Cold Harbor Crossroads

Cold Harbor Crossroads. Cold Harbor, 1862. , War first visited this quiet country crossroads in the spring of 1862. The Union Army of the Potomac marched through and camped around Cold Harbor in late May during Gen. George McClellan's drive to capture the Confederate capital at Richmond., Determined to stop McClellan, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee launched an offensive at the end of June. The Confederates struck at Mechanicsville, five miles to the northwest, and forced Federal troops under Gen. Fitz John Porter to withdraw. Porter assumed a new position on high ground overlooking Boatswain's Creek, about a mile away., Lee pursued and attacked again on June 27. The fighting took on the name of a nearby gristmill owned by Dr. William Gaines. Throughout the day, Confederate infantry advanced from Cold Harbor across open fields to your left front in a series of assaults against Porter., The crossroads fel! wi!hin Confederate lines occupied by Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's wing. At one point, Gen. Robert Rodes' Alabamans took shelter amongst the tavern buildings from long range Union artillery fire as they awaited their turn to enter the battle. South of the tavern, Confederate Capt. John Pelham unlimbered his single artillery piece to support the infantry assaults., At dusk, the Confederates finally broke the Union line, bringing an end to the Battle of Gaines' Mill. The engagement cost both sides a combined 15,500 casualties. Although the armies moved away, it would not be long before the war returned., "Upon reaching and passing Cold Harbor about half a mile his [Gen. D.H. Hill] division was opened upon by a heavy fire from a position on his right and also from artillery in his front." , Gen. Thomas J. "'Stonewall" Jackson, CSA, (captions) , Union General George B. McClellan temporarily established his headquarters at Cold Harbor in May 1862. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson observed and directed his attacks at Gaines' Mill from the Cold Harbor crossroads to your right. Jackson and cavalry commander Gen. James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart spent the night of June 27, 28 at the intersection. Courtesy of the Library of Congress, More than 30,000 Confrderate soldiers participated in the final assault at Gaines' Mill, making it the largest attack of the Civil War.