Cold Harbor
Cold Harbor resulted in a Confederate victory. Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant and Major General George G. Meade were the principal commanders of the Union Army. General Robert E. Lee was the principal commander of the Confederate Army. The Union Army had 108,000 troops present while the Confederates had 59,000. The battle took place in Hanover County, Virginia from May 31-June 12, 1864.
Grant's intentions were to attack Lee's army, cut off his supply lines from the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond, and to isolate him from Richmond. So far, Grant had been able to draw him onto an open battlefield and out of his forts so this is what he was trying to do again. Even if he could not though, he knew he would overpower and outnumber Lee.
Grant's intentions were to attack Lee's army, cut off his supply lines from the Shenandoah Valley and Richmond, and to isolate him from Richmond. So far, Grant had been able to draw him onto an open battlefield and out of his forts so this is what he was trying to do again. Even if he could not though, he knew he would overpower and outnumber Lee.
- May 31: Sheridan's cavalry seized the crossroads of Old Cold Harbor.
- June 1: Sheridan's troops threw back an attack of Confederate infantry. Confederates received reinforcements. Two Union Corps arrived at and assaulted the Confederates with a little success.
- June 2: Both armies on the field and formed a seven mile front that covered from Bethesda Church to the Chickahominy River.
- June 3: Two Union Corps followed by one other assaulted Confederate troops along Bethesda Church- Cold Harbor line.
- through June 12: The armies fought along these lines. Grant advanced his left flank to James River.
- June 14-15: Union Army abandons the battle and escapes by cross the river. Grant tries to move his army swiftly south of the river to challenge the Confederates at Petersburg.