North Carolina in the American Civil War

March 19-21, 1865 -- Battle of Bentonville

CSA Commander:

General Joseph E. Johnston

Union Commander:

Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman

Killed:

239

Killed:

194

Wounded:

1,694

Wounded:

1,112

Missing / Captured:

673 / 903

Captured & Missing:

221

Original County:

Johnston

Current County:

Johnston

General Joseph E. Johnston (CSA, Department of North Carolina) fired off inquiries to his subordinates on March 17th. "Something must be done tomorrow morning," he pushed Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (CSA, Department of South Carolina, Georgia & Florida), "and yet I have no satisfactory information." He then queried Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (CSA, SC Cavalry) for specifics on the enemy's position, strength, and relative distance. "Give me your opinion," urged General Johnston, "whether it is practicable to reach them from Smithfield on the south side of the Neuse River before they reach Goldsborough."

In the early hours of March 18th, Lt. Gen. Hampton replied that Cole's Plantation — 20 miles south of Smithfield — would be the ideal location to block the Union advance. The enemy was still a day's march away, and sufficiently separated from the Right Wing. Lt. Gen. Hampton was sure his cavalry could hold the ground long enough for Confederate forces to gather just south of Bentonville. The decisive moment had come, and Lt. Gen. Hampton's dispatch triggered General Johnston's deployment. "Put your command in motion for Bentonville by the shortest route," he ordered Lt. Gen. Hardee. General Johnston then notified Lt. Gen. Hampton: "We will go to the place at which your dispatch was written."

Thus, the location of the last major battle in North Carolina (and the entire South) was to happen just south of the sleepy town of Bentonville, NC.



In the Battle of Bentonville on March 19-21, the 1st NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery was on the extreme right of Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood's Brigade, which formed the left of General Joseph E. Johnston's Army. In the assault on the enemy's works Sunday evening, March 19th, the battalion captured the first line of the enemy's works in their front, their supports getting to the work but falling back. The supports consisted of Brig. Gen. Hagood's and Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Colquitt's (GA) Brigades, but the battalion held the works taken for about an hour. The troops on the right and left falling back, the battalion then retired.

In this charge Lt. Col. John D. Taylor (36th NC Regiment) was wounded, Capt. Robert G. Rankin mortally wounded. Capt. John W. Taylor mortally wounded, all the Lieutenants except 2nd Lt. Richard P. Allen wounded, and the command was now brought off in charge of 1st Lt. John A. Gilchrist, himself wounded, the command falling back under fire. In this last desperate charge in the last battle of General Johnston's army, in the last battle on North Carolina soil, Lt. Col. John D. Taylor carried the 1st NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery in 257 strong, and it lost on the field in killed and wounded 162 men, or 57 per cent, of its strength.

Immediately above written by former Sgt. Thomas A. McNeill on May 2, 1901, and provided as Pages 303-313, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.


It only remains to be told that Company A (3rd NC Battalion-Light Artillery) once more did glorious service at the battle of Bentonville, and along with Company B, and such part of Company C as had not been carried from Fort Fisher as prisoners of war were surrendered at Greensborough by General Joseph E. Johnston (VA).

Immediately above written by former Major John W. Moore on April 9, 1901, and provided as Pages 261-269, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.


On the 19th of March we effected a union with the Western Army. The battle of Bentonville began in the forenoon, the 8th NC Regiment being held in reserve during that day. On the night of the 19th the regiment established the line on the extreme left of General Joseph E. Johnston's army. Light skirmishing was all that occurred on the 20th, but on the 21st the enemy made a heavy demonstration against our part of the line, driving in our pickets, though not assaulting the main line. On the night of the 21st our army withdrew towards Smithfield. The 8th NC Regiment being on the extreme left, was the last to come out, leaving before daylight on the morning of the 22nd. Here again, as at Wilmington, the regiment had to protect the rear. The enemy pressed our rear picket guard closely till we crossed the creek nearby on our line of march. After crossing the creek the regiment deployed and began constructing a line of rifle pits along the bank. In the meantime the skirmishing continued, the enemy coming nearer as our rear guard fell back. Sometime after sunrise, while the regiment was at work, a stray shot struck a man from Company I, inflicting a severe flesh wound in the thick part of the thigh. He was the last man the regiment had wounded. The rifle pits along the creek were the last the regiment constructed. We remained there a few hours, then marched to Smithfield. The loss of our regiment at Bentonville was not heavy.

Immediately above written by former Drummer of Company H, H. T. J. Ludwig on April 26, 1900, and provided as Pages 387-415, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume I," edited by Walter Clark.
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On March 19th, the 8th NC Regiment (State Troops) was held in reserve and was not engaged, but that night the regiment went into position on the right of the line. Light skirmishing occurred on March 20th, and on March 21st, the skirmishers were driven in, but no attack was made on the main line. That night, General Joseph E. Johnston withdrew his army to Smithfield, and again the regiment served on rear-guard duty. At Smithfield, they remained in camp for about three weeks, and the regiment, brigade, and division was assigned to Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (GA), and moved with his command on the retreat from Smithfield.


At Bentonville in the three (3) days' fight, March 19-21, the 10th NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery got pretty badly mixed. We got after the Yankees and they just fired and fell back; we chased them on Sunday evening until after dark. I think we went in twenty (20) feet of one of their lines, when they suddenly fired a volley, broke and ran. If the fire had been well directed not a man of us could have escaped. The sheet of fire was blinding. Many were wounded and a few killed on our side. There was a mighty rattling of canteens and tin cups in those woods when the enemy fell back in haste. This battalion had thirty-eight (38) men killed and wounded, every officer in the battalion was wounded save Capt. Henry M. Barnes and myself. I carried a spade in this fight and held it right in front of my "cracker box." After two (2) days in the trenches amidst constant picket firing and occasionally a shelling frolic, we again, unmolested, evacuated, falling back in the direction of Smithfield, and Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman going to Goldsborough, neither troubling the other, one going up the Neuse River, the other down.

Immediately above written by former Adjutant Charles S. Powell on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 329-337, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.


On March 17, 1865, four companies of the 13th NC Battalion-Light Artillery (B, C, D, E) reached Smithfield, NC, as part of Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division, and on March 18th that command formed a junction with that part of General Joseph E. Johnston's army under Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee, which was marching from Fayetteville. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman was moving from the latter place towards Goldsborough in two (2) sections of his numerous and finely appointed army, the columns about a day's march apart, and General Johnston's plan was to attack Maj. Gen. Sherman's left wing, separated from the right.

On March 19th, Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division reached Bentonville in Johnston County, and took position on the left of a large and deserted old plantation, heavily wooded on each side, through which one main road ran, and along which the division was stationed, with a part of Lt. Gen. Hardee's Corps. Company B (Starr's Battery), after remaining in column in the road for some time—during which the gallant Private John Murphy was struck down by one of the enemy's shells, and one arm torn to pieces, he afterwards dying in the Raleigh Hospital—took the right center of the line on the edge of the field, supported on the right by Col. John W. Hinsdale's Junior Reserves, the whole Junior Brigade being under the command of Col. John H. Nethercutt of the 66th NC Regiment. Our battery was commanded by Capt. George B. Atkins, as brave a soldier as ever entered the Confederate service, who, although in fearfully bad health and always racked by physical suffering, was ever at his post of duty. This officer, finding a wooden house in front of a North Carolina Regiment serving as a shelter for this enemy's sharpshooters, dislodged them by a few well-directed shots from two (2) Napoleons, and they were seen hurrying out from the building, amid the cheers of the Confederates. During the afternoon of March 19th the enemy repeatedly charged our line, where it was held by Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division, but was as often repulsed, though the never ceasing artillery fire was causing many casualties in our ranks.

On the morning of March 20th, couriers brought the news that the two (2) wings of the Union army had been united, and that the left, once driven back, was coming up heavily reinforced, on Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division. This necessitated a change of position, and that officer reformed his line, parallel to the county road, to which he had before been aligned at right angles. From 11:30 to 4 :00 o'clock the whole united columns of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman made attack after attack upon this part of the line, composed of 6,200 men, with only such entrenchments as could be thrown up with the bayonet, but were driven back with serious loss. Throughout March 21st the skirmishing was very heavy, and late in the afternoon a large force of the Union 17th Army Corps, by a super-human effort, broke through our line on the extreme left, and hurled it back in dire confusion. The moment was critical; the loss of the bridge over the creek in our rear would deprive General Joseph E. Johnston's army of its only line of retreat. A section of Company B (Starr's Battery), under command of 1st Lt. James D. McLean, was rushed from the right of the line to the scene of the contest, and, supported by Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (SC) with his force of cavalry and infantry massed to strengthen the threatened point, galloped to a position on the field. The enemy's stubborn effort was foiled, and one division of the 17th Union Corps especially suffered heavily.


Battle of Bentonville, NC - March 20, 1865

In the battle of Bentonville the Confederate losses were nearly 2,400, while those of the enemy could not have been less than 5,000. Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (SC) has said of this engagement that, as it was almost the last, it was one of the most remarkable of the Civil War, and that its conception and conduct by General Joseph E. Johnston (VA) was a masterly stroke of military genius—where less than 15,000 men under three (3) commands successfully held the field against 60,000 of the finest equipped troops in the world.

Immediately above written by former st Lt. James H. Myrover on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 341-354, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.


The army of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman was moving from Averasborough to Goldsborough, upon two (2) roads running parallel and about ten (10) miles apart. Our division, which included our regiment, the 17th NC Regiment (State Troops), swelled our army to about 15,000 men, against Maj. Gen. Sherman's 70,000. On the morning of March 19th Bvt. Maj. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis's XIV Corps and Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum's Army of Georgia, numbering about 35,000 men were attacked by our troops and driven back a considerable distance, three guns and nine hundred prisoners falling into our hands.

The other corps of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army came up and were thrown on our left flank, which had become much advanced in the battle of the previous day. In consequence of this movement it became necessary to change the position of our army. Our brigade of Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland (NC), deployed as skirmishers, held the enemy in check while the entire army changed front, and thereafter occupied a position in the center and joined in the repulse of the many and furious charges of the Union forces. In this battle Capt. William Biggs of Company A was greatly distinguished for his intrepid bravery. Our brigade received the special commendation of General Joseph E. Johnston for its valued services in this engagement.

Immediately above written by former 2nd Lt. Wilson G. Lamb on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 1-13, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume II," edited by Walter Clark.
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From Smithfield, General Joseph E. Johnston moved his army to Bentonville, where he hoped to ambush and defeat one of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's two (2) advancing columns. Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division, which included Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland's (NC) Brigade, and the 17th NC Regiment (State Troops), held the left of the Confederate line during the battle on March 19th, and was actively engaged, but the Union army was too large to be driven from the field. Maj. Gen. Sherman's second column arrived on March 20th, and after much skirmishing that day and on March 21st, the Confederates felt compelled to retreat to Smithfield.


The 31st NC Regiment (State Troops) now marched to Goldsborough and Smithfield, where we waited the advance of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman from Fayetteville. The clash of arms came now again at Bentonville, NC, on March 19, 1865. For two (2) days General Joseph E. Johnston held in check Maj. Gen. Sherman's 70,000 men, with not more than 20,000 of all arms. After two (2) days' successful resistance General Johnston, finding the Union army in overwhelming force concentrated on three (3) sides of him, withdrew that night towards Raleigh.

Immediately above written by former Adjutant Edward K. Bryan and former Sergeant E.H. Meadows on April 9, 1901, and provided as Pages 506-520, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume II," edited by Walter Clark.
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From Smithfield, General Joseph E. Johnston moved his army to Bentonville, where he hoped to ambush and defeat one of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's two (2) advancing columns. Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division, which included Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's (NC) Brigade, and the 31st NC Regiment (State Troops), held the left of the Confederate line during the battle on March 19th, and was actively engaged, but the Union army was too large to be driven from the field. Maj. Gen. Sherman's second column arrived on March 20th, and after much skirmishing that day and on March 21st, the Confederates felt compelled to retreat to Smithfield.


After participating with Maj. Gen. Daniel H. Hill (NC) in an engagement at Cobb's Mill [aka 2nd Kinston, aka Wyse Fork], the remnants of the 36th NC Regiment (2nd Artillery) marched through Goldsborough, to Bentonville, in Johnston County, where they joined the army under General Joseph E. Johnston. Here, the last great battle of the war was fought, beginning Sunday, March 19, 1865. Lt. Col. John Douglas Taylor fearlessly led a charge and captured the breastworks, although defended by a largely superior force. He led 267 rank and file, including a detachment of the 36th NC Regiment, and came out with only 115. Every officer was killed, wounded, or captured save two (2). Lt. Col. Taylor lost his left arm; Capt. William F. Brooks, of Company K, his right arm; Capt. Samuel B. Hunter, of 2nd Company F, wounded, but not seriously. I have not learned if any other officers of our regiment were present. In that magnificent charge Captains Taylor, Rankin, and McDougal, of MacRae's Battalion (1st NC Battalion-Heavy Artilery), were mortally wounded.

Immediately above written by former Colonel William Lamb on April 9, 1901, and provided as Pages 629-651, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume II," edited by Walter Clark.


On March 12th, the remnants of the 40th NC Regiment (3rd Artillery) withdrew from Kinston and marched to Goldsborough, passing through that town just as the advance of the enemy from Wilmington was entering; then to Smithfield, where we went in camp. Troops from every quarter began gathering, and very soon we had quite an army to what we before had. Went on to Bentonville, where the regiment covered itself with glory as a part of the Red Infantry, where on a quiet Sunday morning, March 19th, the booming of cannon was heard, and very soon the sharp crack of the rifles and the vengeful singing of the deadly minie balls. The fight very soon became general, and we rapidly threw up works and in a few hours were pretty well prepared to defend ourselves.

As the day grew on, the fight became desperate, the Confederates generally successful. Late in the afternoon we attacked the enemy from right to left, swinging into line and charging over our works on the enemy's fortified line. Then it was that while struggling forward in that pine thicket we lost many of our officers and men, killed and wounded. But at length Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Colquitt's (GA) Brigade on our right gave way, and the enemy massing on our front, we fell back to our old line, where we checked their advance. Now as to this charge, before it was made, 2nd Lt. John H. Hill, of 2nd Company H, advanced with the skirmish line to the front. The regiment with the brigade, was moved by the left flank before charging which threw it to the left of the skirmish line, and instead of being in front of our own command, they were in front of Brig. Gen. Colquitt's Brigade, leaving our front exposed to the enemy, and when the regiment had charged up to within a few paces of the enemy's breastworks, they were halted and dressed to the right, under a heavy fire from the enemy. The command was obeyed with as much coolness, apparently, as if on dress parade.

If they had not been halted they would have turned the enemy's right flank and captured many of their men, but they were so badly cut up that some of the companies lost all their officers and had so few men left that companies were consolidated (B and I together, C and 2nd H together). This was a blunder and sacrifice of the lives of brave men, which either Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (NC), Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood (SC), or our Maj. William A. Holland is responsible for. The 40th NC Regiment (3rd Artillery) was attached to Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood's (SC) Brigade until after the fight at Bentonville when it was transferred to Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's (NC) Brigade, both of Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division.

