The ill conceived attack at Cold Harbor, however long it lasted, produced horrendous casualties. I have my own ideas but were the casualties mainly from artillery or small arms fire?
General Meade's estimate the day after was about 7,000 casualties.
Meade did not believe the Confederate casualties at Cold Harbor were any less than his own. Most, however, estimate them short of 2,000. Alfred C. Young III's compilation from (incomplete) Confederate records, ("Lee's Army During the Overland Campaign; A Numerical Study," 2013, Table 13), shows at least 5,287 casualties, May 31-June 12.
The federal recorded total losses of June 2-10, at 13,153.
General Grant, in his final report, estimated the Confederate loss was light compared to his own...