On June 16, 1864, the Army of the Potomac began pulling back from its positions opposite the Confederates at Cold Harbor. The move was made with great skill and deception. “Dummy” guns were left in place, and handfuls of men kept campfires burning. The wet, damp weather helped in that the Confederates were not very observant, but it made the movement difficult for the Union men. Within a day, however, they had pulled back five miles and were making a dramatic move to the south.

One thing Grant had was plenty of materiel. Three pontoon bridges were constructed in record time, and the Army of the Potomac began crossing the James River. Meanwhile, the Confederates still had not learned of the movement.