Federal Artillery Battery
Cold Harbor Battlefield Park Walking Trail
Under the cover of night, Union artillerists left their horses at the foot of the hill behind you and dragged six rifled cannon up the slope by hand. The guns were then placed side by side inside this redoubt, with earthen mounds known as traverses, separating them for protection. The ammunition chests were carried behind the guns and placed in trenches dug for their protection. One artilleryman recalled that spare ammunition was wrapped in raincoats and placed near the guns.
This hill afforded Federal gunners a commanding view of the fields stretching past the Garthright House to the Confederate lines, 500 yards to the west. As part of the bombardment preceding the Union assault of June 3, this battery hurled shot and shell at Lee’s trenches. Most of Grant’s ordnance either fell short or flew harmlessly over the Confederate works.
Marker can be reached from Cold Harbor Road (State Highway 156) 0.2 miles east of Boatswain Lane, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
