March 16, 1935
THE STATE
Exactly to ago »t Bcn-
tonvillo, llioro occurred I ho
greatest armed conflict that this
state li*.«
мет
soon in all its history.
Kffort* have been underway for some
time to have the Hontont illo are* in
Jolinston County sot asiili- as a na¬
tional park. Mnjor W. A. Snow, army
engineer, made a preliminary survey
.•wl the late Congressman Edward I’ou
was instrumental in having the measure
roeoive favorable recommvmlalion in
1925. But tho oncoming depression
put an end to any thoughts of develop¬
ment for the neat several years.
Through tho effort* of Mrs. John
H. Anderson of Raleigh, Mrs. W. M.
Sandora of Smith field — chairman and
vie* chairman, respectively, of the Bon-
tonvillc battleground committee — funds
were gathered to purchase and deed
to the state a small plot of ground
where on September 15, 1027, a large
granite marker was unveiled. Mrs.
Anderson is still working on the park
project and expect» to hnvo the his¬
torian of the national park sorries —
Mr. Vernon G. Chatelaine— make a
tour of inspection of the area in the
near future. With federal fundi avail¬
able for land purchases for recreation
and other public u<cs, the Bentonvillo
section should receive due considera¬
tion.
Stirring Days in History
The month of March, 1 $*>.'•, witnesses!
the most stirring days that North
Carolina ever has experienced. The
god of war «as brandishing hi» sword
over the Old North State and reap¬
ing a bumper crop of gory superlatives.
Fort Fisher— scene of one of the
mightiest naval battle* of all time-
had fallen a few weeks liefore. Then
опте
the battle of Bentonvillc. pre¬
ceded by the concentration at Golds¬
boro of the largest assemblage of
Union troops in southern territory.
This woi followi-d by the invasion of
Durham where the Confederacy
breathed its la*!.
The fall of Fort F’isher in January.
1S«5. threw terror into the hearts of
the Tar Hrcls. As William Tmirnwh
Sherman marched triumphantly
through Georgia awl South Carolina
in the well-known Sherman manner,
newspapers of this State prepared the
North Carolinians for almost certain
invasion, and General Lee wrote Gov¬
ernor Vance to arouse the cit irons to
renewed efforts to cheek the invading
armies.
Sherman's route from Columbia, the
desolated capital of South Carolina,
brought him to Fayetteville, N. C., on
March 12, 1S60, ouc week before the
battle of Bentonvillc. lie had sent
North Carolina’s
Greatest ESaftle
IT was lon-ilif at Bentonvillc. Johnston County, anil
efforts ore now being made to preserve the histori¬
cal significance of this famous battleground.
4
Monument erected on October 10, 1S94,
by Goldsboro Rifles at the Bentonvillc
battleground. The U. D. C. and North
Carolina Historical Commission also
have erected a marker there.
By Emma B. Edwards
word ahead to the other portions of
tho Union army within the vicinity to
meet him in Goldsboro for a confer¬
ence on March 20, and supply train»
were rushed to meet him at the ap¬
pointed time.
General Johnston in Command
I»
command of the Confederate
armiro of the two Carolina* wa* Gen¬
eral Joseph E. Johnston, whose name
coincided with the name of the county
in which Bentonvillc ii located. John¬
ston knew of the impending merger
of Union troop» and wa* anxious to en-
gago Sherman before he “ii joined
by greater number*. Sherman bad no
★
wish to run into a fight before he
reached Raleigh which lie cx|>cctfd to
capture, just as he had taken the enp-
it.il cities of neighboring state*.
To cheek Sherman’» advance. John¬
ston had brought troops from Tennes¬
see nnd Virginia; these were com¬
manded by Hoke awl Hardee for the
infantry, and Wheeler and Hampton
for the cavalry. Not knowing whether
Sherman would proceed fir-t to Golds¬
boro or go directly to Raleigh. John¬
ston camped at Smithfirld, halfway
between. The Conftderate force* num¬
ber'd slightly over 14,000. Sherman’*
immediate army consisted of nearly
05,000 men; awaiting him in Gold*-
horo were many lime» that number.
A small »kirmi*h at Avernsboro on
March ICth preceded the major engage¬
ment at Bentonvillc, small village in
the southeastern corner of Johnston
County. Thia served only to whet the
appetite* of men on both side* and
the Bentonvillc fight followed three
days later a» Sherman neared Golds¬
boro. The fighting lasted for three
days, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
March 19, 20, and 21. The •liarp-
shooter* posted in the tree* got in some
deadly work, and the whole contest
was waged in the pine wood» and
swamp* with little opportunity for bat¬
tle formation. Twenty-five mile* of
breastwork» criss-cros-cl the area,
some of which may still he seen.
On the first day of lighting, the Con¬
federates drove the Union soldier*
droiicr into the woods; on the second
day. rc-onfor cements arrived. By
night of the third day, Johnston with¬
drew to Smithfirld to avoid being sur¬
rounded. Sherman did not cover hi*
retreat but continued on to Goldsboro,
where he was joined by Terry,. Scho¬
field. Logan, and Ludlow.
The Last Major Battle
Bentonvillc wa* the last major bat¬
tle of the War Between the States.
Casualties ran into the thousands on
both side*. Although outnumbered
(Continued on pogt IveritipfoHr)