Do You Enjoy Civil War History? Take a Trip into Beautiful North Carolina This Summer Part 1

Are you a civil war buff? Do you enjoy visiting battlefields and other civil war historical sites? This summer take a trip into North Carolina. North Carolina was home of 20 Civil War Battles. I have listed 10 battle sites for you to enjoy, some information about each, and the results of each battle.

I personally have visited several of these historical sites and being a history buff myself, I wanted to pass this information along to you. Enjoy your adventure back in time!

Hatteras Inlet Batteries - located in Dare County

Other names it was called: Forts Clark and Hatteras. Date: August 28-29, 1861.
Campaign was called: Blockade of the Carolina Coast.
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler (US), Col. William F. Martin (CS).
Forces Engaged: 9th and 20th New York regiments (est. 2,000) (US), Hatteras Island Garrison (900) (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 773 total (US 3, CS 770)

On August 26, an amphibious expedition led by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler and Flag-Officer Silas Stringham, embarked from Fort Monroe to capture Hatteras Inlet, an important haven for blockade-runners. On the 28th, while the navy bombarded Forts Clark and Hatteras, Union troops came ashore and attacked the rear of the Confederate batteries. On August 29, Col. William F. Martin surrendered the Confederate garrison of 670. The Federals lost only one man. Butler returned to Fort Monroe, leaving the captured forts garrisoned. This movement was part of Union efforts to seize coastal enclaves from which to enforce the blockade.

Kinston - located in Lenoir County

Date: December 14, 1862.
Campaign was called: Goldsborough Expedition.
Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. John G. Foster (US), Brig. Gen. Nathan Evans (CS).
Forces Engaged: Department of North Carolina, 1st Division (US), Evans's Brigade (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 685 tota.

A Union expedition led by Brig. Gen. John G. Foster left New Berne in December to disrupt the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad at Goldsborough. Evans's Brigade near Kinston Bridge stubbornly contested the advance on December 14, but the confederates were outnumbered and withdrew north of the Neuse River in the direction of Goldsborough. Foster continued his movement the next day, taking the River Road, south of the Neuse River.

Result: Union victory.

Goldsborough Bridge - located in Wayne County.

Date: December 17, 1862.
Campaign was called: Goldsorough Expedition.
Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. John G. Foster (US), Brig. Gen. Thomas Clingman (CS).
Forces Engaged: Department of North Carolina, 1st Division (US), Clingman's Brigade (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 220 total.

On December 17, Foster's expedition reached the railroad near Everettsville and began destroying the tracks north toward the Goldsorough Bridge. Clingman's Confederate brigade delayed the advance but was unable to prevent the destruction of the bridge. His mission accomplished, Foster returned to New Berne where he arrived on the 20th.

Result: Union victory.

Fort Macon - located in Carteret County

Date: March 23-April 26, 1862.
Campaign was called: Burnside's North Carolina Expedition.
Principal Commanders: Brig. Gen. John G. Parke (US), Lt. Col. Moses J. White (CS).
Forces Engaged: Parke's Division of Department of North Carolina, 3rd Division (US), Fort Macon Garrison (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 490 total (US 10, CS 480).

In late March, Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside's army advanced on Fort Macon, a third system casemated masonry fort that commanded the channel to Beaufort, 35 miles southeast of New Berne. The Union force invested the fort with siege works and, on April 26, opened an accurate fire on the fort, which soon breached the masonry walls. Within a few hours the fort's scarp began to collapse, and the Confederate hoisted a white flag. This action demonstrated the inadequacy of masonry forts against large-bore, rifled artillery.

Result: Union victory.

Fort Anderson - located in Craven County

Date: March 13-15, 1863.
Campaign was called: Longstreet's Tidewater Operations.
Principal Commanders: Lt. Col. Hiram Anderson (US), Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill (CS).
Forces Engaged: 1st Division, XVIII corps (US), Hill's Division (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 7 total.

Lt. Gen. James Longstreet took charge of the Department of Virginia and North Carolina on February 25 and initiated his Tidewater Operations. He directed D.H. Hill, commander of the North Carolina District, to advance on the Union stronghold of New Berne with about 12,000men. Maj. Gen. William H.T. Whiting, who commanded the Wilmington garrison, refused to cooperate. After an initial success at Deep Gully on March 13, Hill marched against the well-entrenched Federals at Fort Anderson on March 14-15. Hill was forced to retire upon arrival of Union gunboats. The city's garrison was heavily reinforced, and Hill withdrew to threaten Washington, North Carolina.

Result: Union victory.

Fort Fisher - located in New Hanover County.

Date: December 7-27, 1864.
Campaign was called: Expedition against Fort Fisher.
Principal Commanders: Rear Adm. David D. Porter and Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler (US), Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke (CS).
Forces Engaged: Expeditionary Corps, Army of the James (US), Hoke's Division and Fort Fisher Garrison (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 320 total.

Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler was relieved on command of the Army of the James and assigned to lead an amphibious expedition against Fort Fisher, which protected Wilmington, the South's last open seaport on the Atlantic coast. Learning that large numbers of Union troops had embarked from Hampton Roads on December 13, Lee dispatched Hoke's Division to meet the expected attack on Fort Fisher. On December 24, the Union fleet under Rear Adm. David D. Porter arrived to begin shelling the fort. An infantry division disembarked from transports to test the fort's defenses. The Federal assault on the fort had already begun when Hoke approached, discouraging further Union attempts. Butler called off the expedition on December 27 and returned to Fort Monroe.