Immediately above written by former Sergeant Thaddeus C. Davis on April 9, 1901, and provided as Pages 745-765, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume II," edited by Walter Clark.
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At the Battle of Bentonville, the remnants of the 40th NC Regiment (3rd Artillery) were led by Maj. William A. Holland. They fought as infantry and were referred to as the Red Infantry, red being the color used to designate the artillery branch of the service. During this battle, their regimental colors were captured, and they suffered so severely that Companies B and I, and C and 2nd H, were consolidated after the battle. Also after the battle, they were transferred from Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood's (SC) Brigade to Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's (NC) Brigade, and remained until the surrender on April 26, 1865.


Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army was advancing in two (2) wings from Averasborough to Goldsborough on parallel roads about eight (8) miles apart. The Confederate army was increased by Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division, while Maj. Gen. Sherman had several times as many troops. General Joseph E. Johnston (VA) was now in command and on the morning of March 19th, the Confederates, including the 42nd NC Regiment (State Troops), attacked Bvt. Maj. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis's XIV Corps and Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum's Army of Georgia at Bentonville, and driving them back, captured about 1,000 prisoners and several guns. Next day Maj. Gen. Sherman's other corps was thrown upon our left flank, which had been in the advance the day before. On account of this movement and increase of the enemy, it was necessary to change the position of the army. In order to accomplish this, Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland (NC) deployed his brigade as a skirmish line in front of Maj. Gen. Sherman's entire army, holding it in check until the Confederate army changed front to meet the enemy. After this Brig. Gen. Kirkland's Brigade occupied the center.

Many times the Union forces charged the Confederates, but each time they were repulsed with heavy loss. The battle was stubbornly and fiercely fought, at one time being in open field with the odds greatly in favor of the enemy. But the brave Confederates held their own nobly, and the flag of the 42nd NC Regiment waved proudly over the line of battle in this, the last great struggle for Southern independence.

Immediately above written by former Major Thomas J. Brown on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 788-807, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume II," edited by Walter Clark.
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From Smithfield, General Joseph E. Johnston moved his army to Bentonville, where he hoped to ambush and defeat one of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's two (2) advancing columns. Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division, which included Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland's (NC) Brigade, and the 42nd NC Regiment (State Troops), held the left of the Confederate line during the battle on March 19th, and was actively engaged, but the Union army was too large to be driven from the field. Maj. Gen. Sherman's second column arrived on March 20th, and after much skirmishing that day and on March 21st, the Confederates felt compelled to retreat to Smithfield.


It was now learned that Sherman's army was crossing the Black River at several points on March 17th. His persistent attempt to open the Averasborough Road seemed to indicate that his objective point was Raleigh, but this movement across the Black River made it uncertain as to whether he would move on Raleigh or Goldsborough, and Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (GA), in order to be in position to turn in either direction, moved to the intersection of the roads near Elevation Church, in Johnston County, reaching that point on the night of March 17th. At 12 o'clock on the night of March 17th, Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (SC), who was at the front near Bentonville, received a request from General Joseph E. Johnston, who was then at Smithfield, about sixteen (16) miles away, for full information as to the location of the various commands of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army, and his views as to the advisability of attacking the enemy.

Lt. Gen. Hampton reported at once that the XIV Corps was in his immediate front; the XX Corps was on the same road, five or six (5-6) miles in the rear; while the two other Corps, Maj. Gen. John A. Logan's XV Corps, and Maj. Gen. Francis P. Blair's XVII Corps, were on a parallel road some miles to the south, and at the place where he was camped was an admirable one for the contemplated attack. He also reported that he would delay the enemy as much as possible to gain time for the concentration of his forces at this point. In a few hours he received a reply from General Johnston stating that he would move at once, and directing him to hold the position if possible. Early on the morning of March 18th, Lt. Gen. Hampton moved his cavalry forward until he met the enemy, and kept up a lively skirmish, slowly falling back, until in the afternoon he had reached the position previously selected for the battle. As it was of vital importance that this position should be held until the infantry could reach them, he dismounted his men and took the risk of sending his batteries to a commanding position far to the right of his line, and entirely unsupported, and made a bold and successful stand.

After personally superintending the placing of the guns and as he was mounting his horse to ride back to his line on the road, he overheard the following remark from one of the men at the guns, as he laughingly addressed his companions: "Old Hampton is playing a game of bluff, and if he don't mind Sherman will call him." General Joseph E. Johnston reached Bentonville during the night of March 18th with a portion of the troops from Smithfield. Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (GA), who had been informed of the plan of attack, left the camp at Elevation [Johnston County] early in the morning of March 18th, but after a hard day's march we camped that night at Snead's house, five (5) miles from Bentonville, and about eight (8) miles from the extreme part of the line of battle. The 50th NC Regiment (State Troops) made an early start on the morning of March 19th, but had not reached the position assigned us before the enemy had made a bold assault on Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) position on the road. After a desperate struggle they were repulsed and driven from the field in confusion. At this critical moment a mistake occurred which perhaps entirely changed the results of the battle. Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (SC) refers to it in his report of the battle, and General Johnston confirms his statements of facts and conclusion. I quote from "Johnston's narrative": "The enemy attacked Hoke's Division vigorously, especially its left, so vigorously that General Bragg apprehended that Hoke, although slightly entrenched, would be driven from his position. He therefore applied urgently for strong reinforcements. General Hardee, the head of whose column was then near, was directed, most injudiciously, to send his leading division, McLaws', to the assistance of the troops assailed."

Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (SC) in his account of the battle, says: "Hoke repulsed the attack made on him fully and handsomely. Had Hardee been in the position originally assigned him at the time Hoke struck the enemy, and could his command and Stuart's have been thrown on the flanks of the Federal forces, I think that the Fourteenth Corps would have been driven back in disorder on the Twentieth, which was moving up to its support." Lt. Gen. Hampton, in his account of the part taken by Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's (GA) command, quotes from General Joseph E. Johnston as follows:

"The Confederates passed over the hundred yards of space between the two lines in quick time and in excellent order, and the remaining distance in double-quick, without pausing to fire until their near approach had driven the enemy from the shelter of their entrenchments, in full retreat, to their second line. After firing a few rounds the Confederates again pressed forward, and when they were near the second entrenchment, how manned by both lines of Federal troops, Lieutenant General Hardee, after commanding the double-quick, led the charge, and with knightly gallantry, dashed over the enemy's breastworks on horseback in front of his men. Some distance in the rear there was a very thick wood of young pines, into which the Federal troops were pursued, and in which they rallied and renewed the fight. But the Confederates continued to advance, driving the enemy back slowly. Night coming on prevented the further advance of the Confederates who, elated with victory, were now anxious to continue the pursuit of the fleeing enemy."

The close of the first day of this hotly contested battle found the Confederates victorious at every point, not only holding their own lines, but at many points they rested for the flight in full possession of the fortified position of the enemy. About midday of March 20th the other two corps of the enemy which had been moving on the Fayetteville and Goldsborough Road, crossed to the Averasborough Road and appeared in full force on our left, which was entirely unprotected from Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) position on the road to Mill Creek below. This necessitated changing Maj. Gen. Hoke's front to left and parallel to the road. Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws' (GA) Division was now shifted to Maj. Gen. Hoke's left, with the 50th NC Regiment and 10th NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery forming the extreme left of our line. This left considerable space between our left and Mill Creek, thus exposing the left wing, which was overlapped. This was occupied only by a very thin skirmish line of our cavalry.

These newly-arrived forces assaulted our line from Maj. Gen. Hoke's right to Maj. Gen. McLaws' left repeatedly during the afternoon of March 20th, but were handsomely repulsed in every instance. On the morning of March 21st the fighting was resumed along Maj. Gen. Hoke's and Maj. Gen. McLaws' front. As there was no demonstration on our right, Brig. Gen. William B. Taliaferro (SC) threw forward a skirmish line in his front and ascertained that the Union left had been withdrawn, and the combined attacks were directed against the center occupied by Maj. Gen. Hoke and the left by Maj. Gen. McLaws and our cavalry. About 4 o'clock in the afternoon our left being hard pressed and overlapped, Brig. Gen. Taliaferro was ordered from the extreme right to our support. About the same time it was learned that the Union XVII Corps had succeeded in breaking through the thin skirmish line on our left and was in rear of our line and near the only bridge which spanned Mill Creek at Bentonville. Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (GA) was moving Brig. Gen. Alfred Cumming's Georgia Brigade to the left to protect this gap at the time, and discovering the enemy, ordered Col. Robert J. Henderson, commanding the brigade, to attack the head of the column, at the same time discovering the 8th TX Cavalry approaching, he ordered them to charge the left flank, he leading the charge in person.

Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (SC) at the same time struck the right flank with Brig. Gen. William H. Young's (GA) Brigade, commanded by Col. Gilbert J. Wright, while Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler attacked the rear of the Union column some distance away. The rout of the enemy was complete and they were soon driven back beyond our lines. As they retreated in confusion the slaughter was terrible. Our losses in the affair were insignificant as to number. A son of Lt. Gen. Hardee, a youth of only 16 years, who had arrived only two (2) hours before, was killed while riding in the charge of the 8th TX Cavalry, led by his father. The firing, which had been extremely heavy up to this time, ceased upon the return of the XVII Corps to its position in line, and there was no other attempt made to carry any part of our line. Lt. Gen. Hampton states that the Confederate forces engaged in this affair did not exceed three hundred (300). While Maj. Gen. McLaws held the extreme left of our lines and the enemy were endeavoring to turn our flank the 50th NC Regiment and 10th NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery of Col. Washington M. Hardy's Brigade, in a single charge and in about five (5) minutes time sustained a loss of about one-third of their number.

In this case the enemy were lying in line three (3) columns deep and reserved their fire until our troops were near them struggling through a dense swamp. At the first volley every man fell to the ground and Col. George Wortham and 2nd Lt. William Lane, of the 50th NC Regiment, and 2nd Lt. Charles S. Powell, of the 10th NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery, crawled out of the thicket and reported to Maj. Gen. McLaws for duty, stating that the entire brigade was killed or wounded. Col. Washington M. Hardy, by his boldness and daring, saved the command from utter destruction. Dressed in a suit of sky blue broadcloth and broad-brimmed slouch hat, he might easily be taken for a Union ofticer. He was in front of his men leading the charge, and at the first volley he rushed forward with his hat in one hand and his sword in the other, and pacing up and down in front of and within a few feet of the Union lines, ordered them to cease firing, as they were firing on their own men. He continued this for some time, although their own officers were ordering them to fire. They were utterly confused and before the firing was resumed all of our men who were able had crawled out of the swamp and made their escape, and Col. Hardy deliberately walked off without a scratch.

On the night of March 21st the enemy kept up a heavy picket fire along our front while withdrawing their troops in the direction of Goldsborough. At midnight our troops were withdrawn and crossing the creek at Bentonville, moved on March 22nd toward Smithfield. In the battle four (4) companies of the 50th NC Regiment, Company C and Company D of Johnston County, Company E of Wayne County, and Company H of Harnett County, were near their homes and many of the men, who had not seen their homes and families for many months, marched by them and tarried for only a few minutes, went into the fight, the guns of which could be distinctly heard by their loved ones, and again without stopping, marched by these same homes with General Joseph E. Johnston's army on its final retreat, proving their faith and loyalty to the "Lost Cause" to the last.

The 50th NC Regiment before leaving this State for Georgia in November of 1864, was recruited from the camp of instruction at Raleigh to something over 900, and now mustered less than half that number, the others being lost from various causes during the severe and trying campaign through which they had passed.

The Confederate forces in this battle were about 17,000 infantry, the Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler and Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton Cavalry and a few light field batteries, while Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army, as officially reported a few days after the battle, numbered more than 81,000.

The Union reports place their losses at 1,646 and that of the Confederates at 2,606, but General Joseph E. Johnston in his account of this battle, places the Union loss at more than 4,000. Our army moved to Smithfield and thence to a point a few miles north of the present town of Selma and went into camp to await Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's next move, whether by way of Raleigh or the more direct route by Weldon. The men of our command were supplied with clothing, not having had a change since leaving their baggage in Savannah on December 20, 1864, nor had they slept under shelter since leaving Tarborough in November preceding. At the reorganization of General Johnston's army the 50th NC Regiment and 10th NC Battalion were assigned to Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland's (NC) Brigade, Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division, and what had constituted Baker's and Hardy's Brigade was disbanded.

Immediately above written by former 3rd Lt. Joseph C. Ellington on April 20, 1901, and provided as Pages 161-204, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III," edited by Walter Clark.
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Having marshalled most of his available forces and accomplished his goal of increasing the distance between Union Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum and Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard, General Joseph E. Johnston (CSA) laid an ambush for Maj. Gen. Slocum at Bentonville on March 19th. Cleverly deploying his 19,000 men in a woods behind a screen of cavalry, General Johnston awaited the arrival of the strung-out 26,000-man Union column. Maj. Gen. Slocum, thinking he was confronted by the usual token cavalry opposition, saw no reason to wait for his entire command to come up, and ordered a division forward to clear his front.

That unsuspecting advance division received "an awful volly" from massed Confederate infantry at a distance of about fifty (5) feet. A savage hand-to-hand fight with clubbed muskets and ramrods ensued, and the Union forces fell back in disarray. Rebounding quickly, the Union army came on again, concentrating their attack on the troops under General Braxton Bragg, which was solely made up of the division under Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (NC) on the Confederate left. Rebel infantry under Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (GA) and Lt. Gen Alexander P. Stewart (TN) then charged out of the brush and blackjack thickets in a devastating assault that crushed the disorganized Union left, and as one Union soldier later commented, this led to "some of the best running he ever did."

The Union right wing then was attacked from the rear by Lt. Gen. Hardee and Lt. Gen. Stewart again, and shortly the troops under Maj. Gen. Hoke pitched into the Union line from the front. The Union line narrowly succeeded in holding their position until re-inforcements arrived to help beat back the Confederat assault. The fighting shifted again to the re-formed and re-inforced Union left, where five (5) successive Confederate attacks were smashed by a "raging leaden hailstorm of grape and canister."

Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws's (GA) Division, which included Col. Washington M. Hardy's Brigade, which included the 50th NC Regiment (State Troops), the 10th NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery, and the 7th NC Regiment-Senior Reserves, and instead of taking part in the assault was diverted unnecessarily to the Confederate left at the request of General Braxton Bragg. Having received "no particular instructions," it remained in reserve during Maj. Gen. Hoke's attack. That evening, Col. Hardy's men thinking they were going to the relief of another unit, were double-quicked to the Confederate right.1st Lt. John G. Albright of the7th NC Regiment-Senior Reserves later recounted that they were "rushed... up within twenty feet of the enemy's breastworks," where they received a "terrible volley. We took shelter the best we could behind the pine trees, except some of us who were in a pond about sixty or seventy yards wide. These retreated across the pond, the officers shouting all the time, 'You are shooting your own men.'"

An officer was sent forward to investigate was captured by Union videttes, firmly establishing that they were not facing "friendlies." Col. Hardy's men opened fire and drove the enemy from their works. Lt. Albright asserted that the 7th NC Regiment-Senior Reserves lost "fifty-one men in about half a minute. The 50th NC Regiment (State Troops) losses were calculated by 3rd Lt. Joseph C. Ellington (immediately above) to be "about one-third" of the men engaged. Many assert this is a bit of an exaggeration, but all admit that their casualties were quite high on that first day of the battle.

