Thomas Wright a young teenager starts his Diary in July 1858 America. Northern Kentucky, Mason county near the Town of Dover and Lees Creak. across the Ohio River the town of Ripley Ohio. Hot bed of Abolitionist movement. between befriending a slave...
From May 4-7 the two Armies met for the Battle of the Wilderness, May 8-21 Battle Nye River and Spotsylvania, May 31, till June 3 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor. For about a solid month the Union and Confederacy engaged in battle. Grant's relentless attacks gave no chance for either Army to rest. Unlike before where it could be days, even weeks before the next Battle. Both Armies had to be, to the point of exhaustion. We re-join Thomas just before the Battle of Cold Harbor in 1864 Virginia. Grant to General Meade, " Where ever Lee goes, there you will go also."
Battle of Cold Harbor
29, May 1864
Constant skirmishes, an marchin my boys, an myself are tired. My platoon is tuckered, down three men one dead, two wounded in hospital. They spirits though are high, we truly may not be winnin this here war, but we are pushin it along against old Bobby Lee an his Reb Army. Theo say Grant say where ever Lee goes, we go also. Well, this here Army may need a break. We can't keep goin without a rest. Won't have a fit Army ta fight Bobby Lee. Course the same can be said, about the Rebels they won't be fit ta fight.
Two tuckered out Armies, a goin at it. The one with the most will, ta survive guess wins. I am just a Lieutenant in the 60th Ohio I company, what would I know. Mean the grand scheme of thins. General Grant an Meade may only be privy ta that, not even General Burnside may know that. Do know my feet hurt an back, can imagine how Philotis feels. He looks older than Poppy or Uncle Thom ever looked, last I saw thum. Not much hair on top his head, long on the sides, beard nothin above his lip. Most all it gray little dark streaks is all. The best soldier I got, must say though my boys they good soldiers. Just Philotis, well he keeps my spirits up. Stays by me, no matter what is happenin. Want ta promote him, he wants no part a rank. He say Sir, I am a soldier doin my job. You tell me ta make sure, all is good with the men an yourself. That what I do. Nothin more Sir.
He was a barrel maker by trade, most these fellas, were Farmers or day labor men. So they took ta slodierin just fine. Got a letter from Ma an Betsy. Joe's boys are still at the Old Place with thum. They planted few more acres a corn an beans, few acres of potatoes. Mister Bowman been out few times, Ma say he been lookin hard at her an Betsy. She say like he is lustin on thum. Betsy say not ta worry, about what Ma say. They can take care they selves just fine. They both miss an love me. Best close out here, get some rest. Ifin I can rest, Ma done got me ta worry some. What I don't understand is, I sent out letters why they not got thum?
30, May 1864
Reports are, that soon we be takin on old Bobby Lee again. He ain't but half-day away. Just hope, my boys get a chance ta catch they breathe. Befer we take him again. My I can feel it all in my legs an back. This constant movin is gettin ta me. My after breakin that leg, well it hurts more than it ever hurt. That makes my back hurt along with it. Philotis has ta be gettin letters from Ma an Betsy, he can see when it really pains me. Makes sure I prop my feet and gives this, well he calls it tea. Taste near like rancid water, with who knows what in it! Truth be known do not want ta know, what he puts in it. Does help some, guess all that truly matters. Just finished up a meetin with the Captain we be movin up near the line, early befer daylight, he say be ready ta move at 4 in the mornin. Best rest some, feel this one will be worse than the last one.
31, May 1864
4 am has come an gone, no order to move. Just met with the Captain, he say to hold be ready to move at any notice. Seems they have made contact according to reports General Sheridan an his Cavalry been in a heated fight fer a spell from the meetin. So we wait, nothin unusual about that.
Finally the order ta move forward, we started our move about 5 that evenin, least the heat not near as bad as the mornin. Should be in position sometime after dark. Best close fer now.
We crossed the Totopotomoy Creek just before dark. Took up positions near Shady Grove road. Not sure how bad it is to our front ta dark ta tell. Well, men are set best rest thins a turn bad soon just know it.
6, June 1864
I have been busy, hold up after hold up, gave old Bobby Lee time ta make breastworks three an four deep some deeper at points. Still we attacked the attacks seemed senseless, very little ground held. We would be beat back, then have ta start over. We took ta pennin our name ta our shirt. So people back home knows we was killed in action. Philotis made sure my boys had one. Most handed notes ta friends to pass along. Ifin they didn't make it.
Our first attack came late on 1, June, the sky was lit with flames from cannon fire and muskets. It was a might pretty sight till yar mind tell ya they a tryin ta kill me! Hell we could feel the heat of those cannon as they fired volley after volley! It scared me never has fear set in like this, well maybe the first time fear. This fear I haven't felt in long time.
3, June 1864, this day was terrible fer us. We tried ta cross the Shady Grove road. We was against Early an his bunch. At about 6 in the mornin we commenced our attack. We did manage ta cross inta they lines an hold. We only made it inta the first set of works. Then pushed back, until dark an after musket fire could be heard. Fer almost 9 days we fought stuck in trenches or hasty holes some dug ta seek shelter from fire. Fear was ta stick yar head up above that trench and it's safety. Sharpshooters were deadly.
On the 7, June flag of truce was flown ta recover our dead an wounded if any was left alive. We managed ta drag some our boys back, during the night befer the truce. Most lay amongst the dead where they died lonely an afraid. We could hear the groans and the mumbled shouts of momma, the wife or the girls back home name. We lost our Captain on the 3rd ifin I remember correctly. I took temporary command till Theo gave command ta Fred Parsons. Me an Theo cried as we looked over the field of dead soldiers, so many just so damn many! This will haunt me ta I die. Will I ever be the same, will Theo be the same? I've more blood on my hands, dear I don't want ta see a mirror how have I aged, do I look older an tuckered like Theo?
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Battle of Cold Harbor maps
Union Artillery Officer Frank Wilkeson
"Every Corpse I saw was as black as coal. It was not possible to remove them. They were buried where they fell. I saw no live man lying on the ground. The wounded must of suffered horribly before, death relieved them, lying there exposed to the blazing southern sun O' days, and being alive by beetles o' nights."
Grant's comment after the war
"I always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made. I might say the same thing of the assault 22d May 1863 at Vicksburg. At Cold Harbor no advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained." He did go on further if you want read more about the facts it can be found at the US Park Service.
This battle was considered a Confederate victory Grant called a truce to retrieve his wounded. Lee forced a stop of Grants push. Costs were high for both sides.
Union Army strength 108,000- 117,000 Confederate Army strength 59,000- 62,000 Union losses 12,738 Killed 1,845 Wounded 9,077 Captured missing 1,816
