Name/Title
Cold Harbor letter from MerariScope and Content
Merari Stevens was an eighteen year old farmer who participated in the fateful charge by Union forces at Cold Harbor along side of his father. In a moving letter, Merari recounted the death of his father in his arms the following morning after he had removed a bullet from his side.
"Dear friend Ezra, I take pen in hand to let you know that I yet live. We are camped near Petersburg and we are havng tolerable good times now. However, that was not the case last summer during the "killing season." We left Baltimore on May 15th...then we went on to Coal (sic) Harbor getting ready for the grand assault on the 3rd. The rebs had all the advantages of position and they were all well protected by breastworks and rifle pits. When the order was given we charged across the open plain into a hail storm of rebel balls and shells. Men were struck down as if by a great sythe like grass in haying time, and it was here that Father was struck...The bullet exited near the right hip...and then with my bowie knife took the ball out...Then I helped carry Father off the field and I stayed with him until he died...Father must have suffered greatly before he died..and he was very brave and calm. Father said that he was prepared to die and that he had done his duty...He bade me farewell and then died in my arms...So much blood shed on both sides so as to be beyond description...If we could only live in peace with our Southern brothers..."
Included is a CDV of Merari's father Harvey Stevens and the bullet that took his life.
Dr. Merari Stevens became a surgeon in Ohio, and two of his five sons also became physicians.Create Date
August 6, 2026Update Date
August 26, 2026
