Cold Harbor National Cemetery facts for kids
|
Cold Harbor National Cemetery
|
|
.jpg)
The Lodge at Cold Harbor National Cemetery
|
|
 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Jct. VA 156 and 619, .5 mi. E, Mechanicsville, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Area | 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) |
| Built | 1866 |
| Architect | Meigs, Montgomery C. |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| MPS | Civil War Era National Cemeteries MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000922 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | August 10, 1995 |
Cold Harbor National Cemetery is a special United States National Cemetery located in Mechanicsville, Hanover County, Virginia. It covers about 1.4 acres, which is roughly the size of a large sports field. As of 2005, more than 2,100 soldiers were buried here. The cemetery is managed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and is overseen by the Hampton National Cemetery.
A Place of History
Cold Harbor National Cemetery was created in 1866. It stands on the very ground where the important Battle of Cold Harbor took place during the American Civil War. After the war, people searched for soldiers' remains from this battle and other nearby fights. They looked in areas like Mechanicsville, Gaines's Mill, and Savage's Station.
The land for the cemetery was first set aside in April 1865. This was when the first efforts began to find and re-bury soldiers after the war. The land was officially bought when the cemetery was established in 1866. In 1867, another search found over 1,000 more remains. Most of these could not be identified. Because there wasn't enough space at Cold Harbor, these remains were moved to the larger Richmond National Cemetery.
Even years later, in 1870, more remains of Union soldiers were still being found on the battlefield. Farmers and construction workers have continued to discover soldiers' remains at Cold Harbor even into the 21st century.
Over time, the cemetery was changed to make room for veterans from later wars. Some paths were removed to create more burial space. Today, the cemetery is closed to new burials.
Why It's Important
Cold Harbor National Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. This means it is recognized as a significant historical site.
Special Monuments
The cemetery has several monuments that honor the soldiers buried there:
- Monument to the Unknowns: This is a 5-foot-tall marble monument built in 1877. It honors the 889 unknown Union soldiers buried in two large trench graves at the back of the cemetery.
- The Pennsylvania Monument: This is a 30-foot-tall granite spire with a statue of a soldier on top. It was built in 1909 by the state of Pennsylvania. It honors the Pennsylvania regiments that fought and were lost at Cold Harbor.
- The 8th New York Heavy Artillery Monument: This monument is a granite block with a bronze plaque. The plaque lists the names of soldiers from this New York unit who died at Cold Harbor. It was put up in 1909 by the state of New York.
Notable Burials
One important person buried at Cold Harbor National Cemetery is:
- Sergeant Major Augustus Barry: He received the Medal of Honor for his brave actions during the Civil War. Sergeant Major Barry was also the very first superintendent, or manager, of Cold Harbor National Cemetery.
