The Battle of Cold Harbor, June 1864

Find primary source materials on the battle in CAO: https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/caoSearch/catalog?q=%22Cold+harbor%22&search_field=all_fields. The battle was a major loss for the Union in terms of casualties, but marked the end of the Confederate army’s ability to maneuver in their defense of Richmond which fell 9 months later. Defeat of the Confederate states’ attempt to preserve slavery is commemorated on the Juneteenth holiday (at times it was celebrated as Emancipation Day) – materials in the CAO regarding Juneteenth may be found here: https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/caoSearch/catalog?search_field=all_fields&q=Juneteenth.

Surprisingly, a century ago, a representative from the 11th Connecticut returned a flag, captured in the battle to representatives from the Louisiana regiment from whom it had been taken.

A complicated story: Captured Flag Is Returned from New Britain Daily Herald, Wednesday, June 10, 1925 (Chronicling America). Just two months later, 30,000 white supremacist in the KKK marched on Washington.