In late May 1864, Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant sought to maneuver past fortified Confederate positions along the North Anna River. Marching south toward Richmond, Federal corps collided with Confederate skirmish lines along the Old Church Road at Bethesda Church.
What began as cavalry reconnaissance quickly became the northern pivot of the broader movement toward Cold Harbor. Entrenched infantry traded artillery volleys across swampy ravines, locking both armies into defensive works that still mark this Hanover County soil.
The musketry along the woods near Bethesda Church was incessant until nightfall; the ground between lines remains strewn with fallen dead who cannot be brought in under fire.
Field Dispatch, Fifth Army Corps, May 30, 1864
The Engagement Unfolds
May 26, 1864
Shady Grove Road Clash
Confederate divisions struck the Federal Fifth Corps flank near the crossroads. Counterattacks stabilized the line along earthen rifle pits still preserved on the parcel.
Entrenchment Under Fire
Both armies spent hours digging defensive earthworks under sustained sharpshooter fire. The surviving 7.2 acres encompass the physical perimeter where regiments fortified tree lines against renewed charges.
June 2, 1864
Final Flank Withdrawal
As the main armies shifted southward toward Cold Harbor, rear guards fought sharp delaying actions across these open fields to shield artillery withdrawals and supply wagons.
This map gives the approximate location and size of the land parcel we are trying to obtain.
This map shows it as of June 1, 1864 during the fighting at Cold Harbor. Due to the overlapping lines, we question the total of killed and wounded. How many died AT Bethesda Church, but were tallied as being at Cold Harbor?
Map adapted from Hal Jespersen, “Battle of Cold Harbor, Actions June 1, 1864,” www.cwmaps.com. Highlights for Bethesda Church and The Cabin on 360 (5416 & 5420 Mechanicsville Turnpike) added; parcel location approximate.
Commercial expansion along Route 360 is closing in on these potential rifle pits and resting places. Your tax-deductible gift secures permanent acquisition and dignified public stewardship.