Result: confederate victory.

Fort Fisher - located in New Hanover.

Date: January 13-15, 1865.
Campaign was called: Operations against Fort Fisher and Wilmington.
Principal Commanders: Rear Adm. David D. Porter and Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry (US), Gen. Braxton Bragg, Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke, and Col. Charles Lamb (CS).
Forces Engaged: Expeditionary corps, Army of the James (US), Hoke's Division and Fort Fisher Garrison (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 2,000 total.

After the failure of his December expedition against Fort Fisher, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler was relieved of command. Maj. Gen. Alfred Terry was placed in command of a "Provisional Corps," including Paine's Division of U.S. Colored Troops, and supported by a naval force of nearly 60 vessels, to renew operations against the fort. After a preliminary bombardment directed by Rear Adm. David D. Porter on January 13, Union forces landed and prepared an attack on Maj. Gen. Robert Hoke's infantry line. On the 15th, a select force moved on the fort from the rear. A valiant attack late in the afternoon, following the bloody repulse of a naval landing party carried the parapet. The confederate garrison surrendered, opening the way for a Federal thrust against Wilmington, the south's last open seaport on the Atlantic coast.

Result: Union victory.

Albemarle Sound - located in Chowan County and Washington County.

Date: May 5, 1864.
Campaign was called: Operations against Plymouth.
Principal Commanders: Capt. Melanston Smith (US), Cdr. J.W. Cooke (CS).
Forces Engaged: 9 gunboats (US), confederate ram (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 88 total.

On May 5, CSS Albemarie fought seven blockading Union ships to a draw at the mouth of the Roanoke River. Federals recaptured the converted steamer Bombshell. USS Sassacus was badly damaged.

Result: Inconclusive.

Averasborough - located in Harnett County and Cumberland County.

Date: March 16, 1865.
Principal commanders: Maj. Gen. Henry Slocum (US), Lt. Gen. William Hardee (CS).
Forces Engaged: XX Corps and XIV Corps (25,992) (US), Hardee's Corps (5,4000) (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 1,419 total.

On the afternoon of March 15, Judson Kilpatrick's cavalry came up against Lt. Gen. William Hardee's corps-consisting of Taliaferro's and McLaw's infantry divisions and Wheeler's dismounted cavalry-deployed across the Raleigh Road near Smithville. After feeling out the Confederate defenses, Kilpatrick withdrew and called for infantry support. During the night, four divisions of the XX Corps arrived to confront the Confederates. At dawn, March 16, the Federals advanced on a division front, driving back skirmishers, but the main confederate line and a counter attack stopped them. Mid-morning, the Federals renewed their advance with strong reinforcements and drove the Confederates from two lines of works, but were repulsed at a third line. Late afternoon, the Union XIV Corps began to arrive on the field but was unable to deploy before dark due to the swampy ground. Hardee retreated during the night after holding up the Union advance for nearly two days.

Result: Inconclusive.
Bentonville - located in Johnston County

Date: March 19-21, 1865.
Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman and Maj. Gen. Henry Slocum (US), Gen. Joseph E. Johnston (CS).
Forces Engaged: Sherman's Right Wing (XX and XIV Corps) (US), Johnston's Army (CS).
Estimated Casualties: 4,738 total (US 1,646, CS 3,092)

While Slocum's advance was stalled at Averasborough by Hardee's troops, the right wing of Sherman's army under command of Maj. Gen. O.O. Howard marched toward Goldsborough. On March 19, Slocum encountered the entrenched Confederates of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston who had concentrated to meet his advance at Bentonville. Late afternoon, Johnston attacked, crushing the line of the XIV Corps. Only strong counterattacks and desperate fighting south of the Goldsborough Road blunted the Confederate offensive. Elements of the XX Corps were thrown into the action as they arrived on the field. Five Confederate attacks failed to dislodge the Federal defenders and darkness ended the first day's fighting. During the night, Johnston contracted his line into a "V" to protect his flanks with Mill Creek to his rear. On March 20, Slocum was heavily reinforced, but fighting was sporadic. Sherman was inclined to let Johnston retreat. On the 21st, however, Johnston remained in position while he removed his wounded. Skirmishing heated up along the entire front. In the afternoon, Maj. Gen. Joseph Mower led his Union division along a narrow trace that carried it across Mill Creek into Johnston's rear. Confederate counterattacks stopped Mower's advance, saving the army's only line of communication and retreat. Mower withdrew, ending fighting for the day. During the night, Johnston retreated across the bridge at Bentonville. Union forces pursued at first light, driving back Wheeler's rearguard and saving the bridge. Federal pursuit was halted at Hannah's Creek after a severe skirmish. Sherman, after regrouping at Goldsborough, pursued Johnston toward Raleigh. On April 18, Johnston signed an armistice with Sherman at the Bennett House, and on April 26, formally surrendered his army.

Result: Union victory.

Everyone has heard of Sherman's famous march to the sea. Sherman destroyed everything along his path!

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