Battle of Cold Harbor Facts
Battle of Cold Harbor Facts
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Interesting Battle of Cold Harbor Facts: |
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General Grant commanded the Army of the Potomac, while General Lee led the Army of Northern Virginia. |
The battle began when Union Major General Philip Sheridan's cavalry corps captured the crossroads known as Cold Harbor on May 31. |
During June 1 and 2, both sides dug in, creating a seven mile defensive line. |
Approximately 109,000 Union soldiers faced off against about 59,000 Confederates. |
Cold Harbor was named for a tavern at the crossroads and was located nowhere near a water harbor. |
The nearest town was Mechanicsville, Virginia, located just behind the Confederate lines. |
The Battle of Cold Harbor is sometimes referred to the Second Battle of Cold Harbor: the Battle of Gaine's Mill, fought on June 27, 1862 is considered by some to be the First Battle of Cold Harbor. |
General Lee spent the first couple days of the battle fighting a serious case of diarrhea. |
On June 2, Union generals Grant and Meade planned to attack Lee's left flank, but delays allowed the Confederates to build better defenses, which made a successful flanking attack impossible. |
Although the Union troops were tired and hungry, General Grant believed that the Confederates were more so and ordered a frontal attack on June 3, writing: "A battle with them outside of intrenchments cannot be had. Our men feel that they have gained the morale over the enemy an attack with confidence." |
Hundreds of Union soldiers pinned slips of paper with their names and address on the inside of their uniforms so they could be identified after the June 3 assault. |
Only the Union general Hancock's 2nd Corps was able to breach the first line of trenches on June 3. |
During the June 3 assault alone, Union forces suffered 7,000 casualties and the Confederates 1,500 |
Grant said after the June 3 assault: "I regret this assault more than any one I have ever ordered." |
Grant ordered no more assaults on the Confederate positions, but stayed until June 12 with sharp shooters and artillery doing most of the shooting. |
The total casualty count of the battle was nearly 8,000 killed, wounded, and missing for the Union and almost 7,000 for the Confederates. |
The Battle of Cold Harbor was the last major victory Lee recorded during the war. |
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