Division, commanded by Maj. Gen. Jaynes, Gregory, and the Editors of Time-Life Books. In order to document a battlefield, Civil War photographers needed a variety of circumstances to correctly align. Hancock advised against the move. [33], Lee's engineers used their time effectively and constructed the "most ingenious defensive configuration the war had yet witnessed." Jaynes, pp. Lee ordered cavalry under Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton to make a reconnaissance in force, break through the Union cavalry screen, and find the Union infantry. He told his staff that the whole attack was, "simply an order to slaughter my best troops. Third, he planned a stealthy operation to withdraw from Lee's front and move across the James River. He and Grant decided to attack Lee's right flank. As more of Hoke's and Anderson's men streamed in, Union cavalry commander Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan became concerned and ordered Torbert to pull back toward Old Church. Indeed, the advantages other than those of relative losses, were on the Confederate side. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. By 12:30 PM, Grant conceded that the assault had failed and Union troops began digging in until they could withdraw under the cover of darkness. He asked Robert E. Lee, "General, if the enemy breaks your line, what reserve have you?" Welcher, 980; Grimsley, p. 141; Salmon, p. 285; Kennedy, p. 289; Trudeau, pp. 290–94. Battle of Cold Harbor, 31 May-3 June 1864, the least productive of U.S. Grant's battles in Virginia in 1864 Jaynes, p. 152; Welcher, p. 986; Trudeau, pp. [37], The most effective performance of the day was on the Union left flank, where Hancock's corps was able to break through a portion of Breckinridge's front line and drive those defenders out of their entrenchments in hand-to-hand fighting. The lead brigade of Hoke's division also reached the crossroads to join Butler and Fitzhugh Lee. However, the Union general remained optimistic. Burnside at one point was advised to attack Early's unprotected flank on Shady Grove Road, but he demurred.[36]. [21], Robert E. Lee's plan for June 1 was to use his newly concentrated infantry against the small cavalry forces at Old Cold Harbor. He held the cities for another nine months and not only bitterly contested each Union offensive, but also won some battles at places like Reams Station with portions of his army. Robert E. Lee used the time to greatly strengthen his position. Although Grant wired Washington that he had "gained no decisive advantage" and that his "losses were not severe," he wrote in his Personal Memoirs that he regretted for the rest of his life the decision to send in his men. From these crossroads, the Union army was positioned to receive reinforcements sailing up the Pamunkey River, and could attack either the Confederate capital or its Army of Northern Virginia. In December 2013, the Civil War Trust helped save six crucial acres at the Cold Harbor battlefield that is contiguous with National Park Service property. He pulled Breckinridge's division from Cold Harbor and sent it toward Lynchburg to parry Hunter. 207–208; Welcher, p. 989. Every purchase supports the mission. The Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864 (with the most significant fighting occurring on June 3). 304–306. Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives & Records Administration. Warren decided to send the division of Brig. Trudeau, p. 341, cites 54,000 Union, 32,000 Confederate. Arriving early on June 2, II Corp was tired from their march and Grant agreed to delay the attack until 5:00 PM to allow them to rest. [57], Coordinates: 37°35′24″N 77°17′06″W / 37.59°N 77.285°W / 37.59; -77.285. Recommended Reading: The Battlefield of Cold Harbor, Hanover County, Virginia, 1864 (Map). Gen. William T. Wofford, through a swampy, brush-filled ravine. 353, 356; Grimsley, p. 215; Trudeau, pp. I might say the same thing of the assault of the 22d of May, 1863, at Vicksburg. The Battle of Cold Harbor was one of the final battles of Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Overland Campaign during the American Civil War (1861-65) and is remembered as one of American history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles. The successes of the Seven Days, Second Manassas, and Chancellorsville were all sourced in Lee’s talent for moving his army with a speed and precision that stymied his Union opponents. The six corps were:[17], Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia comprised about 59,000 men[2] and was organized into four corps and two independent divisions:[18]. 283, 286. 295–96; Welcher, pp. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 53,000 acres in 24 states! Grant finally realized the situation he faced with a divided army and ordered his men to stop advancing and to build earthworks of their own. Today, “harbor” more commonly refers to a seaport or dock, but the term’s more archaic root as a “shelter” can still be found in “harboring a fugitive” or “harboring a grudge,” among others. Help save a crucial 22-acre tract on the battlefield where 14 African American soldiers earned the highest military honor in the land.

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