During that night, Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, who was traveling with Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard, learned of the fighting at Bentonville. By the afternoon of the next day (March 20th), his two (2) columns were re-united on the battlefield. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston reluctantly remained at Bentonville to cover the evacuation of his wound, and because of poor roads and a shortage of wagon, this required two (2) days. Maj. Gen. McLaws's Division, including the 50th NC Regiment, was moved once again, this time to the extreme left of the Confederate line, where it faced some to Union Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard's newly-arrived troops.

Except for a sharp skirmish on the Confederate left involving troops under the command of Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (NC), March 20th passed without serious fighting.

On March 21st, General Johnston continued to evacuate his wounded and remained in his works. Heavy skirmishing took place all along the line, but the only action of consequence was an unauthorized Union attack by Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Mower that broke through on the Confederate left and threatened to capture the vital bridge over Mill Creek. General Johnston mustered just enough resistance to force Maj. Gen. Mower to pause and call for re-inforcements, whereupon he was ordered by Maj. Gen. Sherman to withdraw.

General Johnston withdrew in the direction of Smithfield that night. Maj. Gen. McLaws's Division lost 28 men killed, 153 men wounded, and 22 men missing. At Smitfhfield, General Johnston re-organized his army, and the 10th NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery and the 50th NC Regiment (State Troops) were assigned to Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland's (NC) Brigade in Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's Division.



The advance of the enemy from Wilmington and the near approach of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army from Fayetteville, caused our withdrawal from Kinston and rendering the evacuation of Goldsborough necessary, the 51st NC Regiment (State Troops) was, therefore, ordered to Bentonville, where we met and checked Maj. Gen. Sherman. The first day we fought facing Fayetteville and with our backs on Goldsborough, but we were soon flanked and compelled to face about. Several attempts from the direction of Goldsborough were made to dislodge us, but failed; still the vast forces under Maj. Gen. Sherman finally forced us to retire to escape being surrounded and our communications cut off. This we did in good order, marching to Smithfield, where we remained several days.

Immediately above written by former 3rd Lt. Augustus A. McKethan on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 205-221, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III," edited by Walter Clark.
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The second write-up for the 51st NC Regiment (State Troops) is virtually identical to the second write-up for the 31st NC Regiment (State Troops) above.


A portion of the Army of Tennessee in detached commands arrived, and on March 18, 1865, General Joseph E. Johnston made a forced march to Bentonville, where a concentration was effected with Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's (GA) Corps from Charleston, Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division and other troops from Eastern North Carolina. The presence of General Johnston again in command of veteran troops inspired the fullest confidence in the small army, which engaged in the battles of the succeeding day in fine spirits. The 58th NC Regiment, in this, its last battle, numbered about 300 effectives. The brigade (Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer's) was selected as the directing column for the Army of Tennessee, under Maj. Gen. William B. Bate leading Cheatham's Division, in the assault on the enemy's line. The charge was made with great spirit and dash, and the enemy entrenched and with a high fence built in their front, gave way before inflicting great loss on their assailants. In the pursuit which followed, two (2) pieces of artillery, limbering with all haste to the rear, were captured and driven back into our lines with their teams complete. In running down and taking the guns some of the artillerymen were shot while on the chests, and the old pine field was strewn with blankets, provisions, and plunder of all sorts thrown away by the flying foe.

The rapid pursuit over fences and a deep ravine so scattered the attacking ecolumn that n halt was made to reform—this a half a mile or more beyond the entrenchments charged, and there was not an enemy in sight nor a gun nearby being fired. Before the line was completely adjusted the reserves came up in splendid order. Brig. Gen. Edmund W. Pettus' (AL) Brigade before in support of Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer (TN) now took the advance, and in a short time struck the enemy reinforced in a new position. Our lines having become too short for the circle so extended by pushing back the enemy, most of the regiments of Brig. Gen. Palmer's Brigade were prouiptly moved up to fill the gaps in the front line, which was now in the thick pine woods.

The 58th NC Regiment on the left of the brigade, under the direction of a staff officer, was moved up in support of and close to the front line, here facing south, and at the time hotly engaged. Firing was also going on on the right, extending partly to the rear, but not so near, and a battery of artillery kept up a most aggravating enfilade fire over the regiment, which would have made the position extremely uncomfortable if the gunners had slightly depressed their pieces. As it was, very little could be seen for the smoke which filled the woods, and the ground gently rising toward the battery, their shells for an hour flew almost harmlessly through the timber some ten (10) feet or more overhead, and most of them burst in rear. The incident following will give some idea of the situation. The brigadier, very shortly after the regiment had reached the spot, rode up and asked, "Which is the right of your regiment?" A strange question from such a source at such a time the writer thought, but surprise was turned into amazement when the reply was quickly followed by the command: "Major, countermarch your regiment."

It seemed just a little unnecessary to remind him that the regiment was already facing the enemy, who was close at hand, and being heard to that effect in a most convincing sort of way. The Major, however, did presume to say as much, only to hear, "Yes, I know, but I want you to look after these fellows over here," pointing over his shoulder to our rear and right. The regiment was accordingly counter-marched, halted on the spot and fronted—this time facing north, or opposite to the direction we had just before faced—dressed on a line of guides a little oblique to the original line and the men ordered to lie down for shelter; Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer (TN) the meanwhile quietly seated on his horse apparently unconscious that anything unusual was going on, though musket balls were flying pretty thick, and some of the enemy's shells must have passed near his head. After witnessing this singular maneuver, and leaving the 58th NC Regiment "to look after those fellows" as ordered, the General leisurely rode off to some other part of his brigade on the front line, where the business in hand was not so dull and uninteresting. He did not have far to go.

The slender line without earthworks that so nearly encircled our position, held its ground against repeated assaults of the enemy in heavy force until 8 o'clock at night, when the firing ceased, and at midnight the army resumed the position of the morning.

A more remarkable experience befell a detachment of Tennesseeans of the brigade. In filling a gap in the front line as stated. Col. Anderson Searcey in command, found a flank of the enemy which he proceeded at once to turn and attack in reverse. Before the movement, which was being successfully accomplished, had proceeded very far, however, a Union reserve appeared, closed the gap and cut off the return of the Colonel with a part of his command. The detachment thus cut off made its way successfully through Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's lines and near his trains, capturing as they went an officer and forty (40) men, to whom they were in the act of surrendering, but, discovering the small opposing force, the Tennesseeans seized the guns which had been thrown down and compelled the surrender of their would-be captors. The detachment marched with their prisoners through the woods and over obscure roads to Raleigh, and rejoined the brigade near Smithfield ten (10) days after the battle, greatly to the surprise and delight of their friends, who were ready to give them up as lost.

The restoration of General Joseph E. Johnston to the command gave great confidence to the Army of Tennessee, and the forward movement, as was generally the case, put the men in fine spirits and willing to attempt any duty that he would require of them. In illustration of the faith of the men in their chief: two (2) days after the principal battle, when Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's cavalry came so near seizing the bridge in the rear, the firing attracted attention, and someone asking "what that fire in rear of the army meant," the reply came promptly from the ranks of the 58th NC Regiment in the most unconcerned manner, "Don't be uneasy, my son. Old Joe has a wagon train back there somewhere, and there is no danger where HIT is." The general had well earned in the Atlanta Campaign a reputation for taking care of his trains; but for the opportune arrival here of Col. Robert H. Henderson's (GA) little brigade of Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson's (VA) Division, en route for the army, his prestige in that particular, and perhaps in some others, might have been lost, together with our "spider wagons" and ordnance trains.

Referring to the published account of this incident General Joseph E. Johnston wrote on January 11, 1888, to the undersigned:

"The newspaper slip containing your article on Palmer's Brigade at Bentonville and the letter accompanying it were duly received, but at a time when press of business compelled me to postpone compliance with your request.

"I do not think, as you do, that the part taken by Cumming's Brigade, then commanded by Colonel Henderson, was a matter of luck. That Brigade was a part of at least 1,000 men that joined us from Charlotte that morning, and was made one of four little reserves, and was the nearest one to the point of attack on the Federal division, in which part of Hampton's and all of Wheeler's cavalry joined—defeating that division in a few minutes—before Taliaferro's Division and the three other reserves had a chance to join in the action. They were on the way to the place when it occurred. They and all of our cavalry made the wagons you mention quite safe, for they were fully able to dispose of one Federal division."

The letter shows that the General was neither surprised nor unprepared in this encounter, and the old veteran's complacent feeling of trust and confidence in his chief was not misplaced.

In the list of the killed was the name of a young recruit, Augustus F. Green of Company E, from Watauga County, who came from his home to the 58th NC Regiment the day before the battle. In the ranks near this unfortunate man marched a veteran of the Mexican War and of the great Civil War. The one was taken and the other left. The old veteran came out of both wars unscathed, and still living (1901), draws a pension for service in Mexico.

The following extract is from General Order of Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson (VA) on March 23, 1865, relating to the part taken by the regiment in the battle of Bentonville:

"Never was more dash and gallantry displayed than was exhibited by Palmer's Brigade in their successful assaults upon the breastworks of the enemy."

Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer (TN), who is since dead, in a letter to the undersigned, in 1888, says:

"The orders published by me at the time will show and it now gives me great pleasure to repeat that the Fifty-eighth and Sixtieth North Carolina Regiments in this engagement behaved with distinguished gallantry, and won for themselves a merited fame, which will last as long as the historic fields of Bentonville, will appear on the pages and in the annals still to be written of this grand old State, on whose soil her native sons have achieved such splendid distinction."

On March 22, 1865, the army was withdrawn to the railroad near Smithfield. While encamped here the Army of Tennessee was re-organized, and companies, regiments and brigades, all now very small, were consolidated. The 58th and 60th NC Regiments were designated as the 58th and 60th NC Battalion, with Lt. Col. Thaddeus C. Coleman and Maj. George Washington Finley Harper as field officers.

Immediately above written by former Maj. George Washington Finley Harper on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 431-445, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III," edited by Walter Clark.
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General Joseph E. Johnston's (CSA) defensive line on the morning of March 19th begn about one-half mile south of the Goldsborough Road, extended northwest across the road at a point just east of the Bentonville Road intersection, and then ran northeast, parallel to the Bentonville Road, for another half mile. It then made a sharp angle to the west and continued about 600 yards before ending. Most of the line south of the angle was held by Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division on the left, and Col. John H. Nethercutt's NC Reserves brigade, supported by a six-gun battery of Lt. Col. Joseph B. Starr's NC artillery battalion. Both Maj. Gen. Hoke and Col. Nethercutt were under the command of General Braxton Bragg (CSA, Department of North Carolina).

On Col. Nethercutt's right, in a slot reserved for Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's (GA) Corps, which was still en route from Averasborough, were two (2) additional artillery batteries. West of the angle was the Army of Tennessee, commanded by Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart (TN), which included Stewart's Corps commanded by Maj. Gen. William W. Loring (who became ill on March 20th, taken over by Maj. Gen. Edward C. Walthall) on the left, Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee's Corps commanded by Maj. Gen. Daniel H. Hill (NC) in the center, and Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Cheatham's (TN) Corps commanded by Maj. Gen. William B. Bate (TN) on the right.

Part of the line was concealed just inside the edge of a woods fronting the fields of a farmer named Cole, and marshy terrain and blackjack thickets south of the angle rendered Maj. Gen. Hoke's units almost invisible. In short, Union Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum would march into a trap. On the morning of March 19th, his XIV Corps, 1st Division led by Brig. Gen. William P. Carlin as the Union advance met Confederate cavalry on the Goldsborough Road. Brig. Gen. Carlin deployed his 1st Brigade and 2nd Brigade north of the road, and his 3rd Brigade south of the road to turn the Confederate flanks. The first two (2) brigades plowed into the Confederats, still concealed in the woods, and were ripped by "an awful volly" from 50 feet. Meanwhile the 3rd Brigade's attack bogged down in a swamp but inexplicably convinced General Braxton Bragg that his position was imperiled. General Johnston responded to General Bragg's call for assistance by ordering Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws's Division, the first of Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's troops to reach the field and to take a position on Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's left.

About 1;30 p.m. that day, Lt. Gen. Hardee's second division, led by Brig. Gen. William B. Taliaferro (SC), arrived and was placed on the right of Bate's Corps. About an hour later, these two (2) units stormed out of the woods, crushing the disorganized Union left. South of the road, Union Brig. Gen. James D. Morgan's XIV Corps, 2nd Division, which had dug in on the right of the 1st Division, 3rd Brigade, hung on precariously under attacks by Maj. Gen. Hoke from the front and by Lt. Gen. Stewart and Brig. Gen. Taliaferro from the flank and the rear. Brig. Gen. Morgan's troops narrowly held their ground until the XX Corps, 3rd Division, 3rd Brigade under Bvt. Brig. Gen. William Cogswell arrived and attacked the Confederates from their rear. Fighting then shifted again to the Union left, where other XX Corps units under Bvt. Maj. Gen. Alpheus S. Williams reached the field of battle and smashed a series of Confederate assaults with a "raging leaden hailstorm of grape and canister."

When the XIV Corps, 1st Division—1st Brigade and 2nd Brigade— attacked north of the Goldsborough Road on the morning of March 19th, the right of the 1st Brigade was confronted by the right of Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer's (TN) Brigade, which included the 58th NC Regiment and the 60th NC Regiment. Most of the damage to these two (2) Union brigades was inflicted by Maj. Gen. Henry D. Clayton's (AL) Division, on Brig. Gen. Palmer's right, but he claimed that his troops "repulsed the enemy with ease, killing and wounding a number without any loss..." During General Joseph E. Johnston's assault that afternoon, Brig. Gen. Palmer's troops were in the first of Maj. Gen. Daniel H. Hill's two (2) lines, between the brigades of Brig. Gen. Zachariah C. Deas (AL) and Brig. Gen. Marcellus A. Stovall (GA).

Brig. Gen. Palmer's (TN) Brigade moved steadily forward for about 400 yards under considerable fire, to within 200 yards of the Union line of works, which were immediately charged and carried. His troops did not halt there, but moved forward at double-quick, pursuing the enemy, flying in disorder and confusion to their second line of works, which were also charged and carried, capturing one piece of field artillery. His pursuit went as far as the Goldsborough Road, when it was necessary to halt; his troops were much exhausted and he needed to re-align them due to the troublesome undergrowth.

At this juncture, Brig. Gen. Palmer's Brigade, which straddled the Goldsborough Road, became separated into two "wings" by Brig. Alpheus Baker's (AL) Brigade, which was moving east along the road. Brig. Gen. Palmer was ordered to have his troops remain in reserve while he continued re-uniting them, then his "right wing" (southern), which included the 58th NC Regiment and others to join in the attack on Union Maj. Gen. James D. Morgan (XIV Corps, 2nd Division). Brig. Gen. Palmer later reported that this wing "immediately advanced for the distance of say, 300 yards beyond the Goldsborough road, taking position on Brigadier-General Baker's right. I found no works at this point in my front, but just to my left were two lines of breastworks running rather perpendicular to this road... It was wholly unsafe to move farther forward or pass this force on on my left, and, indeed, on discovering these works and their singular direction I came to the conclusion that to carry them was in part the objective... of my movement. I therefore wheeled to the left, assaulted and carried the first line and part of the second..."

