Bentonville Battlefield Tours in North Carolina

In March of 1865, the Confederate army converged on the area to mount a full-scale offensive against Union forces. The battle was an attempt to derail the charge of General Sherman's brigade through the south. Three days of fighting began on March 19 and demonstrated a powerful obstacle to General William T. Sherman's soldiers After the fall of Atlanta and re-election of President of Abraham Lincoln in 1864, the Confederacy was shaken but not destroyed. The Bentonville battle was a final line of defense against the Union's plans for General Sherman's troops to unite with the Army of the Potomac. General Ulyssess S. Grant ordered Sherman to the fighting in Virginia in hopes the maneuver would crash a final blow against rebel forces.

Although weary and small in number, Confederate troops had managed to hang onto their stronghold between General Grant's troops and the capital of the Confederacy in Richmond. General Sherman inserted his military influence to alter Grant's plan. General Sherman planned to move his 60,000 soldiers into the Confederate stronghold with the hopes of bringing both North and South Carolina under Union control. After receiving approval for the change in tactical maneuvers from General Grant, Union troops began marching south on Christmas Eve.

While General Sherman's troops continued toward their final destination, Fort Fisher fell into Union hands. Fort Fisher, located along the port of Wilmington, was the South's only remaining supply route for General Robert E. Lee's troops in northern Virginia. The port closed when the fort fell in January 1865, with the Confederacy also losing the town of Wilmington in February. General Sherman pressed forward toward North Carolina as General Schofield captured Goldsboro. The South's power was once again diminished when the use of railroad junctions in Goldsboro were lost.

Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard positioned his troops to protect the cities of Charleston, South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia in preparation for the arrival of Union troops. By separating his forces, General Beauregard unwittingly aided General Sherman pass through South Carolina unscathed. Union forces wreaked havoc on the state, setting fire and looting towns they encountered along the way to Bentonville. The South Carolina city of Columbia was subjected to the same fate at Atlanta the previous year.

Marching dozens of miles each day, General Sherman's troops neared North Carolina and reinforcements with few encounters of resistance. General Robert E. Lee grew unsatisfied with the abilities of General Beauregard, and appealed to Confederate President Jefferson Davis for a replacement. President Davis, unable or unwilling to replace General Beauregard with a more acceptable leader, provided no relief for General Lee's concerns. Fearful of the impact General Sherman's growing forces would in North Carolina, sought the aid of an old friend for assistance. President Davis and former General Joseph E. Johnston had fallen out of favor after Johnston retreated from Sherman's in July of 1865, but General Lee saw him as the Confederacy's last hope. After much discussion, President Davis allowed General Lee to seek assistance from the former military leader.

Although General Johnston left retirement to take control of the Confederate forces in North Carolina, he felt the efforts were "too little too late" to stop General Sherman.

Bentonville Battlefield

Upon arrival to Bentonville, General Sherman's troops quickly moved into a "hook" shaped formation along the Cole Plantation. After blocking the way to Goldsboro, the left wing of General Sherman's troops fell into a trap set by the Confederacy. Union troops held their ground even though they were soon surrounded by Confederate forces on three sides. The skirmish rages on all afternoon and ended with a stalemate.

As Union troops converged onto the field, General Johnston and force of 20,000 soldiers were forced to fall back. Confederate troops, although vastly outnumbered held their position along an escape route near Mill Creek. General Sherman's grew impatient with the Confederate forces, and their unwillingness to retreat or surrender. Knowing that time was not on their side, General Johnston clung to the hope that General Sherman's desire to press on toward Goldsboro would force his hand and order a frontal attack.

Both armies dug in and continued to fight for two days using trees and rocks for shields. Reconnaissance efforts proved useful to General Sherman, who moved a division of his troops toward Mill Creek and flanked the Confederate forces. A counter-attack by Lt. General William J. Hardee's cavalry and infantry forced the Union forces back. The heroic actions of Lt. General Hardee allowed General Johnston's continued use of Mill Creek Bridge as an exit. General Hardee's only son, a 16 year old teenager perished in the advance. General Johnston's determined his forces could not prevail and ordered a retreat under the cover of night.

Come daylight, General Sherman's troops chases the Confederate forces toward Smithfield before continuing on toward Goldsboro. Union forces occupied the town for over two weeks while preparing for their next battle. The largest troop surrender during the Civil War occurred in April of 1865 when General Johnston agreed to General Sherman's terms at his temporary headquarters in Durham.

Things to do

Harper House was used as a field hospital during the Civil War. Tour the period home and adjacent site of Confederate graves. A monument adorns the grounds, commemorating the 360 Confederate soldiers died during the Bentonville Battle. The Visitor's Center houses a fiber-optic map, Civil War artifacts and a gift shop. A fourth of a mile trails features multiple monuments to the troops which participated in the battle and trenches used by the Federal XX Corps during the Bentonville battle.

Special events and living history programs occur during warm weather months. While an admission fee isn't charged to visit the Bentonville Battlefield, donations are accepted at the Visitor Center.