Clark's Diary, May 28-June 15, 1864

1st June 1864. 9 o’clock. Orders to move down the line again this morning. Our Corp has gotten on the extreme right of Lee’s Army and connected with the left of Beauregard’s forces which have come from the south side of Richmond. We marched about a mile and formed our line of battle here. We found no fortifications. We went to work immediately erecting some works. We worked the remainder of the day on them. We made splendid fortifications for the working utensils we had. Our company only had one spade and a hoe and some wooden shovels we made out of planks. The enemy attacked our lines this evening on our right near Cold Harbor on the Peninsular. The Yanks charges our lines several times and were repulsed with heavy loss. Night closed and with it the fight. We slept the remainder of the night but did not sleep much as we were aroused up several times thinking the enemy were advancing. Finding it to be false we would go back to bed again.

2nd June 1864. The day has been passing off quietly, more so than we expected. Some heavy skirmishing on the lines. We are expecting a fight at any moment. We are lying behind our works waiting for them to come. The men are all in fine spirits and anxious for the Yankees to advance on our fortifications. We get plenty of rations, half pound meat per day and plenty of bread, some sugar, coffee, and rice. The enemy attacked our left this evening in front of Ewell and Hill. They were repulsed. Ewell turned their right flank capturing five hundred prisoners. Our loss small. The enemy are still in the vicinity of Cold Harbor.

3rd June 1864. Heavy skirmishing on the lines this morn. I was detailed to take 10 men from my company to reinforce Pickett’s line. One man killed from our regiment, Sergt. Blaaky of Co. “F”. The enemy attacked our right again this evening in the vicinity of Cold Harbor. We still hold our position. They have not attacked our front yet. We had a light fall of rain to-day.

June 4th 1864. We still remain in our positions. Nothing of interest to-day. Night, the enemy has attacked our right again but was repulsed with heavy loss. All quiet in our front.

5th June 1864. Raining some to-day, the day is passing off quietly only some skirmishing on the lines. We brought down our Band this evening to play some for the Yankees to hear. The enemy made another attack upon our lines this evening, were repulsed again. They have not attacked us yet.

[Source: George Philip Clark Diary, 1863-1865, Accession #11025, Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Virginia]