At that particular moment, Union Brig. Gen. William Cogswell's Brigade (XX Corps, 3rd Division, 3rd Brigade) launched an attack. Brig. Gen. Palmer wrote, "On the appearance of this force, those in my front renewed their resistance, and thus my command was immediately under heavy fire both in front and rear. I at once ordered a movement as rapidly as possible by the left flan, so as to retire back on or near the Goldsborough road, but the Federals effected a junction so quickly as to capture some of my men and to cut off... another portion. He then re-united the northern wing of his brigade with what remained of the southern wing and moved to a supporting position behind Brig. Gen. Edmund W. Pettus's (AL) Brigade. His men saw no further action that day or, with the exception of skirmishing, on the last two (2) day.

Brig. Gen. Josepeh B. Palmer reported his losses as 13 men killed, 113 men wounded, and 55 men captured. His brigade captured 50 wounded and 45 unwounded Union soldiers. The 58th NC Regiment lost 3 men killed or mortally wounded and 17 men wounded. Capt. George W.F. Harper (soon promoted to Major) recorded the loss of 3 men killed and 23 men wounded in his diary.

The 58th NC Regiment (State Troops) evacuated the lines at Bentonville at 2:00 p.m. on March 22nd, crossed Mill Creek, and bivouacked for the night. The next day, it then marched to within six or seven (6-8) miles of Smithfield and encamped after dark. A re-organization of General Joseph E. Johnston's Army took place on April 9th, and the 58th NC Regiment and 60th NC Regiment were consolidated under the command of Lt. Col. Thaddeus C. Coleman, formerly of the 10th NC Regiment (1st Artillery) and the Engineer Corps. It was then assigned to Brig. Gen. William F. Brantley's (MS) Brigade, Maj. Gen. Daniel H. Hill's Division, Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee's Corps.


The casualties in the 60th NC Regiment (State Troops) at the battle of Bentonville were not great, fighting principally from rudely constructed breastworks. There were a few slightly wounded, among the number Corporal John Ed. Reno and J. M. Alexander. The 60th NC Regiment was in the brigade commanded by Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer (TN). This battle, aside from being the last, was somewhat remarkable in bringing into conspicuous notice the daring and fighting qualities of the boys of the dear southland, the Junior Reserves. They fought with a heroism creditable alike to themselves and their veteran sires. The Buncombe Junior Reserves were in the 1st Battalion, commanded by Maj. David T. Millard, of Asheville.

The battle of Bentonville was fought by General Joseph E. Johnston, the idol of the western army, with less than 20,000 men, the Union army under Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman numbering between 70,000 and 80,000, and that only a part of his anny, yet victory perched upon the banners of the "cross in red." The 60th NC Regiment retreated with the army through Raleigh, thence to Greensborough, and then to Jimtown. The 58th and 60th NC Regiments on this retreat (which began on April 10th) were consolidated [the day before, on April 9, 1865, and simply known as the 58th NC Regiment henceforth] and commanded by Lt. Col. Thaddeus Charles Coleman, and belonged to Brig. Gen. William F. Brantley's (MS) Brigade, Lt. Gen. Daniel H. Hill's (NC) Division, Lt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee's (VA) Corps. Official records Union and Confederate Armies, Vol. 98, p. 1064. It was doubtless surrendered as thus organized.

The news of the Army of Northern Virginia, under that grand old leader, General Robert E. Lee, having surrendered reaching General Joseph E. Johnston (VA), he at once opened negotiations with Federal Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, looking to a closing of the contest between their respective armies, and on April 26, 1865, the agreement was perfected and the scene sadly closed.

Immediately above written by former Lt. Col. James M. Ray on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 476-498, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III," edited by Walter Clark.
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See the second write-up for the 58th NC Regiment (State Troops) above for the descriptions of Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer's (TN) Brigade at Bentonville, which were simply repeated for the 60th NC Regiment (State Troops). The only difference were the losses. The 60th NC Regiment (State Troops) lost 4 men wounded and 1 man captured.


The last battle of the 61st NC Regiment (State Troops) was fought at Bentonville on March 19-21, 1865, and the writer of this article is still proud of the honor conferred upon him on that morning in being put in command of the skirmish line, with instructions to go forward. About this, our last battle, Benson J. Lossing wrote as follows:

"Soldiers in that command who have passed through this score of battles will tell you they never saw anything like the fighting at Bentonville. Sherman said the National forces received six distinct assaults by the combined forces of Hoke, Hardee, and Cheatham, under the immediate supervision of General Johnston himself without giving one inch of ground, and doing good execution on the enemy's ranks, especially with our artillery, the enemy having little or none. With the coming of darkness ended the conflict known as the battle of Bentonville, which in brilliancy of personal achievements, and in lasting advantage to the cause of the Republic must ever be ranked among the most memorable and important contests of the war. Indeed, it seems proper to consider it the key battle of the Civil War. Had Johnston won there, the sad consequences would probably have been the loss of the whole of Sherman's army, and the quick and fatal dispersion or capture of Grant's army before Petersburg and Richmond by the combined forces of Lee and Johnston attacking him in overwhelming numbers, in front and rear. In this view the solid importance of the victory of Bentonville cannot be overestimated."

After Bentonville, Genereal Joseph E. Johnston's (VA) army was camped in the upper end of Johnston County, near Mitchener's Station, till April 10, 1865, when we began our last retreat. The first surrender at the Bennett House near Durham Station, on April 14th, proved abortive. On April 26th, the final surrender was signed and the 61st NC Regiment was paroled near High Point, on May 2, 1865.

Immediately above written by former Capt. Nathan A. Ramsey on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 503-514, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III," edited by Walter Clark.
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On March 18th, General Joseph E. Johnston (CSA) began concentrating a force of 20,000 men in a woods near Bentonville, including the 61st NC Regiment (State Troops) under Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman (NC) and Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (NC), and the next morning he was "waiting in ambush" as Union Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum's Army of Georgia moved up the Goldsborough Road. Mistakenly believing that he was confronted by the usual token cavalry, Maj. Gen. Slocum, without pausing for his command to close up, ordered Brig. Gen. William P. Carlin's 1st Division to clear the way. These advance troops met "an awful volly" fired by massed Confederate infantry from a distance of about fifty (50) feet. Maj. Gen. Carlin's division retreated in disarray but rebounded quickly and came on again, directing their attention on Maj. Gen. Hoke's (NC) Division, on the Confederate left.

Although warmly engaged, Maj. Gen. Hoke had no difficulty holding his line, however, the ever cautious General Braxton Bragg (CSA, Department of North Carolina) was somehow convinced that Maj. Gen. Hoke was about to be overwhelmed and called for re-inforcements. Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws's Division of Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's (GA) command, which had just reached the battlefield from Averasborough, was then ordered by General Joseph E. Johnston (CSA) to move to Maj. Gen. Hoke's left.

About 2:45 p.m., the Confederate infantry under Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (CSA, Department of South Carolina, Georgia & Florida) and Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart (CSA, Army of Tennessee) stormed out of the brush and blackjack thickets in a devastating assault that crushed the disorganized Union Left Wing, and one Union soldier later asserted the he did "some of the best running ever did." The Union Right Wing then came under attack from the rear by Lt. Gen. Hardee and Lt. Gen. Stewart, the from the front by Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division. The Union troops narrowly succeeded in holding their position until re-inforcements arrived to beat back the Confederate attack.

The fighting then shifted again to the re-formed and re-inforced Union left, where five successive Confederate assaults were smashed by a "hailstorm of grape and canister." Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's (NC) Brigade, led by Col. William S. DeVane was second in line behind Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Colquitt's (GA) Brigade, led by Col. Charles T. Zachary, and took little part in Maj. Gen. Hoke's attack or the subsequent fighting. The casualties in the 61st NC Regiment, if any, were very light.

During the night of March 19th, Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman, marching with Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard's Army of Tennessee, learned of the fighting at Bentonville. He made preparations to go to the aid of Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum, and by the afternoon of March 20th, his army was re-united on the battlefield just south of the town of Bentonville.

Now hopelessly outnumbered, General Joseph E. Johnston (CSA) remained at the battlefield and re-aligned his available troops in a "spraddled horseshoe," to cover the much longer Union line, but mostly to guard his withdrawal route over the Mill Creek Bridge. Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division was pulled back to a position north of the Goldsborough Road and formed in a line consisting of Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland's, Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Colquitt's (led by Col. Zachary), Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's (led by Col. DeVane), the Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood's brigades, in right-to-left order. Brig. Gen. Kirkland's Brigade was involved in a brisk skirmish during the day, but Brig. Gen. Clingman's (led by Col. DeVane) Brigade saw little or no action

On March 21st, General Johnston remained in his works and continued to evacuate his wounded. Heavy skirmishing took place all along the line, but the only action of consequence was an unauthorized attack by Union Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Mower's 1st Division of the XVII Corps that broke through Maj. Gen. Hoke's left flank and threatened to capture the Mill Creek Bridge. The Confederates improvised frantically and mustered just enough resistance to force the impetuous Union general to pause and call for re-inforcements. Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman odered him to withdraw.

During the action with Maj. Gen. Mower, Brig. Gen. Clingman's Brigade (led by Col. DeVane) extended its left to cover a gap created by the departue of Brig. Gen. Hagood's Brigade, which went to the assistance against Maj. Gen. Mower. Col. DeVane's troops were involved in a sharp skirmish with a Wisconsin artillery battery and two (2) Illinois regiments of the XV Corps, 1st Division, 2nd Brigade under Col. Robert F. Catterson. After losing their forwad rifle pits during an attack by the 103rd IL Infantry, Col. DeVane's men counter-attacked through a heavy rain, regained a portion of their lost ground, but were driven back again. A second counter-attack, supported on the right by Brig. Gen. Colquitt's Brigade (led by Col. Zachary), came under flanking fire by another Illinois regiment and was repulsed in disorder. Col. DeVane's Brigade lost 2 men killed and 16 men wounded on this day. One of the two fatalities was the brave and much-admired Lt. Col. Edward B. Mallett, who commanded the 61st NC Regiment (State Troops) during the battle. Col. William S. DeVane, who previously commanded the 61st NC Regiment and now led Clingman's Brigade was also wounded.

During the night of March 21st, the Confederates, with Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division acting as rear guard, withdrew towards Smithfield, which they reached the next day. There, the troops enjoyed a three-week respite, and General Joseph E. Johnston re-organized his army. General Braxton Bragg was removed from field command, and Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's Division was placed under Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee. Clingman's Brigade remained under Maj. Gen. Hoke, but now included the remnants of the 36th NC Regiment (2nd Artillery) and the 40th NC Regiment (3rd Artillery), both now serving as infantry.


On March 11th, the 66th NC Regiment (State Troops) took up our march for Goldsborough and to Bentonville, crossing the Neuse River near Smithfield. Here we joined Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart's (TN) Corps in the Army of the West, and took part in the memorable three (3) days' fight at Bentonville, March 19-21, 1865, the last well-organized and well-fought battle of the war in North Carolina.

This fight commenced on March 19th near the little village of Bentonville. Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland's (NC) Brigade was well to the front, with its right resting upon a road that ran along the edge of a field, in which was situated a large white house, that was occupied by the sharpshooters of the enemy. The line was rather a crooked one, the 66th NC Regiment being the farthest to the front, at the point of a bow. Here a very severe attack was made upon us in which we lost a number of men, among others the gallant Council Wooten, a young man from near Kinston, who was killed suddenly while bravely and defiantly waving the colors of the regiment in front of the enemy. The sharpshooters of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army located in the trees, got in their best work, and many a gallant soldier fell during March 19th and 20th from well-directed shots of these sharpshooters. On March 20th it became necessary for Brig. Gen. Kirkland's Brigade to straighten its line and while in the act of so doing, a very severe attack was made by a Pennsylvania division.

The men of Brig. Gen. Kirkland's Brigade were engaged in rolling together logs and making such defenses as they could when the attack was made upon us. The men were ordered to lie down behind such obstructions as they could find, and to await the order to fire until the advance came very near to them. When the enemy got within, say 100 yards, the order was given to fire; the men immediately raised upon their knees and fired a volley full in front of the advancing foe. Their ranks were mowed down like wheat before the scythe, and the attack was repulsed with great loss to the attacking division. Just at this moment an order was given by the commanding officer, Maj. David S. Davis, to the writer, who was standing near him, to take the picket line to the front, the commanding officer of the picket line having been killed. When the line went forward, the whole front was covered with the dead and dying, and showed the effect of troops obeying the commands of their officers, to shoot low and wait until the enemy was near upon them.

Just at this time, it is said, that General Joseph E. Johnston paid a very high compliment to the troops of Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division, and Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland's (NC) Brigade in particular. General Johnston was lying somewhere in the rear, resting after his arduous labors of the three (3) days, when some Aide, riding rapidly up, said: "General, they are attacking Kirkland's Brigade." The General quietly rolled over on his pallet and said: "Let them attack. I know of no brigade in the Southern Army I would sooner they would attack."

During the three (3) days' fight at Bentonville, Maj. David S. Davis was commanding the regiment, Col. John H. Nethercutt having been assigned to the command of the brigade of Junior Reserves, which took so gallant a part in that fight.

On March 21st, Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army having been only slightly impeded in its march toward Goldsborough, made a flank movement in the rear of General Joseph E. Johnston's army, which necessitated its falling back during the night across the creek near which the little town of Bentonville was located. After we crossed the creek the enemy appeared in quite a force on the opposite side of a creek and some little skirmishing took place, but no actual harm was done.


View of Bentonville, NC After the Battle - March 22, 1865

They shortly vanished from our front, and our army quietly retired through Smithfield to a camp on the line of the railroad, near where Selma now is, and that was the last armed force that we saw in our front during the war.

Immediately above written by former Adjutant George M. Rose on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 685-701, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III," edited by Walter Clark.
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The second write-up of the 66th NC Regiment (State Troops) is essentially identical to several other second write-ups above concerning Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division. Later reports show that the 66th NC Regiment (State Troops) lost one (1) man mortally wounded and five (5) men wounded.


Capt. William J. McDugald's Company participated in the battle of 2nd Kinston (March 6-10) and in the battle of Bentonville (March 19-21). Capt. McDugald and another were wounded at the battle of Bentonville, and two (2) of his men were captured. Capt. McDugald was sent to the Raleigh Hospital where he died on April 1st from his wounds.
After the engagement at 2nd Kinston, the 1st NC Battalion-Junior Reserves was assigned to the brigade of Junior Reserves, which already embraced the 1st NC Regiment Junior Reserves, the 2nd NC Regiment Junior Reserves, and the 3rd NC Regiment Junior Reserves, all commanded by Col. John H. Nethercutt of the 66th NC Regiment. This brigade belonged to Maj. Gen. Rober F. Hoke's (NC) Division, and met the enemy next at Bentonville on March 19-21, 1865. A portion of General Joseph E. Johnston's army was there confronting the advancing columns of Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army approaching from the south. At this engagement the battalion took part and while not engaged in the hottest of the conflict it was exposed both to the artillery and musketry fire of the enemy at frequent intervals for three (3) days and sustained some losses. There were quite a number of the boys wounded at this engagement, but I am unable to give the names of any except Private William T. Carter, of Company E.

