The Last Assault At Cold Harbor Summary

The battle took place in the tangled woods of what is now Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Park about 10 miles west of Fredericksburg, Virginia along Orange Plank Road and Orange Turnpike. The Federals held the land to the east and the confederates to the west. The land was nearly impassable, proving a nightmare for both moving men and logistics. The importance of the location, however, was significant. Railways and roads led to Washington and were logistically important. For two years, fighting for the land surrounding the Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers led to stalemate. Twice previously, Lee had been able to withstand attack from the Federals; attacks led by Joseph Hooker and George Meade. Lee’s plan was, likely, to take Washington, which he believed would decidedly win

The passing of the Lend-Lease Act gave the United States permission to fund nations such as Britain and France, with guns, other arms. It allowed the United States get involved, while claiming neutrality.

Cold Harbor was considered General Lees last major field victory of the war. This battle is lasting to us today because of the devastation that happened over only 12 days of battle.

Throughout his time as commander in chief of the union army, Ulysses S. Grant understood and appreciated the commitment his soldiers made, as suggested by letters to his family, which forced him to focus greatly on war technique, ultimately allowing him to be a great leader of the Union army. In a letter written to his Father, in which he discusses the war, Grant states, “I do not wish to act hastily or unadvisedly in the matter.” Grant’s cautiousness and attention to details, when his troops and his army are concerned, shows that all decisions he makes concerning his troops have been carefully thought out, so he doesn’t put his troops in danger. Grant wishes to give “all the

On November 26, 1862, the Union army arrived in Falmouth, Virginia and across the Rappahannock River was Fredericksburg where the Confederate forces had fortified the hills behind the city. They would stay in Falmouth until December 11 when they bombarded Fredericksburg on December 13 and moved into the destroyed city, but the Confederates were in the hills. The next day the 44th New York, Orsell’s regiment joined the Third Brigade as they attempted to capture the Confederate’s position. They moved through the hills and ravine trying to avoid sniper and cannon fire, but they had to take cover behind a small rise in the ground and spend the night there in the mud. The next morning, December 14, after thirty hours of being in battle the Third

As the Confederates began to advance on Gettysburg, the Union held the advantage because they were at higher ground. The Confederates staged three attacks, one north of town, one on Devil's Den and Little Round Top, and one on Cemetery Ridge. The day of July 4, 1863, the Confederates were forced to retreat. This was a huge setback because the Confederates goal had been to continue to move towards Washington, but after the Battle of Gettysburg the Confederate Army was forced to turn around and begin retreating. (Doc A)

That was his first battle, but many others would follow such as “Gales Creek, N.C., Bogue Sound, N.C. Newport Barracks, N.C. Swansboro, NC Jacksonville, NC Redoubt Dutton (Bermuda Front), VA Chapin's Farm, VA (Chaffin's Farm, VA Fair Oaks, VA Fall of Richmond, VA.” (Vt in the Civil War.) Some those battles lasted more than one day. At Newport Barracks, William was captured along with George Nye and they got a blanket a little bit food and water each day. He was lucky to get out with George but then was promoted to corporal on July 18. Then, on the night of September 28, William and his regiment crossed the James river to attack the Richmond defences in the morning. Ulysses S. Grant, the commander of the Union army, picked General Butler to attack Richmond. “Butler carefully scouted the network of Confederate fortifications.After determining that there were weaknesses in Lee’s lines”(History.com). Therfore William’s regiment, along with the regiments from Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana and Missouri were hanging back. The front lines were the regiments that included Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana regiments shooting at the Confederate Arkansas, Texas and Virginia regiments. William’s regiment was positioned in the back of the main fight so if they needed more men they would go in. William was happy when the war was over because he could finally go

Splitting his army into two, Gen. Lee sent half of his Army under the command of General Thomas Jackson. General Jackson’s orders were to capture Hagerstown and the other half to push forward to Boonsboro in an attempt to break the will of the union. General McClellan and the Union troops had the honor of being responsible for defending Washington, D.C., against Lee’s invasion. Upon discovering the layout of Gen. Lee’s campaign “rolled up in three cigars” (Lost Order, Lost Cause. Central Intelligence Agency Sept.93) Tired and worn out from travel both Confederate and Union armies congregated onto each side of the Antietam Creek from the morning September 15 into the evening of September 16 awaiting and plotting in what was to

The Sieges of Vicksburg and Port Hudson were turning points in the war. US Grant charged into Vicksburg and General Banks moved to the Mississippi River to take down the Confederates based at Port Hudson. The attacks were repulsed and on May 27 the federals went into a siege that lasted 48 days. On June 14 Banks tried to get revenge but the defenders fought them off.. After hearing what happened at Vicksburg, on July 9, the confederates at Port Hudson surrendered. The Union takes control of the Mississippi River. They now have a source to New Orleans. The siege happened when Nyulassy S. Grant was besieging Vicksburg up river while General Nathaniel Banks was ordered to capture and gain control of the Confederate stronghold of Port Hudson. Banks

With 23,000 casualties, The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest day in the civil war, At a great price, the north claimed victory. McClellan moved his 100,000 soldiers along the Chesapeake to a peninsula southeast of Richmond. he waited there almost a month for more troops, giving the Confederated time to reinforce their 15,000 soldiers. On May 31,1862 the confederates Stopped the Union’s advance close to richmond, causing them to retreat late june. Lee then decided to invade the North in hopes of Turning turning the northern public against the war, and win support from Europe. In september he moved his army into western Maryland. Fortunately for the Union army an officer found Lee’s battle plan. McClellan learned that the Confederate army

The Naval Battle of Port Royal was fought on November 3rd-7th 1861. Port Royal was a Confederate city on the South Carolina coast. It was defended by 2 forts at the entrance to its harbor named Fort Walker and Fort Beauregard. On November 3rd the attack under Union naval officer Du Pont led a navy attack of 14 warships, 26 supply ships, 25 transports for 12,000 troops, and the flagship The Wabash. The Confederates also had some small ships to defend the harbor including a converted tugboat which each had about 2 to 3 guns each.The Union engaged the confederate ships and easily defeated them. The warships bombarded the two forts until Du Pont received word that Fort Walker had been abandoned. Shortly after Fort Beauregard was abandoned and the

On April 1863, grant begin a campaign against Vicksburg and John Pemberton (confederate defender). Landing below Vicksburg grants forces posed a threat by joseph e. Johnston’s. When the union attacked pemberton’s forces, it left the confederates no option but two retreat. On May 19 and 22 the federal’s attacked the union, so they decided to surround the city , there was warfare for 47 days before finally they surrounded

When that attack failed, Grant started moblizing his forces along the whole 40-mile front. Southwest of Petersburg, Grant ordered General Philip Sheridan agianst Lee’s right flank. Sheridan relocated on March 31, but the tough Confederates stopped his advance. Sheridan moved troops to cut the railroad that ran from the southwest to Petersburg, but the focus of the battle became Five Forks, a road intersection that provided the provided the key to Lee’s supply line. Lee told his commander there, General George Pickett, to “Hold Five Forks at all hazards.” On April 1, Sheridan’s men banged into Pickett’s army. Pickett had his army badly positioned, and he was taking a large lunch with his crew when the war happened. General Gouverneur K. Warren’s V Corps helped Sheridan, and the 27,000 North soldiers soon demolished Pickett’s

General Grant greatly exercised the principle of accepting prudent risk as the Union Commander of Cold Harbor. An example is every time he was gave an order he always acknowledge the advancement of where General Lee’s Army could defeat his Army. He also accepted the loss of his troop and remain intact and push forward. Grant estimated his casualties at 20,000. He said Lee's army was "very shaky," and that it entrenched at every opportunity in order to protect itself. He closed with a flourish, soon to be splashed across the front pages of Northern newspapers in large headlines: "I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.”4 Going into fight General Grant knew would be challenging going against Lee and the Confederates and

Johnston originally planned to attack Grant on April 4, but delays postponed it until the 6th. Attacking the Union troops on the morning of the 6th, the Confederates surprised them, routing many. Some Federals made determined stands and by afternoon, they had established a battle line at the sunken road, known as the "Hornets Nest." Repeated Rebel attacks failed to carry the Hornets Nest, but massed artillery helped to turn the tide as Confederates surrounded the Union troops and captured, killed, or wounded most. Johnston had been mortally wounded earlier and his second in command, Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard, took over. The Union troops established another line covering Pittsburgh Landing, anchored with artillery and augmented by Buell’s men who began to arrive and take up positions. Fighting continued until after dark, but the Federals held. By the next morning, the combined Federal forces numbered about 40,000, outnumbering Beauregard’s army of less than 30,000. Beauregard was unaware of the arrival of Buell’s army and launched a counterattack in response to a two-mile advance by William Nelson’s division of Buell’s army at 6:00 am, which was, at first, successful. Union troops stiffened and began forcing the Confederates back. Beauregard ordered a counterattack, which stopped the Union advance but did not break its battle line. At this point, Beauregard realized that he could not win and, having suffered too many