Nelson’s Crossing
Grant Crosses the Pamunkey
Federal infantry left the camps around Mangohick Church on the morning of May 28, 1864, and pressed southward toward the Pamunkey River. In order to speed up the pace of the march, the army followed parallel routes. The Second and Sixth Corps moved toward Nelson’s Crossing, while the Fifth and Ninth Corps marched farther east, in the direction of a downstream crossing at Hanovertown. Engineers from New York constructed pontoon bridges at each crossing to expedite the maneuver. Two pontoon bridges stood here at Ne1son’s Crossing, each about 140 feet long.
The Union infantry entrenched on the first high ridge south of the river, facing the valley of Totopotomoy Creek. A portion of the Sixth Corps explored to the northwest, guarding the army’s flank in the direction of Hanover Court House.
Meanwhile Federal cavalry collided with Confederate horsemen due south of here at Haw’s Shop. Once Grant’s army crossed the Pamunkey, its movements became more apparent to the Confederates, allowing Lee to formulate a response that ultimately led to the Battle of Cold Harbor.
“These canvas pontoons are funny looking; they consist of a boat-shaped frame, which is wrapped in a great sheet of canvas and put in the water… It looks as if the Commander-in-Chief [Grant] had undertaken the washing business on a large scale, and was ‘soaking’ his soiled clothing.”
- Theodore Lyman, staff of General Meade
Marker is on Nelson Bridge Road (County Route 615) 0.9 miles north of River Road, on the right when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