Immediately above written by former Hospital Steward Erastus R. Hampton on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 385-396, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.
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On March 17th, Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division was ordered to leave Smithfield and march to Bentonville, and this included Col. John H. Nethercutt's hastily-created brigade of Junior Reserves as described directly above. His division occupied the left wing of General Joseph E. Johnston's (CSA) formation and lay on the the eastern edge of the Cole Plantation. The NC Junior Reserves brigade continued the line northward, with the Army of Tennessee soldiers extending the line westward. Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division blocked the Goldsborough Road and their assignment was to slow down Union Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum's Army of Georgia while General Johnston launched a counter-attack with the remnants of his old Army of Tennessee.

The exact placement of the individual Junior Reserve regiments and battalion is lost to history, but it appears that the 3rd NC Regiment-Junior Reserves was furthest right, between the Lt. Col. Joseph B. Starr's 13th NC Battalion-Light Artillery and two (2) batteries of horse artillery. A March 17th field return for Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division showed that there were 1,135 officers and men effective for duty in the NC Junior Reserves Brigade on that date.

Once in position on March 19th, the Junior Reserved put forward a skirmish line, quickly threw up a barricade of fence rails, and waited for the Union army to approach and "bump into them." Union Maj. Gen. Slocum soon did, and he mistakenly thought he had run into the usual token cavalry, which had been harassing his infantry all morning. The NC Junior Reserves quickly became engaged when Union Bvt. Brig. Gen. Harrison C. Hobart's Brigade (XIV Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade) reached the Cole family's home and came under fire from Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton's (SC) horse artillery. Some Union soldiers sought refuge in the house, while others quickly threw up breastworks, and then from these shelters sniped at the NC Junior Reserves and the gunners of the 13th NC Batttalion-Light Artillery, which immediately responded and drove the Union sharpshooters from their shelters.

As described earlier herein, General Braxton Bragg became concerned that Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's Division was about to be beaten, so he requested re-inforcements, and General Johnston sent Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws's (GA) Division, which had only recently arrived from Averasborough, to join Maj. Gen. Hoke on his extreme left. This resulted in delaying the Confederate attack until mid-afternoon; when it came it was very effective, but did not accomplish all of General Johnston's objectives. Confederate Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (GA) sent three (3) corps of the Army of Tennessee into the Union army's left, smashing it and driving them back. The NC Junior reserves were in an ideal position to watch. Col. Charles W. Broadfoot (1st NC Regiment-Junior Reserves) later wrote, "it was a painful sight to see how close their battle flags came together, regiments being scarcely larger than companies and a division not much larger than a regiment should be." He continued, "it looked like a pictuire, and at our distance was truly beautiful."

As the Confederate attack unfolded, this caused the rear of Union Brig. Gen. James D. Morgan's 2nd Division of the XIV Corps to now confront Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division, which launced an uncoordinated attack on the enemy. An understatement, it is clear that there was very little coordination between Lt. Gen. Hardee and General Braxton Bragg. Available records indicate that the NC Junior Reserves did not participate, either because General Bragg failed to order them forward, or because Lt. Gen. Hardee's advance cut directly across their potential line of advance. There are also no records that the NC Junior Reserves were instructed to support Lt. Gen. Hardee's troops. Maj. Gen. McLaws's Division also did nothing at this point in time. Although many Union prisoners were taken, the Confederates missed an opportunity to inflict much more serious damage to the Union army.

After dark of March 19th, the Confederate army pulled back from their original starting positions and began digging in. General Johnston sent General Bragg to Smithfield to oversee the evacuation of the wounded, smartly and conveniently getting him out of the chain of command at Bentonville. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman (Military Division of Mississippi) soon received news of this day's battle and immediately ordered his available assets to Maj. Gen. Slocum's relief. This was potentially disastrous for the North Carolinians—Union Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard's Army of Tennessee's line of march was the same Goldsborough Road that Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division was blocking on Maj. Gen. Slocum's front. As soon as General Johnston learned that more Union forces were on their way, he was compelled to modify his line of battle positions on the second day—March 20th. Maj. Gen. Hoke withdrew backward to a position north of the Goldsborough Road that faced southeast and east, forming the left arm of a salient.

The NC Junior Reserves protected their new position "with breastworks hastily thrown up of logs, filled with earth dug up with bayonets and tin pans and a few spades and shovels." During this second day, there was much skirmishing, with Maj. Walter M. Clark (18 years old, and future NC Supreme Court Chief Justice) of the 1st NC Regiment-Junior Reserves commanding the skirmish line for the NC Junior Reserves Brigade. He later wrote, "It was in a good wood for skirmishing with little or no undergrowth. We had a regular Indian fight of it behind trees. They charged my line twice but were both times driven back." The firing continued after dark, as "the whole skirmish line kept up an almost continuous firing as they expected our Army to leave. That together with the scamps trying to creep up on us in the dark kept us up all night. According to Col. Broadfoot, the NC Junior Reserves held their ground on both that day and the next, as "the enemy repeatedly charged and sometimes drove in the skirmishrs to our right and left, but being favored by the ground or for some other cause, the skirmishers of our brigade held their ground the entire time."

By the end of the second day, the Union Right Wing under Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard had joined the Left Wing under Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston had hoped to remain "dug in" and to encourage the enemy to attack, but when the remainder of Maj. Gen. Sherman's army arrived and united, this was no longer a serious option—his flanks did not rest on any strong topographical features, such as rivers or creeks, which could prevent a Union flanking assault. Worse, the Confederates only had one avenue of retreat—a road to Smithfield via Bentonville across the rain-swollen Mill Creek. General Johnston announced to his subordinates that they must withdraw; however, for unknown reasons, he ordered his subordinates to held their positions one more day. Possibly to give more time to evacuate the wounded?

On March 21st, skirmishing occurred throughout the third day, and this included the NC Junior Reserves Brigade. The Union Army was apparently not interested in prolonging this action, as Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum began pulling his troops from the Union left and resumed his march to Goldsborough. It is clear that Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman no longer considered Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston as a major threat, yet he clearly missed a great opportunity to cut of General Johnston's army and force a surrender that day. Late in the afternoon, a Union assault threatened the escape route across Mill Creek, but General Johnston hastily assembled a "scratch force" under Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee that blunted the Union assault; Maj. Gen. Sherman then ordered his troops to withdraw.

A field return from Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division showed that the NC Junior Brigade lost 5 men killed, 28 men wounded, and 1 man missing. According to Maj. Walter M. Clark, Maj. Gen. Hoke "complimented our Brigade, very highly." Col. John H. Nethercutt praised his command as well.

That night, the Confederates withdrew, and Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division formed the rear guard. They crossed Mill Creek and destroyed the bridge to prevent pursuit, then proceeded to Smithfield, where all enjoyed a three-week rest. General Johnston re-organized his army and placed Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division in Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's (GA) Corps. On March 23rd, the NC Junior Reserve Brigade reported 84 officers and 947 arms-bearing men fit for duty. Five (5) others were on staff assignment, one was a musician, and 29 were with the Ambulance Corps for a total of 84 officers and 1,011 men present. 10 men were reported sick.


On March 16th, the Battle of Averasborough was fought and the next morning the 1st NC Regiment-Junior Reserves moved forward to meet Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman. The night of March 18th we camped in the woods beyond the stream which runs through Bentonville. The next day, March 19th, was a bright Sunday morning. Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division lined the road and at right angles to us was the Army of the West. The enemy were in the angle. In the afternoon we saw the Western army at right angles to us as it charged and took two (2) successive lines of breastworks, capturing the enemy's artillery.

Several officers led the charge on horseback across an open field in full view, with colors flying and line of battle in such perfect order as to be able to distinguish the several field officers in proper place and followed by a battery which dashed at full gallop, wheeled, unlimbered, and opened fire. It looked like a picture and at our distance was truly beautiful. It was gallantly done, but it was a painful sight to see how close their battle flags were together, regiments being scarcely larger than companies and a division not much larger than a regiment should be. In the meantime Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division was sharply engaged with a Union Corps which was trying to turn our flank. The enemy's large force enabled him to do this and next morning Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division was thrown back and formed a new line of battle facing nearly due east, whereas the day before we had been facing southwest.

This new line the Division promptly fortified with breastworks hastily thrown up of logs, filled in with earth dug up with bayonets and tin pans and a few spades and shovels. In front of this line, two hundred (200) yards, was the skirmish line of each brigade. That of our brigade was commanded by Maj. Walter M. Clark, of the 1st NC Regiment Junior Reserves. During the two (2) days we held that position the enemy repeatedly charged and sometimes drove in the skirmishers to our right and left, but being favored by the ground or for some other cause, the skirmishers of our brigade held their ground the entire time. On Tuesday afternoon, the enemy having broken through to our extreme left, threatened our communications. That night General Joseph E. Johnston withdrew across the stream, having held 70,000 of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's Union troops at bay with forces in the beginning not exceeding 14,000, and at no time reaching 20,000. In many respects this was one of the most remarkable battles of the war. Maj. Gen. Sherman's troops were evidently demoralized by a long course of pillaging and plunder through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman did not follow our retreat, but sheered off to Goldsborough. General Joseph E. Johnston's army was encamped around Mitchener's Depot [in Johnston County] and was re-organized on March 31st, 100 Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 738-736. On April 6th, we had the last great review held of any of the Confederate armies and Governor Zebulon B. Vance made one of his most inspiring speeches. No brigade there made a finer appearance than the Junior Reserves. It was the largest brigade in Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division, nearly doubling in numbers of Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's Brigade (NC), and indeed was the largest brigade in the whole army by the official returns.

Immediately above written by former Col. Charles W. Broadfoot on May 2, 1901, and provided as Pages 8-23, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.


On March 17th, the army took up the movement to meet Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman. On the night of March 18th, the 2nd NC Regiment-Junior Reserves encamped just beyond Bentonville. The next day was a bright Sunday morning, and we were in the fight on the left of Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (NC) Division. In the afternoon we witnessed the gallant charge of our depleted Army of the West when it charged and took two (2) successive lines from the enemy. His overwhelming numbers, however, enabled Maj. Gen. Sherman to outflank us on our left during the night and next morning our line of battle which had faced southwest on Sunday was thrown back and faced nearly due east. This line was strengthened by a hasty breastwork of logs and dirt which we held, against all assaults, on March 20th and March 21st. On the night of the latter day the enemy having outflanked us again on our left we quietly withdrew, and leisurely fell back to Mitchener's Depot in Johnston County. Maj. Gen. Sherman did not pursue, but moved on to Goldsborough to join the column from New Bern which we had met at Southwest Creek.

The conduct of the Junior Reserves Brigade at Bentonville was admirable and elicited high praise not only from Col. John H. Nethercutt, commanding the brigade, but from Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (NC) and Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (GA), commanding the Division and the Corps. General Joseph E. Johnston in his published writings since the war has added his encomiums. Our loss in killed and wounded was reported as 41. For three (3) days with 14,000 men, at no time, with all reinforcements, reaching 30,000, General Johnston had held at bay Maj. Gen. Sherman's 70,000, and had fought one of the most remarkable battles of the war.

At Mitchener's Depot, the army was re-organized and took a much needed rest. On April 6th, we had a grand review, the last held in the Confederate armies. The Junior Reserves Brigade was the largest on the parade. Governor Zebulon B. Vance was present and made one of his most stirring speeches.

Immediately above written by former Captain David E. McKinne on May 2, 1901, and provided as Pages 24-34, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.


As soon as Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee (GA), our Corps commander, reached Bentonville with his troops, he moved by the left flank, Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's (our-3rd NC Regiment-Junior Reserves) Division leading, to the ground previously selected by Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (SC). It was the eastern edge of an old plantation, extending a mile and a half to the west and lying principally on the north side of the road and surrounded east, south, and north by a dense thicket of blackjacks. There was but one road through it. Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division formed in the road with its line at right angles to it on the eastern edge of the plantation and its left extending some four hundred (400) yards into the thicket on the south. The Junior Reserves constituted the right of Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division and supported a battery of the 13th NC Battalion-Light Artillery commanded by Capt. George B. Atkins, of Fayetteville. The brigade of Junior Reserves were led by Col. John H. Nethercutt, who had superseded Col. Frank S. Armistead. This gallant officer was Colonel of the 66th NC Regiment—a plain, blunt man, but every inch a soldier.

The 3rd NC Regiment-Junior Reserves threw out a skirmish line which was commanded by Capt. Lambert A. Bristol and hurriedly constructed a rail fence breastwork. Here under a fire of artillery we suffered many casualties. The troops belonging to the Army of Tennessee were formed on the right of the artillery. A wooden farm house in front of the 3rd NC Regiment-Junior Reserves for some time afforded cover for a number of sharpshooters, who did excellent practice on our line, until Capt. George B. Atkins, with a few well-directed artillery shells, caused them to pour out like rats out of a sinking ship.

The enemy soon thereafter charged Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's Division, but after a sharp contest at short range was handsomely repulsed.

On the morning of March 20th it was reported that the Union Right Wing had crossed over to unite with the Left Wing which had been driven back and was coming up rapidly upon the left of Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's Division. That officer was directed to change front to the left. By this movement, his line was formed parallel to and fronting the road. Here light entrenchments were soon made out of dead trees and such material as could be moved with our bayonets. From noon to sunset Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's army thus united made repeated attacks upon Maj. Gen. Hoke's Division of six thousand (6,000) men and boys, but were uniformly driven back. The skirmish line of our brigade was commanded by Maj. Walter M. Clark, of the 1st NC Regiment-Junior Reserves, on March 20th and 21st. On March 21st the skirmishing was heavy, and the extreme of the Union right, extending beyond our left flank, made our position extremely hazardous in view of the fact that the bridge over the creek in our rear was our only chance of retreat. The XVII Corps of the enemy late in the afternoon broke through our line considerably to the left, but by superhuman effort, its leading division was driven back along the route by which it had advanced.

That night the Confederate Army recrossed the creek by the bridge near Bentonville and were halted beyond the town two (2) miles north from the creek. The Federals made repeated attempts to force the passage of the bridge, but failed in all. At noon the march was resumed and the troops camped near Smithfield. Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman proceeded on his way to Goldsborough to form a junction with Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield, without further molestation. The Confederate losses in the battle of Bentonville were 2,343, while that of the Federals was nearly double as many. (For many of the foregoing facts, see Johnston's Narrative, pages 384 to 393, from which liberal extracts have been made.)

The Confederates never fought with more spirit, and the Federals with less, than in the battle of Bentonville. Maj. Gen. Daniel H. Hill (NC) remarked upon this and said: "It may be that even a Yankee's conscience has been disturbed by the scenes of burning, rapine, pillage, and murder so recently passed through."

Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton (SC) said of this last great battle of the Civil War, that in his opinion it was one of the most extraordinary:

"The infantry forces of General Johnston amounted to about 14,100 men, and they were composed of three separate commands which had never acted together. These were Hardee's troops, brought from Savannah and Charleston; Stewart's from the Army of Tennessee; and Hoke's Division of veterans, many of whom had served in the campaigns of Virginia. Bragg, by reason of his rank, was in command of this latter force, but it was really Hoke's Division, and the latter directed the fighting. These troops, concentrated only recently for the first time, were stationed at and near Smithfield, eighteen miles from the field, where the battle was fought, and it was from there that General Johnston moved them to strike a veteran army numbering about 60,000 men. This latter army had marched from Atlanta to Savannah without meeting any force to dispute its passage, and from the latter city to Bentonville unobstructed save by the useless and costly affair at Averasborough, where Hardee made a gallant stand, though at a heavy loss. No bolder movement was conceived during the war than this of General Johnston when he threw his handful of men on the overwhelming force in front of him, and when he confronted and baffled this force, holding a weak line for three days against nearly five times his number. For the last two days of this fight he only held his position to secure the removal of his wounded, and when he had accomplished that he withdrew leisurely, moving in his first march only about four miles."

The Junior Reserves lost quite a number of officers and boys in this battle. Their conduct was creditable to the last degree. Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke, their attached and beloved commander, thus writes concerning them:

"The question of the courage of the Junior Reserves was well established by themselves in the battle below Kinston, and at the battle of Bentonville. At Bentonville you will remember, they held a very important part of the battlefield in opposition to Sherman's old and tried soldiers, and repulsed every charge that was made upon them with very meagre and rapidly thrown up breastworks. Their conduct in camp, on the march, and on the battlefield was everything that could be expected of them, and I am free to say, was equal to that of the old soldiers who had passed through four years of war. On the return through Raleigh where many passed by their homes, scarcely one of them left their ranks to bid farewell to their friends, though they knew not where they were going nor what dangers they would encounter."

The 3rd NC Regiment-Junior Reserves remained in camp near Smithfield until April 10th. During this time our Corps under command of Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee was reviewed by General Joseph E. Johnston, Lt. Gen. Hardee, Governor Vance and others. There was not in the grand parade of that day—the last grand review of the Confederate Army— a more soldierly body of troops than the Junior Reserves. Later in the day, Governor Vance made a stirring speech to the North Carolina troops, which by its eloquence aroused enthusiasm and caused fire of patriotism to burn more brightly in our hearts. On April 10th, we began our last retreat before Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman.

Immediately above written by former Colonel John W. Hinsdale on April 26, 1901, and provided as Pages 35-63, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.


The 7th NC Regiment-Senior Reserves were in Col. Washington M. Hardy's Brigade, in Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws's Division, in Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's Department of South Carolina, Georgia & Florida, and they saw action at Averasborough and at Bentonville.
Whether the 8th NC Regiment-Senior Reserves was actively engaged at Bentonville or held in reserve, does not positively appear, but it was at Goldsborough on March 9th, and was probably in the brigade commanded at Bentonville by Col. George C. Jackson. It was ordered to Raleigh on April 27th, and disappeared from view with General Joseph E. Johnston's (VA) surrender, the day before.

Immediately above written by Editor Walter Clark and provided as Pages 107-108, in the compilation known as "Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV," edited by Walter Clark.
*********************************************************************************************************************** Other sources make a clear case that the only NC Senior Reserve unit at the Battle of Bentonville was the 7th NC Regiment-Senior Reserved under Col. Ezekiel W. Hancock in Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws's Division. The 8th NC Regiment-Senior Reserves were "most likely" at Goldsborough during the Battle of Bentonville. Col. George C. Jackson was said to have been at Smithfield during the Battle of Bentonville. Much remains to be learned about these units.


As the Reader will NOTE.... the above narratives are North Carolina-centric, with very little additional details about the other Confederate and Union military units described, except where needed to further each NC narrative. Since there are so many above, it should be quite clear to the reader about how the Battle of Bentonville unfolded and ended. "The Rest of the Story" can be found using accounts of Confederate and Union officers who were at the battle. There are 156 official reports available in the primary source shown immediately below, and the Reader is encouraged to use this handy source should you want all the "gory details" from each officer's perspective. Usually, the Author summarizes those reports in each battle, but since there are so many, and since the "story is well told above," this was simply too much for one webpage. However, Union and Confederate casualties are tabulated below the following list of officers' reports.


Recreation of a Union Map for the Battle of Bentonville, NC



The "Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series, I, Volume XLVII, Part I" includes 156 official reports about the Battle of Bentonville, 142 Union officers, and 14 Confederate officers, with associated page numbers for the battle within that volume:

Baird, Absalom—551-552

Hinson, Joseph—461

Rarick, Jacob J.—472

Barry, William F.—178

Hobart, Harrison C.—452-454

Reynolds, John A.—847

Bate, William B.—1106-1107

Houghtaling, Charles—575

Rice, Elliott W.—343

Beck, Frederick—520

Howard, Oliver O.—205-207

Rich, Judson—578

Bishop, Judson W.—568

Hunter, Morton C.—554-555

Roatch, David E.—518-519

Blair, Francis P., Jr.—383

Hurlburt, Frederick J.—365-366

Robinson, Aaron B.—525-528

Blessingham, Louis von—307

Hurst, Samuel H.—842-843

Robinson, James S.—665-667

Buckingham, Philo B.—834

Jackson, Nathaniel J.—600-601

Rogers, James C.—624

Buell, George P.—467-469

Johnson, Edward S.—368-369

Ross, William H.—372-373

Bunn, Henry G.—1105

Johnson, George E.—775

Salomon, Edward S.—671-672

Bunn, William S.—294-295

Johnston, George D.—1103-1104

Scovel, Palmer F.—577

Burton, James E.—816

Johnston, Joseph E.—1054-1055

Seay, Abraham J.—257

Campbell, Andrew K.—358

Jolly John H.—558

Selfridge, James L.—611-612

Carlin, William P.—448-450

Jones, Fielder A.—871

Sherman, William T.—25-27

Catterson, Robert F.—259

Jones, Theodore—288

Showers, Benjamin H.—559

Cheney, Samuel F.—477

Jones, Toland—522

Slocum, Henry W.—423-424

Clancy, Charles W.—548-549

Jones, Wells. S.—298

Smith, Alfred B.—658

Cogswell, William—826-827

Jordan, Thomas J.—869

Smith, Giles A.—413

Cook, George W.—543

Keeler, Clinton—579-580

Smith, James A.—1108-1109

Corse, John M.—341

Kellams, Gideon R.—458-459

Snider, William H.—462

Crane, Nirom M.—649

Kennedy, John D.—1109-1111

Snodgrass, William H.—544

Craw, William N.—306

King, Robert H.—875

Spencer, George E.—895

Daboll, Henry W.—617

Langley, James W.—541-542

Star, Owen—873

Daniels, Waldo C.—441

La Point, Moses A.—312

Steele, George W.—565

Davis, Jefferson C.—434-436

Le Sage, John B.—674-675

Stephens, Jerome B.—834

Doan, Thomas—563

Locher, Michael H.—480-481

Stevenson, Carter L.—1093-1095

Doane, Elisha—838

Lockman, John T.—738

Stevenson, George W.—656

Duncan, Henry—416

Logan, John A.—234-236

Stone, George A.—267-268

Dustin, Daniel—809

Lund, Herman—499-500

Taylor, Peter A.—217

Dutton, Everell F.—797

McKnight, Joseph—581

Tillson, John—403-404

Earnest, Cyrus A.—283-284

Marshall, Alexander S.—508

Tramel, Sanford—897

Eldridge, George H.—840

Matheny, John M.—556

Upton, Edward N.—262-263

Evans, George W.—501

Miles, David—473-474

Vandever, William—496-497

Fearing, Benjamin D.—534-536

Mindil, George W.—729

Van Sellar, Henry—356

Fitch, Michael H.—463-464

Mitchell, John G.—510-511

Vernon, Maris R.—516-517

Fitzpatrick, James—724

Montgomery, Milton—N/A

Voris, William N.—460

Flynn, Thomas H.—799

Moore, Israel T.—309

Walker, Peter F.—514-515

Force, Manning F.—409

Moore, John—188

Walthall, Edward C.—1101-1103

Fourat, Enos—735

Morgan, James D.—485-487

Ward, William T.—784-785

Fuller, John W.—395-396

Mower, Joseph A.—391

Way, William B.—905

Geary, John W.—693-694

Myers, J. Walter—506-507

Weber, Daniel—397

Glenn, William H.—561

Newkirk, Edward P.—852

West, Francis H.—679-680

Griffith, Patrick—633

Oliver, John M.—311

Wheeler, Joseph—1128-1129

Grummond, George W.—504-505

Palmer, Joseph B.—1099-1101

Widmer, John H.—456-457

Hampton, Wade—1113

Pardee, Ario Jr.—708

Wilkin, Eli—560

Hanna, William—370

Patton, David H.—476

Williams, Alpheus S.—586-588

Harris, Frederick H.—645

Peirce, Thomas O.—303-304

Winegar, Charles E.—850

Hawley, William—637

Pettus, Edmund W.—1098-1099

Winkler, Frederick C.—844-845

Hazen, William B.—273-274

Poe, Orlando M.—172

Woods, Charles R.—246-247

Henderson, Robert J.—1097-1098

Potts, Benjamin F.—414

Woods, William B.—253-254

Henry, William C.—359

Powers, Edwin H.—841

Wright, George W.—261

Hill, Daniel H.—1089-1093

Prince, Arthur C.—471

Yerkes, Silas A.—470

There are also summaries for each date in what are called "Itineraries" or "Journals" of the various Union Corps, Divisions, and Brigades, and they can be found on Pages 77, 79, 81, 82, 87-89, 93, 101, 104, 106, 107, 110-112, 114, 116, 119, 123, 125, 127, 130, 138, 142, 144, 147, 494, 595, and 934.

Confederate Casualties at the Battle of Bentonville, NC—March 19-21, 1865

Command

Killed

Wounded

Missing

Total
Department of North Carolina (General Braxton Bragg)

65

472

202

737
-- Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's Division

65

472

200

737
---- Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Clingman's Brigade (Col. William S. DeVane)

3

35

2

40
---- Brig. Gen. Alfred M. Colquitt's Brigade (Col. Charles T. Zachary)

44

177

21

242
---- Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood's Brigade

5

152

139

296
---- Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland's Brigade

7

76

30

113
---- Brig. Gen. John H. Nethercutt's Brigade

5

28

8

41
---- Lt. Col. Joseph B. Starr's Battalion

1

4

-

5
Army of TennesseeLt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart

102

820

305

1,227
- Lee's CorpsLt. Gen. Stephen D. Lee (MG Daniel H. Hill)

55

443

263

751
-- Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson's Division

31

195

43

269
---- Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer's Brigade

14

121

42

177
---- Brig. Gen. Edmund W. Pettus's Brigade

13

56

1

70
---- Brig. Gen. Alfred Cumming's Brigade (Col. Robert J. Henderson)

4

18

-

22
-- Maj. Gen. Henry D. Clayton's Division

27

187

152

366
---- Brig. Gen. Marcellus A. Stovall's Brigade (Col. Henry C. Kellogg)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Henry R. Jackson's Brigade (Lt. Col. Osceola Kyle)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Alpheus Baker's Brigade

-

-

-

-
-- Maj. Gen. Daniel H. Hill's Division (Col. John G. Coltart)

7

85

13

105
---- Brig. Gen. Zachariah C. Deas's Brigade (Col. Harry T. Toulmin)

3

32

1

34
---- Brig. Gen. Arthur M. Manigault's Brigade (Lt. Col. John C. Carter)

4

53

12

69
- Stewart's CorpsMG William W. Loring / MG E.W. Walthall)

29

189

5

223
-- Maj. Gen. William W. Loring's Division (Col. James Jackson)

21

129

3

153
---- Brig. Gen. Robert Lowry's Brigade (Lt. Col. Robert J. Lawrence)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Scott's Brigade (Capt. John A. Dixon)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Winfield S. Featherston's Brigade (Maj. Martin A. Oatis)

-

-

-

-
-- Maj. Gen. Edward C. Walthall's Division

8

60

2

70
---- Brig. Gen. Daniel H. Reynolds's Brigade

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. William A. Quarles's Brigade (BG George D. Johnston)

-

-

-

-
- Cheatham's CorpsMG Benj. F. Cheatham (MG Wm. B. Bate)

18

188

37

243
-- Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne's Division (BG James A. Smith)

8

96

8

112
---- Brig. Gen. Daniel C. Govan's Brigade (Col. Peter V. Green)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. James A. Smith's Brigade (Capt. John R. Bonner)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Hiram B. Granbury's Brigade (Lt. Col. William A. Ryan)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Mark P. Lowrey's Brigade (Lt. Col. John F. Smith)

-

-

-

-
-- Maj. Gen. William B. Bate's Division (Col. D.L. Kenan)

10

92

29

131
---- Brig. Gen. Robert C. Tyler's Brigade (Maj. William H. Wilkinson)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Jesse J. Finley's Brigade (Lt. Col. Edward Mashburn)

-

-

-

-
-- Maj. Gen. John C. Brown's Division (BG Roswell S. Ripley)

-

-

-

-
Department of SC, GA & FLLt. Gen. William J. Hardee

59

319

148

526
-- Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws's Division

28

153

22

203
---- Brig. Gen. James Conner's Brigade (Brig. Gen. John D. Kennedy)

-

-

-

-
---- Col. John C. Fiser's Brigade

-

-

-

-
---- Col. George P. Harrison's Brigade

-

-

-

-
---- Col. Washington M. Hardy's Brigade

-

-

-

-
---- Maj. A. Burnet Rhett's Artillery Battalion

-

-

-

-
-- Brig. Gen. William B. Taliaferro's Division

31

155

126

323
---- Brig. Gen. Stephen Elliott's Brigade

-

-

-

-
---- Col. Alfred M. Rhett's Brigade (Col. William Butler)

-

-

-

-
Hampton's Cavalry CorpsLt. Gen. Wade Hampton

15

80

18

113
-- Maj. Gen. Matthew C. Butler's Division

5

22

18

45
---- Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Logan's Brigade

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Pierce M.B. Young's Brigade (Col. Gilbert J. Wright)

-

-

-

-
---- Maj. Gen. Matthew C. Butler's Brigade (Brig. Gen. Evander M. Law)

-

-

-

-
---- Horse Artillery (Earle's SC Battery & Hart's SC Battery)

2

5

-

7
Wheeler's Cavalry CorpsMaj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler

8

53

-

61
-- Brig. Gen. William Y.C. Humes's Division (Col. Henry M. Ashby)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Thomas Harrison's Brigade (Col. Baxter Smith)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Turner Ashby's Brigade (Lt. Col. James H. Lewis)

-

-

-

-
-- Brig. Gen. William W. Allen's Division

-

-

-

-
---- Hagan's Brigade (Col. David G. White)

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. Robert H. Anderson's Brigade

-

-

-

-
-- Brig. Gen. George G. Dibrell's Division

-

-

-

-
---- Brig. Gen. George G. Dibrell's Brigade (Col. William S. McLemore)

-

-

-

-
---- Col. William C.P. Breckinridge's Brigade

-

-

-

-

Confederate Prisoners Taken
Hardee's Command

-

-

-

114
Army of Tennessee

-

-

-

417
Cavalry

-

-

-

368
Officers

-

-

-

4
Total

-

-

-

903

Union Casualties at the Battle of Bentonville, NC—March 19-21, 1865*

Command

Killed

Wounded

Cap/Missing

Total
LEFT WING—Army of Georgia—MG Henry W. Slocum

152

821

171

1,144
XIV Corps—Bvt. Maj. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis

130

640

116

886
-- 1st Division—Brig. Gen. William P. Carlin

62

325

66

453
---- 1st Brigade—Bvt. Brig. Gen. Harrison C. Hobart

18

115

26

159
---- 2nd Brigade—Bvt. Brig. Gen. George P. Buell

32

149

24

205
---- 3rd Brigade—Lt. Col. David Miles (w) / Lt. Col. Arnold McMahon

12

61

16

89
-- 2nd Division—Brig. Gen. James D. Morgan (2 staff wounded)

63

301

46

410
---- Provost Guard, 110th IL Infantry Detachment / 24th IL Infantry Det.

-

-

-

-
---- 1st Brigade—Brig. Gen. William Vandever

19

101

29

149
---- 2nd Brigade—Brig. Gen. John G. Mitchell

31

121

8

160
---- 3rd Brigade—Bvt. Benj. D. Fearing (w) / Lt. Col. James W. Langley

13

77

9

99
-- 3rd Division—Bvt. Maj. Gen. Absalom Baird

-

8

1

9
---- 1st Brigade—Col. Morton C. Hunter

-

6

1

7
---- 2nd Brigade—Lt. Col. Thomas Doan

-

2

-

2
---- 3rd Brigade—Col. George P. Este

-

-

-

-
-- Artillery—Maj. Charles Houghtaling

5

6

3

14
XX Corps—Bvt. Maj. Gen. Alpheus S. Williams

22

181

55

258
-- 1st MI Engineers

-

-

-

-
-- 1st Division—Brig. Gen. Nathaniel J. Jackson

9

64

44

117
---- 1st Brigade—Col. James L. Selfridge (Guarded Supply Train)

-

2

1

3
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. William Hawley

-

2

5

7
---- 3rd Brigade—Brig. Gen. James S. Robinson

9

60

38

107
-- 2nd Division—Bvt. Maj. Gen. John W. Geary**

-

-

-

-
---- 1st Brigade—Bvt. Brig. Gen. Ario Pardee

-

-

-

-
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. George W. Mindil

-

-

-

-
---- 3rd Brigade—Bvt. Brig. Gen. Henry A Barnum

-

-

-

-
-- 3rd Division—Bvt. Maj. Gen. William T. Ward

13

116

10

139
---- 1st Brigade—Col. Henry Case

-

1

1

2
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. Daniel Dustin

-

-

-

-
---- 3rd Brigade—Bvt. Brig. Gen. William Cogswell

13

115

9

137
-- Artillery—Maj. John A. Reynolds

-

1

1

2
-

-

-

-

-
RIGHT WING—Army of the Tennessee—MG Oliver O. Howard

42

291

50

383
XV Corps—Maj. Gen. John A. Logan

22

166

2

190
-- 1st Division—Bvt. Maj. Gen. Charles R. Woods

11

108

-

119
---- 1st Brigade—Bvt. Brig. Gen. William B. Woods

1

22

-

23
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. Robert F. Catterson

4

29

-

33
---- 3rd Brigade—Col. George A. Stone

6

57

-

63
-- 2nd Division—Maj. Gen. William B. Hazen

7

25

2

34
---- 1st Brigade—Col. Theodore Jones

4

16

2

22
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. Wells S. Jones

2

9

-

11
---- 3rd Brigade—Brig. Gen. John M. Oliver

1

-

-

1
-- 3rd Division—Bvt. Maj. Gen. John E. Smith (In Reserve)

-

-

-

-
---- 1st Brigade—Brig. Gen. William T. Clark

-

-

-

-
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. Clark R. Wever

-

-

-

-
-- 4th Division—Bvt. Maj. Gen. John M. Corse

3

29

-

32
---- 1st Brigade—Brig. Gen. Eliott W. Rice

-

1

-

1
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. Robert N. Adams

1

8

-

9
---- 3rd Brigade—Col. Frederick J. Hurlburt

2

20

-

22
---- 110th U.S. Colored Infantry (Not Engaged)

-

-

-

-
-- Artillery—Lt. Col. William H. Ross

1

4

-

5
-- 29th MO Mounted Infantry

-

-

-

-
XVII Corps—Maj. Gen. Francis P. Blair, Jr.

20

125

48

193
-- 11th IL Cavalry, Company G (Escort)

-

-

-

-
-- 1st Division—Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Mower

13

96

41

150
---- 1st Brigade—Brig. Gen. John W. Fuller

5

30

19

54
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. Milton Montgomery

-

1

-

1
---- 3rd Brigade—Col. John Tillson

8

65

22

95
-- 3rd Division—Brig. Gen. Manning F. Force

2

11

-

13
---- Provost Guard, 20th IL Infantry—Lt. Col. Henry King

-

-

-

-
---- 1st Brigade—Col. Cassius Fairchild

-

-

-

-
---- 2nd Brigade—Col. Greenberry F. Wiles

-

-

-

-
-- 4th Division—Bvt. Maj. Gen. Giles A. Smith

5

18

7

30
---- 1st Brigade—Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Potts

2

2

-

4
---- 3rd Brigade—Brig. Gen. William W. Belknap

3

16

7

26
---- Artillery—Maj. Allen C. Waterhouse

-

-

-

-
---- 9th IL Mounted Infantry—???

-

-

-

-
GRAND TOTAL—Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's Army

194

1,112

221

1,527
* The "Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume XLVII, Part I" includes the Union Army breakdown to the Regiment level, not shown in the above. See Pages 67-76.
** Guarded supply trains on March 19th. 1st Brigade and 3rd Brigade reached the battlefield on the morning of March 20th, but were held in reserve.

Known CSA Participants

Known Union Participants

General Joseph E. Johnston — Commanding Officer,
General Pierre G.T. Beauregard — 2nd in Command,

Escorts:
Holloway's Cavalry (AL) — Capt. E.M. Holloway,
Jefferson Davis Legion (MS), Company A — Lt. R.E. Conner,

Department of North Carolina — General Braxton Bragg,
Assistant Adjutant General (Maj.) F.S. Parker,

Hoke's Division — Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke (NC),
Assistant Adjutant General (Maj.) T.B. Venable
Assistant Adjutant General (Maj.) A. Vanderhorst,

Kirkland's Brigade — Brig. Gen. William W. Kirkland (NC)
Assistant Adjutant General (Capt.) Charles G. Elliott,
Aide-de-Camp (Lt.) Albert Stoddard,

17th NC Regiment (State Troops) — Col. William F. Martin,
Lt. Col. Thomas H. Sharp,
Company A — "Roanoke Guards" — Capt. William Biggs,
Company B — "Stonewall Rifles" — 1st Lt. James H. Wahab,
Company C — "Hertford Light Infantry" — Capt. Lewis F. Everett,
Company D — Capt. Norman L. Shaw,
Company E — Capt. John L. Swain,
Company F — Capt. George B. Daniel,
Company G — "Morris Guards" — Capt. Thomas J. Norman,
Company H — "Liberty Guards" — Capt. Stuart L. Johnston,
Company I — Capt. William H. Powell,
Company K — "Tar River Boys" — Capt. Howard Wiswall, Jr.,
Company L — "John Harvey Guards" — Capt. Thomas H. Gilliam,

42nd NC Regiment (State Troops) — Col. John E. Brown,
Lt. Col. Charles W. Bradshaw,
Maj. Thomas J. Brown,
Company A — Unknown.
2nd Company B — Capt. James R. Crawford,
Company C — Capt. Robert A. Carter,
Company D — 3rd Lt. A.M. Foster,
Company E — Capt. Spencer J. Hanes,
Company F — Capt. Wiley A. Clement,
Company G — Capt. James A. Blackwelder,
Company H — 1st Lt. Eli M. Huneycutt,
Company I — Capt. Thomas W. Redwine,
Company K — Capt. Sydenham B. Alexander,

66th NC Regiment (State Troops) — Maj. David S. Davis,
Adjutant George M. Rose,
Company A — "The Orange Boys" — 2nd Lt. George B. Pearce,
Company B — Capt. Winfield S. Mitchell,
Company C — 1st Sgt. Benjamin W. Herring,
Company D — Capt. Windal T. Robinson,
Company E — "Cockade Rifles" — 3rd Lt. John Hall,
Company F — Sgt. Hardy Suggs,
Company G — "The Rough & Readys" — 1st Lt. William C. Brandon,
Company H — 1st Lt. Willis W. Cherry (POW),
Company I — Capt. Jesse P. Williams,
Company K — 1st Lt. Alvin Bagley,

10th NC Regiment (1st Artillery) Detachment:
2nd Company I — "Wilmington Horse Artillery" — Capt. Thomas J. Southerland,

Hagood's Brigade — Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood (SC),

7th SC Battalion — Lt. Col. James H. Rion,
11th SC Regiment — Col. F. Hay Gantt,
21st SC Regiment — Col. Robert F. Graham,
25th SC Regiment
27th SC Regiment — Capt. Thomas B. Allston,

2nd SC Cavalry Detachment — Col. Thomas J. Lipscomb,
Unidentified Companies led by Unknowns,

Independent Company — Capt. John W. Galloway, Jr.'s (absent) Company (NC); 2nd Lt. Washington Holden,

Independent Company — Capt. William J. McDugald's Company (Infantry) (NC), Capt. William J. McDugald (mortally wounded),

Artillery Detachments — Maj. William A. Holland,

36th NC Regiment (2nd Artillery) Detachment: — Lt. Col. John D. Taylor (wounded),
2nd Company F — "Pamlico Artillery" — Capt. Samuel B. Hunter (wounded),
Company K — "Brunswick Artillery" — Capt. William F. Brooks (wounded),

40th NC Regiment (3rd Artillery) Detachment — Maj. William A. Holland,
Adjutant James B. Hancock,
Company A — "Lenoir Braves" — Capt. Ancram W. Ezzell,
Company B — "McMillan Artillery" — 1st Lt. Selby Hardenberg,
Company C — "Bridger's Artillery" — Capt. John E. Leggett (POW),
Company F — "Robertson's Battery" — Capt. John C. Robertson (POW),
2nd Company H — "Barnes' Battery" — Capt. Calvin Barnes,
Company I — "Whitehurst's Artillery" — 1st Lt. Thomas Satterthwaite,

1st NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery Detachment: — Maj. Alexander McRae,
Company A — "Clark Artillery" — Capt. Robert G. Rankin (mortally wounded),
Company B — "River Guards" — Capt. John W. Taylor (mortally wounded),
Company C — "Brown's Battery" — Capt. William H. Brown (wounded),
Company D Remnants — Cpl. James W. Allen,

3rd NC Battalion-Light Artillery Detachment:
Company A — "Northampton Artillery" — Capt. Andrew J. Ellis,
Company B — "Albemarle Artillery" or "Edenton Bell Battery" — Capt. William Badham, Jr.,

Independent Company — Capt. Abner A. Moseley's Company (aka Sampson Artillery) (NC) — Capt. Abner A. Moseley,

Colquitt's Brigade — Brig. Gen. Alfred H. Colquitt,
Lt. Hugh H. Colquitt — Aide-de-Camp,
Lt. Harry Estill — Ordnance Officer,

6th GA Regiment — Col. John T. Lofton,
19th GA Regiment — Col. James H. Neal,
23rd GA Regiment — Col. Marcus R. Ballenger,
27th GA Regiment — Capt. Elisha D. Graham,
28th GA Regiment — Capt. John A. Johnson,

Clingman's Brigade — Col. William S. DeVane (NC) (wounded),

8th NC Regiment — Lt. Col. Rufus A. Barrier,
Company A — Capt. Daniel A. Sawyer,
Company B — "Shaw Guards" — Capt. Thomas J. Jarvis,
Company C — Sgt. Nathan D.D. May,
Company D — 2nd Lt. James C. Cooper,
Company E — "Manchester Guards" — 1st Lt. Benjamin R. Hargrove,
Company F — Capt. John E. Dugger,
Company G — "General Bragg Guards" — Capt. Amos J. Hines,
Company H — Capt. Jonas Cook,
Company I — 2nd Lt. Wilson S. Caffey,
Company K — Capt. Pinkney A. Kennerly,

31st NC Regiment — Lt. Col. Charles W. Knight,
Adjutant Edward K. Bryan,
Company A — 1st Lt. William W. Freeman,
Company B — "O.K. Boys" — 3rd Lt. Joseph W. Allison,
Company C — "Chalybeate Guards" — Capt. William J. Long,
Company D — Capt. Ruffin L. Bryant,
Company E — Capt. Julius F. Allison,
Company F — 2nd Lt. Arthur B. Knight,
Company G — Sgt. C.C. Furguson,
Company H — Capt. John W. Smith,
Company I — "Cape Fear Boys" — 1st Lt. Edmund J. Williams,
Company K — Capt. Joseph Whitty,

51st NC Regiment — Capt. James W. Lippitt,
Company A — Capt. Edward Southerland,
Company B — "Warsaw Sampsons" — Capt. Thomas J. Herring,
Company C — "Duplin Stars" — Capt. Edward L. Watson,
Company D — "Scotch Tigers" — 1st Lt. Hector McEachern,
Company E — "Clay Valley Rangers" — 3rd Lt. Hiram V. Houston,
Company F — "Ashpole True Boys" — Capt. William S. Norment,
Company G — 1st Lt. Jacob A. Evans,
Company H — "Columbus Light Infantry" — Capt. Samuel W. Maultsby,
Company I — 2nd Lt. Charles T. Guy,
Company K — "Confederate Stars" — 3rd Lt. Eli Dudley, Jr.,

61st NC Regiment — Lt. Col. Edward B. Mallett (killed),
Adjutant John W. Mallett,
Company A — "DeVane's Company" — 3rd Lt. Francis M. Carroll (wounded),
Company B — "Harding's Company" — 2nd Lt. John T. Wilkinson,
Company C — "Neuse Guards" — 2nd Lt. James C. Lanier,
Company D — "Vance Guards" — Capt. Nathan A. Ramsey,
Company E — "Eastern Stars" — 3rd Lt. Henry H. Rasberry,
Company F — "Trio Guards" — 2nd Lt. John B. Belcher,
Company G — "Moore's Company" — Capt. Augustus D. Lippitt,
Company H — "Hill Guards" — Capt. John D. Biggs, Sr. (wounded),
Company I — "Alleghany Rangers" — Capt. George Grimsley,
Company K — "Koonce's State Guerrillas" — Capt. Stephen W. Noble,

Nethercutt's Brigade — Col. John H. Nethercutt (NC),

1st NC Battalion-Junior Reserves: — Capt. Charles M. Hall,
Company A — 2nd Lt. Nelson N. Sumner,
Company B — Capt. J.L. Eaves,
Company C — 1st Lt. Elbert S. Smith,
Company D — Capt. John A. Stephenson,
Company E — 2nd Lt. G.W. Sain,

