the cold harbor battle was fought at near mechanicsville, virginia.
the cold harbor battle was fought at near mechanicsville, virginia.
where was the cold harbor battle fought at?
near mechanicsville , virginia
battle of cold harbor









































the battle of cold harbor was fought during the american civil war near mechanicsville, virginia, from may 31 to june 12, 1864, with the most significant fighting occurring on june 3. it was one of the final battles of union lt. gen. ulysses s. grant's overland campaign, and is remembered as one of american history's bloodiest, most lopsided battles. thousands of union soldiers were killed or wounded in a hopeless frontal assault against the fortified positions of confederate gen. robert e. lee's army.
battle of cold harbor
the battle was fought in central virginia, in what is now mechanicsville, over the same ground as the battle of gaines's mill during the seven days battles of 1862. some accounts refer to the 1862 battle as the first battle of cold harbor, and the 1864 battle as the second battle of cold harbor. union soldiers were disturbed to discover skeletal remains from the first battle while entrenching. cold harbor was not a port city, despite its name. rather, it described two rural crossroads named for the cold harbor tavern (owned by the isaac burnett family) which provided shelter (harbor) but not hot meals. old cold harbor stood two miles east of gaines's mill, and new cold harbor a mile southeast. both were approximately northeast of richmond, capital of the confederacy. 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.
battle of cold harbor