Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-11
THE BATTLE GROUND OF
COLD HARB0R.
BURIAL OF TIE REMAINS OF UNION
SOLDIERS.
AN OFFICIAL REPORT.

Il Volunteers, ordered TO repair 10 the Datlle
| Ground of Cold Harbor "to bury the remains
of such of our men as may be found unbu-
ried ;" would respectfully present the follow
ing report:
We left this city on the LIST instant, and
returned on the 9Th.
We carefully surveyed the Battle Ground
L of the first six days of June, 1864, conn.,
| mencing near Bethesda Church and running
/ in q southeasterly direction between Old
and New Cold Harbor, for a distance OF
| about six miles.
| For most of the way along the line of
| breastworks of the Federal army we found
| human bones and carcasseS, some entirely
| unburied, others partially exposed. Most
| of them bore marks of having been buried
and afterwards exhumed. Some had evi.
IDENTIFY never been buried.
Generally, some portions of the bones
were still covered, while hand, arm or
| foot, or more commonly the ribs and thigh
bones, were on the surface.
In very many cases the head was lying
where 1t had been inferred, and the shoulders
and carcass below, drawn or dug up far
enough 10 reach the pockets of the clothing
and there left. Sometimes in a sitting pos
ture, leaning against the mound OF earth, in
| front, with which it had been covered.
In one instance, four stakes were lying
with one end over the grave, on three OF
which the body they had been used to ele-
yate. was still lying. Other similar instan-
ces were found.
In one case body was found lying near
much frequented road, and referred 10 by
persons habitually passing, as a familiar
ihO1UhI a a
propriety Of burying it. Only portion Of
the ribs and smaller bones were still there,
the main part having been recently carried
about two rods and deposited behind some
bushes.
Near the Bethesda Church, we were con-
Quoted by some boys TO place where they
supposed a body lay, and 1t was not there.
The ground looked fresh, and the grass had
not started upon the spot, while all around
1t thera was a luXuriant growth. We looked
over an adjacent fence into the border Of a
wood lot and found body recently deposit
ed among some bushes, and some dry brush
thrown over 1t.
A few rods distant were the bones Of an-
other man, lying in gutter, and three heads
of cattle thrown over them.
There was, very commonly, a hollow in
the mound which had been thrown over the
body, from which the earth seemed 10 have
been removed in digging up the cnest. In
such cases the skull ana lower limbs were
frequently lying in their places.
In some localities, the bones were so scat
tered about, it was impossible to tell to
which bodies they belonged, and in some
c .ses we could not tell accurately how many
bodies there were.
We searched diligently for the material
by which 10 identify the bodies, but found
scarcely any on which We could rely.
There were several piles Of paper which
had been torn into small pieces.
In some instances small bones were so
mixed in the sand by the roadside that it
was impossible to be certain that We had
gathered them all.
Some localities presented appalling proofs
of carnage aud subsequent barbarity.
We commenced our work in the woods
near our incampment on the north side If
the road leading from New to Old Cold HaT-
bor. Here we found human skulls, ribs,
vertebre, and the bones of limbs, hands and
feet lying in CHASTITY profnsion in every d.
rection.
In this locality previous burial party had
already gathered a large quantity OF bones
and deposited them in a common grave on
ing this, we gathered up the remains Of
ilO0) one hundred men, as nearly as We
could decide, and deposited them in a com
mon grave on the opposite side Of the road.
This grave is marked by walnut tree at the
west end and a cedar at the east end.
Southeast ofthis place, over an open field,
in valley north of piece Of woodland, be-
tween the lines of breastWorks, we made an
other grave in which we deposited the bones
of 1857 thirty-fve bodies found in its vicn-
ity.
In the woods, about thirty rods south Of
this, and about one-fourth Of mile south
east of the New Cold Harbor house, on the
brow of hill sloping westward, we made a
third common grave in which We deposited
the remains Of (40) forty soldiers.
This grave is In little open space among
tall pine trees. About eight rods to the
west of it, on the border Of some under
brush, in q line Of about so feet long, lay the
bodies of twenty men. About sixty rods
south east Of this spot, in an open field ne ar
a large Locust tree, we made the fourth
grave, and gathered up from about the foot
of the tree and the surrounding field the
bones OF thrty-siX men, and laid them in it.
About fifty rods still south east of this, by
the south side of road called the . laker
road, and twenty rods west Of the road
which runs south from old Cold Harbor,
near q large cedar tree, We made the nth
common grave. Here we deposited the re-
mains of thirty-fve soldiers. In ravine
about ten rods south east Of this grave, we
found a trench about one hundred feet long,
in which bodies had been deposited, and
from which the covering was mostly washed
away. We found it impracticable to
remove these bodies to q more desirable
locality, and proceeded to turn the water
course and arrange the grave as decently as
CT cumstances would allow.
The sixth common grave we made Is in
the woods by the south side of the Quaker
road, and about three-fourths of mile west
of the fifth. 1t contains the bones of eight
men. We Judge that they had been taken
prisoners and carried to Rebel hospital
The graves of Confederate soldiers in this
vicinity were undisturbed, while the bones
of Union soldiers were scattered about as in
other places.
The inscriptions on the head-boards of
Confederate soldiers and the clothing still
partly enveloping the bones OF Union SOL
diers, designated the army to which they re-
spectiyely belonged.
The seventh aud last common grave we
made, except tnoSe Wnlcn coh1alneu out t"o
or three bodies each, is located about three
fourths Of a mile Northwest of the first. 1t
is near the Western border of piece OF
woodland, sloping North, and about tour rods
East of an old road on the border OF the
woods, by which an earthwork had been
built.
A large pine tree, riddled with bullets,
marks the South end Of the grave and bears
our brief inscription.
On a space of about one. fourth Of an
acre, near the centre Of which is this grave,
living between two lines of breAstworks, con-
--..---:-- a =. a..Ia naar the tnn of the hill