Near Mechanicsville in Hanover County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Garthright House
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, August 19, 2010
1. Garthright House Marker
June 1, 1864, diary of John F.L. Hartwell, 121st New York infantry
The Garthright House stood in the path of charging troops at two battles: Gaines Mill in 1862 and Cold Harbor in 1864. The house belonged to Miles Garthright, a Confederate soldier whose cavalry unit saw action around Cold Harbor early in the battle. Portions of the building might have been 100 years old by the time of the Civil War. The nearby enclosed brick cemetery dates from the middle of the 1700s, if not earlier.
Union surgeons used the house as a field hospital in June 1864. Mrs. Garthright took refuge in the basement, where with fear and trembling she watched as blood dripped through the cracks in the floor and into the cellar. At least 97 soldiers died from their wounds here and received temporary burial in the front yard. Two years later the Cold Harbor National Cemetery opened across the road and work crews reburied all of the Union dead there.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is June 1, 1864.
Location.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Piedmont, in Central Virginia, and in the Richmond Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Family Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); Cold Harbor: June 2, 1864 (within shouting distance of this marker); The Battle Opens (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Cold Harbor Battlefield Walking Trail (about 400 feet away); From Farmland to Forest (about 500 feet away); Union Reserve Line (about 500 feet away); Pennsylvania Monument (about 600 feet away); Eighth N. Y. Heavy Artillery (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mechanicsville.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Field Hospital (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
More about this marker. On the right of the panel is a photograph carrying the caption, "In 1887 returning veterans from New England visited the historic house and the Garthright family. Mrs. Margaret Garthright is seen beside the steps. The photograph shows the rear of the house."
Related marker.
Photographed by Bernard Fisher, August 19, 2010
2. Garthright House
Also see . . .
1. Richmond National Battlefield Park. (Submitted on August 20, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.)
2. Cold Harbor. CWSAC Battle Summary (Submitted on August 20, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.)
3. Cold Harbor. Civil War Preservation Trust (Submitted on August 20, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.)
Photographed by Evan Dwyer, December 27, 2025
3. Garthright House
The brick portion dates to about 1720, while the frame portions were added in stages around 1800. The house was originally built by the Hooper family and passed into the possession of the Garthrights before the Civil War but after 1830.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 20, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. This page has been viewed 3,009 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 20, 2010, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia. 3. submitted on April 16, 2026, by Evan Dwyer of Richmond, Virginia.
