I spent several days in Virginia this past week and was delighted to see snow when we got up on our last day there. I knew that this battlefield was close to where I was staying so I took off with my camera to shoot this snowy scene at the Gaines Mill battlefield.

Gaines Mill was also known as the First Battle of Cold Harbor. The bloody engagement occurred on June 27, 1862 and was General Robert E Lee’s first major victory over the northern General George B McClellan. This was the battle that forced McClellan to retreat as he lost his momentum to capture Richmond.

I read on one of the markers that the dead remained on the battlefield where they fell until 1865. There was a photograph there of the dead scattered in the field, there were many skulls in that photo, it must have been a very horrifying sight to see.

This battlefield park is located near Mechanicsville
6283 Watt House Road Richmond, Virginia