The Civil War

Burnett's Inn

On June 4, 1864, the day after the main assault at Cold Harbor, Federal photographer Timothy O'Sullivan made this picture of Burnett's Inn, the Cold Harbor tavern and home of Isaac Burnett, his wife Sarah and their 13 children, surrounded by Federal soldiers.

Cold Harbor Tavern

This crystal compote bowl with its cover lid may be all that remains of Cold Harbor Tavern (Burnett's Inn) after the Union Army carried away all items of value in 1864. In June of 1864, General Grant’s army came on the premises (at Old Cold Harbor) and "swept it clean of everything in the way of supplies for man and beast," so spoke Martha Burnett McGhee, an eyewitness.

 She might have added,
                 " except for the crystal compote."

The crystal compote sat inside the Cold Harbor Tavern Burnett’s Inn) at the time of the Battle of Cold Harbor (May 31 to June 11, 1864). Martha Burnett, the 21-year old daughter of Tavern owner Isaac Burnett, saw a Union soldier hide the crystal compote in a haystack. She went out during the night and hid it in another haystack. The crystal compote, unblemished, survived and looks like new today

May 31 to June 11, 1864

Southern Confederate boys

walked and died in these trenches

opposing Union troops across the field.

Confederate Trenches

Here Longstreet's Corps, with Breckinridge and A. P. Hill's Corps to the Southward, repulsed on June 3, 1864, fourteen assaults from the East against the Confederate main line. The Federal losses, about 7,000, were the heaviest ever sustained in America in so brief an action.

Confederate Cannons