New York State Monument - Mechanicsville, VA - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

The Battle of Cold Harbor took place in June 1864 as part of the Overland Campaign. As a result of the heavy Union losses, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant changed tactics. Instead of directly trying again to attack Richmond directly, which was too well defended, he decided instead to attack Petersburg and cut off the critical supply lines that fed the Confederate Capital. Grant's predecessors probably would have retreated to Washington, but the 10 month siege of Petersburg that followed led to the end of the Civil War.

This monument is located on the west wall of Cold Harbor National Cemetery near Mechanicsville. It is dedicated to the Eight New York Heavy Artillery, part of the Army of the Potomac.

The Smithsonian Art Inventory page describes the monument:

A granite stele adorned with an inscribed bronze tablet in the center, below which are relief carvings of two wreaths flanking a pair of crossed cannons. The sides of the stele are carved with columns that support a small entablature adorned with a medallion.

Inscriptions:

EIGHTH N.Y. HEAVY ARTILLERY
COL. PETER A PORTER
4TH BRIGADE, 2D DIVISION, 2D CORPS

ROLL OF HONOR
KILLED OR DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN THE BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR, VA., JUNE 3, 1864

COL. PETER A. PORTER
(list of names in three columns)

TITLE: New York State Monument ARTIST(S): Unknown, sculptor DATE: 1909. Dedicated June 3, 1910. MEDIUM: Marble. CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 68000009 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Cold Harbor National Cemetery 6038 Cold Harbor Road Mechanicsville, VA 23111 DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: Found as described.

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Date Logged Log   07/31/2021 dream chaser visited it