“It was now sun down and the air was dense with smoke, so that we were realty not certain whether the column before us were friends or enemies….Their banner was furled, and we could not get any clue from that….Just at this time Colonel Jenkins, in stentorian tones called out

‘show your flag or I’ll fire upon you!’ but that flag was not unfurled and the command was given ‘ready, aim, fire.’”

Letter to newspaper from a member of the 5th South Carolina Infantry

“We were not quite certain that they were our enemy until their commander, who was in front and on foot, commanded us to surrender. Maj. Welch replied, ‘D---d if we do;’ when they immediately opened on us a withering volley….”

T. R. Lackie

16th Michigan Infantry

Marker can be reached from Watt House Road 0.7 miles south of Cold Harbor Road (Virginia Route 156), on the right when traveling south.

Courtesy hmdb.org

Credits and Sources: