Battlefield Ride (July 19, 2014)

 Very interesting ride....got out today to some favorite places; three Civil War battlefields in the Richmond, VA area. Got to say there are a lot of them here; some of them minor, and many major (as these are). Had not been there in some time, and got to travel some new roads...some great riding. VA 33 and VA156 were remarkable roads...hilly, curvy and scenic. Went past horse farms, farms, and just country.
It was one of the best rides in Virginia...if I had known this (or remembered would have done this sooner...but nonetheless on to the sights.   This first was taken at Malvern Hill which happened on July 1, 1862. It was one of the best uses of artillery in the war, Union forces defeated a confederate attack with some 40 cannon and 8,000 men. No one entrenched...they just stood and fought. It was the last battle of the Campaign called the Seven Days Battles.

This is my motorcycle at the second of the three battlefields I visited. The battle at Cold Harbor lasted for a couple of weeks with the major action on  June 3, 1864. Unlike The Seven Days Battles, where the Union Army was under the command of General McClellan, this time they were under the command of US Grant. Once again the Rebels were under General RE Lee. Lee stood behind 6 miles of earthworks and the Union Army charged them on June 3 in an early morning attack. Some 6,000 union were killed or wounded in something like 30 minutes. Over two weeks both armies suffered around 16,000 killed or wounded.
Grant later said,  "I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made...no advantage was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained".    

Very near Cold Harbor, is the Gaines Mill battlefield, which goes back to the first set of Seven Days Battles. June 27, 1862 McClellan met Lee and by nightfall both armies had suffered some 15,000 casualties. The house there was the HQ for the Union Army, now privately owned, it was built in 1820.
The battles can be found in a lot of US history, and also there are some videos on YouTube with some more information. All in all I rode some 80 miles on a very fine day, with low humidity and normal heat for this time of year. I had a remarkable time indeed!