The 29th the enemy
was driven into his works behind the Totopotomy, the Sixth Corps
occupying Hanover Court-House. Warren was attacked, but repulsed
the enemy at Bethesda Church, and Barlow of the Sixth carried a
line of rifle-pits south of the river. The cavalry was engaged
during these movements in many affairs, and Sheridan with two
divisions occupied Cold Harbor the 31st, but was hard pressed until
Wright with the Sixth and General W. F. Smith (recently arrived
with the Eighteenth Corps from Butler on the James) relieved him.
These corps, June 1st, attacked and took part of the enemy's
intrenched line.

At 6 P.M., in a general assault upon the enemy's works, Ricketts'
division (Third of Sixth) captured many prisoners and the works in
its front, and handsomely repulsed repeated efforts to retaken
them. In this assault the Second Brigade moved in the following
order: 6th Maryland and 138th Pennsylvania in the first line, 9th
New York in the second and third lines, and the 122d and 126th Ohio
in the fourth line, all preceded by the 110th Ohio on the skirmish
line.

General Meade addressed this note to General Wright:

"Please give my thanks to Brigadier-General Ricketts and his gallant
command for the very handsome manner in which they have conducted
themselves to-day. The success attained by them is of the greatest
importance, and if followed up will materially advance our
operations."

The morning of the 3d, the division charged forward about two
hundred yards under a heavy fire and intrenched, using bayonets,
tin cups, and plates for the purpose.(19) At 4 A.M., June 3d, by
Grant's order, the Sixth and Eighteenth Corps and Barlow's division
of the Second assaulted the strongly fortified works of the enemy,
but suffered a most disastrous repulse--the bloodiest of the war.
Approximately 10,000 Union men fell. The number and strength of
the enemy's position was not well understood. He did not suffer
correspondingly. There were found to be deep ravines and a morass
in front of his fortifications.

The assault was suspended about 7 A.M. and not renewed. Grant says
in his _Memoirs:_(20)

"I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was
ever made."

Other indecisive fighting occurred at Cold Harbor to the 12th, when
Lee's army having retired in consequence of further flank movements,
the last of the Union Army was withdrawn, and by June 13th, its
several corps crossing the Chickahomi