Cold Harbor, Battle of

American Civil War engagement near Richmond, Virginia, 1-12 June 1864, in which the Confederate army under Robert E Lee repulsed Union attacks under Ulysses S Grant, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing Grant to adopt a siege of Petersburg.

The Union army sustained 8,000 casualties in the first two hours of battle on 3 June alone and lost over 12,500 in the period 1-12 June against Confederate losses of fewer than 3,000. This engagement, one of the final Confederate victories of the war, demonstrated their tenacity and kept Grant's army largely stationary until April 1865.

Grant was advancing south with 19 divisions, including 3 cavalry, and Lee, anticipating his movements, occupied the village of Cold Harbor, about 10 mi/16 km northeast of Richmond, with 14 divisions, also including 3 cavalry. The two armies met on June 1; Grant wished to attack immediately but it was late in the day before his army was in position. When they did eventually attack some ground was gained, but a Confederate counterattack drove the Union forces back almost to their start line. Grant's plans for an attack early on June 2 were again delayed, and it did not begin until 5 p.m., which allowed the Confederates the entire day to strengthen their defences. Grant put two divisions into an attack but this was not a success and he withdrew them and made further changes in his dispositions, finally launching his main attack at 5 a.m. on June 3. The Confederate defence was unbreakable, and by 7 a.m. the Union had taken 8,000 casualties. At 2 p.m. Grant ordered the attack to be called off, having made no impression on the Confederate front and failed to complete an attempted flanking attack. For nine days the armies lay confronting each other, until June 12 when Grant began a side-stepping movement to the east in order to swing round the Confederate lines and cross the River James.