Grant's assault at Cold Harbor was marked by the gallantry of General
Hancock's division and of the brigades of Gibbon and Barlow, who on the
left of the Federal line charged up the ascent in their front upon the
concentrated artillery of the Confederates; they took the position and
held it for a moment under a galling fire, which finally drove them back,
but not until they had captured a flag and three hundred prisoners. The
battle was substantially over by half-past seven in the morning, but
sullen fighting continued throughout the day. About noontime General
Grant, who had visited all the corps commanders to see for himself the
positions gained and what could be done, concluded that the Confederates
were too strongly entrenched to be dislodged and ordered that further
offensive action should cease. All the next day the dead and wounded lay
on the field uncared for while both armies warily watched each other. The
lower picture was taken during this weary wait. Not till the 7th was a
satisfactory truce arranged, and then all but two of the wounded Federals
had died. No wonder that Grant wrote, "I have always regretted that the
last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made."
[Illustration: THE BUSIEST PLACE IN DIXIE