1st NC Regiment-Junior Reserves: Col. Frank S. Armistead,
Lt. Col. Charles W. Broadfoot,
Maj. Walter M. Clark,
Adjutant Alexander T. Loudon,
Company A — Capt. Charles Price,
Company B — 3rd Lt. Alexander Turner,
Company C — Capt. Alfred M. Heitman,
Company D — Capt. Cornelius J. Richardson,
Company E — 1st Lt. Thomas C. Neal,
Company F — 2nd Lt. Winfield S. Lineberry,
Company G — Capt. Thomas L. Lea,
Company H — Capt. James A. Faison,
Company I — 1st Lt. William F. Hargrave,
Company K — Capt. Frank S. Faison

2nd NC Regiment-Junior Reserves: — Col. John H. Anderson,
Lt. Col. William F. Beasley,
Maj. Nathaniel A. Gregory,
Company A — Capt. David E. McKinne,
Company B — Capt. William H. Overman,
Company C — Capt. James Q. Holland,
Company D — Capt. John H. Wells,
Company E — 1st Lt. William G. Hunter,
Company F — 1st Lt. Bartley H. Benton,
Company G — Capt. Jesse W. Grainger,
Company H — Capt. Joseph J. Laughinghouse,
Company I — 3rd Lt. John Q. Adams,
Company K — Capt. William R. Williams,

3rd NC Regiment-Junior Reserves: — Col. John W. Hinsdale,
Lt. Col. William F. French,
Maj. Alfred B. Ellington,
Company A — 1st Lt. Walter W. King,
Company B — 1st Lt. A.M. Craig,
Company C — 1st Lt. Glaucus Mason,
Company D — Capt. John D. Kerr, Sr.
Company E — 2nd Lt. James M. Bandy,
Company F — 1st Lt. George R. White,
Company G — Capt. Lambert A. Bristol,
Company H. — 2nd Lt. Christopher C. McClellan,
Company I — 2nd Lt. Alexander C. McFayden,
Company K — Capt. Frank M. Hamlin,

13th NC Battalion-Light Artillery Detachment (aka Starr's Battalion): — Lt. Col. Joseph B. Starr,
Company B — "Starr's Battery" — Capt. George B. Atkins,
Company C — "Cumming's Battery" — Capt. James D. Cumming,
Company D — "Adams's Battery" — 1st Lt. Samuel H. Forbes (POW),
Company E — "Dickson's Battery" — Capt. Henry Dickson,

Independent Company — Chesterfield Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. James I. Kelly,

Army of Tennessee — Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart (TN),

Stewart's Corps — MG William W. Loring (ill) / MG Edward C. Walthall,

Loring's Division — Col. James Jackson,

Lowry's Brigade — Lt. Col. Robert J. Lawrence,
6th MS Regiment
14th MS Regiment
15th MS Regiment
20th MS Regiment
23rd MS Regiment
43rd MS Regiment

Scott's Brigade — Capt. John A. Dixon,
27th-35th-49th AL Regiments Consolidated
55th AL Regiment
57th AL Regiment
12th LA Regiment

Featherston's Brigade — Maj. Martin A. Oatis,
1st MS Regiment
3rd MS Regiment
22nd MS Regiment
31st MS Regiment
33rd MS Regiment
40th MS Regiment
1st MS Battalion

Walthall's Division — Maj. Gen. Edward C. Walthall,

Reynolds's Brigade — BG Daniel H. Reynolds (wounded) / Col. Henry G. Bunn (wounded) / Lt. Col. Morton G. Galloway,
1st-2nd AR Mounted Rifles (Dismounted) — Lt. Col. Morton G. Galloway,
4th AR Regiment — Col. Henry C. Bunn,
9th AR Regiment
25th AR Regiment

Quarles's Brigade — Brig. Gen. George D. Johnston,
1st AL Regiment
25th AL Regiment
42nd-46th-49th-53rd-55th TN Regiments Consolidated
48th TN Regiment

Lee's Corps — Maj. Gen. Daniel H. Hill (NC),

Stevenson's Division — Maj. Gen. Carter L. Stevenson,

Palmer's Brigade — Brig. Gen. Joseph B. Palmer,
3rd-18th TN Regiments Consolidated
23rd-26th-45th TN Regiments Consolidated — Col. Anderson Searcy,
32nd TN Regiment — Lt. Col. John P. McGuire

58th NC Regiment — Lt. Col. Samujel M. Silver,
Company A — "Mitchell Rangers" — Capt. Benjamin F. Baird,
Company B — "Bowman's Company" — Capt. Suel B. Briggs,
Company C — "Yancey Boys" — Unknown,
Company D — "Harman's Company" — Capt. Frederick A. Tobey,
Company E — "Keener's Company" — 2nd Lt. William C. Coffey (wounded),
Company F — "McDowell Rangers" — Capt. Poindexter Blevins,
Company G — "Peek's Company" — 2nd Lt. Theodore C. McGimsey,
Company H — "Dula's Company" — Capt. George W.F. Harper,
Company I — "Watauga Troopers" — 1st Lt. Jordan C. McGhee,
Company K — "Silver's Company" — 1st Sgt. James M. Green,
Company L — "Gentry's Company" — Unknown

60th NC Regiment — Maj. James T. Huff,
Company A — 2nd Lt. John G. Lindsey
Company B — Capt. Benjamin F. Patton,
Company C — 3rd Lt. Henry K. Rhea,
Company D — "Henderson Rangers" — Unknown,
Company E — "Buncombe Farmers" — Capt. Samuel C. Wright,
Company F — Unknown,
Company G — 2nd Lt. Eli Jackson,
Company H — Unknown,
Company I — "French Broad Guards" — Capt. William R. Alexander,
Company K — 1st Lt. John T. Sales

Pettus's Brigade — Brig. Gen. Edmund W. Pettus (wounded)
20th AL Regiment
23rd AL Regiment
30th AL Regiment
31st AL Regiment
46th AL Regiment

Cumming's Brigade — Col. Robert J. Henderson (Arrived 3/20)
34th GA Regiment
36th GA Regiment
39th GA Regiment
56th GA Regiment

Artillery:

LaFayette Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. John T. Kanapaux,

Clayton's Division — Maj. Gen. Henry D. Clayton,

Stovall's Brigade — Col. Henry C. Kellogg,
40th GA Regiment
41st GA Regiment
42nd GA Regiment — Maj. L.P. Thomas,
43rd GA Regiment
52nd GA Regiment

Jackson's Brigade — Lt. Col. Osceola Kyle,
1st-66th GA Regiments Consolidated
25th GA Regiment
29th-30th GA Regiments Consolidated
1st GA Battalion-Sharpshooters

Baker's Brigade — Brig. Gen. Alpheus Baker,
22nd AL Regiment
37th-40th-42nd AL Regiments Consolidated
54th AL Regiment

Hill's Division — Col. John G. Coltart,

Deas's Brigade — Col. Harry T. Toulmin,
19th AL Regiment
22nd AL Regiment
25th AL Regiment
39th AL Regiment
50th AL Regiment

Manigault's Brigade — Lt. Col. John C. Carter,
10th SC Regiment
19th SC Regiment
24th AL Regiment
28th AL Regiment
34th AL Regiment

Cheatham's Corps — Maj. Gen. William B. Bate (TN),

Cleburne's Division — Brig. Gen. James A. Smith,

Govan's Brigade — Col. Peter V. Green,
1st-2nd-5th-13th-15th-24th AR Regiments Consolidated
6th-7th AR Regiments Consolidated
8th-19th AR Regiments Consolidated

Smith's Brigade — Capt. John R. Bonner,
1st GA Volunteers
54th GA Regiment
57th GA Regiment
63rd GA Regiment

Granbury's Brigade — Lt. Col. William A. Ryan (Arrived 3/20),
5th Confederate Regiment
35th TN Regiment
6th-15th TX Regiments Consolidated
7th TX Regiment
10th TX Regiment
17th-18th TX Cavalry (Dismounted) Consolidated
24th-25th TX Cavalry (Dismounted) Consolidated
Nutt's LA Cavalry Company (Dismounted)

Lowrey's Brigade — Lt. Col. John F. Smith (Arrived 3/21),
5th MS Regiment/3rd MS Battalion Consolidated
8th-32nd MS Regiment Consolidated
16th-33rd-45th AL Regiments Consolidated

Bate's Division — Col. D.L. Kenan (wounded),

Tyler's Brigade — Maj. William H. Wilkinson (killed),
37th GA Regiment
4th GA Battalion-Sharpshooters
2nd-10th-20th TN Regiments Consolidated

Finley's Brigade — Lt. Col. Edward Mashburn,
1st-3rd FL Regiments Consolidated —
4th FL Regiment-1st FL Cavalry (Dismounted) Consolidated —
6th-7th FL Regiments Consolidated —

Brown's Division — Brig. Gen. Roswell S. Ripley (Arrived 3/21),

Gist's Brigade — Col. Hume R. Field,
6th GA Regiment-8th GA Battalion Consolidated
46th GA Regiment
65th GA Regiment
2nd GA Battalion-Sharpshooters
16th SC Regiment
24th SC Regiment

Maney's Brigade — Lt. Col. Christopher C. McKinney,
4th Confederate-6th TN-9th TN-50th TN Regiments Consolidated —,
1st-27th TN Regiments Consolidated
8th-16th-28th TN Regiments Consolidated

Department of South Carolina, Georgia & Florida — Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee,
Chief of Staff/Assistant Adjutant General — Lt. Col. T. Benton Roy,
Engineer — Lt. Col. William D. Pickett,

Escorts & Scouts:
Raum's Cavalry Co. (MS) — Capt. William C. Raum,
Stono Scouts (SC) — Capt. John B.L. Walpole,

McLaws's Division — Maj. Gen. LaFayette McLaws,

Kennedy's Brigade — Brig. Gen. John D. Kennedy,
2nd SC Regiment — Lt. Col. William W. Wallace,
3rd SC Regiment — Lt. Col. Rutherford P. Todd,
7th SC Regiment — Capt. Elijah J. Coggans,
8th SC Regiment — Lt. Col. E.T. Stackhouse,
15th SC Regiment — Col. John B. Davis,
20th SC Regiment — Maj. John M. Partlow,
3rd SC Battalion — Capt. P.F. Spofford,

Fiser's Brigade — Col. John C. Fiser,
1st GA Regiment — Maj. Richard A. Wayne,
5th & 6th GA Reserves — Col. John B. Cumming,
2nd GA Battalion Reserves
27th GA Battalion Reserves — Maj. A.L. Hartridge,

Hardy's Brigade — Col. Washington M. Hardy,
7th NC Regiment-Senior Reserves — Col. Ezekiel W. Hancock,
Company A — Capt. William S. Bradshaw,
Company B — Capt. William M. Clinard,
Company C — Capt. W.B. Johnson,
Company D — Capt. Jacob C. Boon,
Company E — Capt. William H. Watts,
Company F — 1st Lt. J.O. Core,
Company G — Capt. Eli E. Holland,
Company H — 1st Lt. B. Turner,
Company I — Capt. R.S. Davie,
Company K — 1st Lt. Joshua S. Glass,

10th NC Battalion-Heavy Artillery — Maj. Wilton L. Young,
Adjutant Andrew Costin,
Company A — Capt. Hammet J. Harris,
Company B — "Black River Tigers" — Capt. Henry M. Barnes,
Company C — "Monroe Light Artillery" — 1st Lt. John A. Grady,
Company D — Capt. Woodbury Wheeler, Jr.,

50th NC Regiment (State Troops) — Col. George Wortham,
Lt. Col. John C. Van Hook,
Maj. Henry J. Ryals,
Adjutant Jesse W. Edmundson,
Company A — Capt. James A. Burch,
Company B — 3rd Lt. William B. Jenkins,
Company C — Capt. Thomas R. Youngblood,
Company D — 1st Lt. Joseph J. Penny,
Company E — Capt. William T. Gardner,
Company F — "Moore Sharpshooters" — Capt. James O.A. Kelly,
Company G — "Rutherford Farmers" — Capt. George W. Andrews,
Company H — Capt. Joseph H. Atkinson,
Company I — "Rutherford Regulars" — 1st Lt. Samuel E. Bostick,
Company K — "Green River Rifles" — Capt. George B. Ford,

Harrison's Brigade — Col. George P. Harrison,
5th GA Regiment — Col. Charles P. Daniel,
32nd GA Regiment — Lt. Col. William H. Pruden,
47th GA Regiment — Col. A.C. Edwards,

Taliaferro's Division — Brig. Gen. William B. Taliaferro,
Adjutant General (Capt.) Page,
Inspector General (Capt.) Read,
Aide-de-Camp (Lt.) Kemp,

Rhett's Brigade — Col. William Butler,
1st SC Regiment (Regulars) — Col. John Dunovant,
1st SC Artillery (Regulars) (as Infantry) — Lt. Col. Joseph A. Yates,
15th SC Battalion-Heavy Artillery — Maj. James J. Lucas,
Kanapaux's Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. Charles E. Kanapaux,
Yeadon's Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. John D. Johnson,
Chesnut Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. Frederick C. Schulz,

Elliott's Brigade — Brig. Gen. Stephen Elliott, Jr.(wounded),
22nd GA Battalion-Heavy Artillery — Lt. Col. William R. Prichard,
28th GA Battalion-Artillery —Maj. A. Bonaud,
2nd SC Artillery (served as Infantry) — Col. Andrew D. Frederick, MD,
18th SC Battalion-Artillery — Capt. Theodore G. Boag.
19th SC Militia — Col. Peter Bonneau,

Artillery Battalion — Maj. Andrew Burnet Rhett,
LeGardeur's Battery (LA) — Capt. G. LeGardeur,
Beaufort Volunteer Artillery (SC) — Capt. Henry "Hal" M. Stuart,
Marion Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. Edward L. Parker,

Hampton's Cavalry Corps — Lt. Gen. Wade Hampton, III (SC),

Butler's Division — Maj. Gen. Matthew C. Butler,

Logan's Brigade — BG Thomas M. Logan,
1st SC Cavalry — Col. John L. Black,
4th SC Cavalry — Col. Benjamin H. Rutledge, Jr.
5th SC Cavalry — Col. Zimmerman Davis,
6th SC Cavalry — Lt. Col. Lovick P. Miller,
19th SC Battalion-Cavalry — Lt. Col. William L. Trenholm,

Young's Brigade — Col. Gilbert J. Wright,
7th GA Cavalry
10th GA Cavalry — Capt. Edward Moise,
20th GA Batt.-Jeff. Davis (MS) Legion Consolidated — Col. Fred J. Waring,
Cobb's Legion Cavalry (GA) — Capt. R. Bill Roberts,
Phillips's Legion Cavalry (GA) — Maj. Wesley W. Thomas,

Mercer's Artillery:—Col. Charles H. Olmstead,
Earle's Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. William E. Earle,
DePass's Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. William L. DePass,
Hart's/Halsey's SC Battery — Capt. Edwin L. Halsey,
German Light Artillery (SC) — Capt. William K. Bachman,

Wheeler's Cavalry Corps — Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler (AL),

Humes's Division — Col. Henry M. Ashby,

T. Harrison's Brigade — Col. Baxter Smith,
3rd AR Cavalry — Maj. William H. Blackwell,
4th TN Cavalry
8th TX Cavalry — Lt. Col. Gustave Cook (wounded) / Maj. William R. Jarmon (wounded) / Capt. John F. Matthews,
11th TX Cavalry

Ashby's Brigade — Lt. Col. James H. Lewis,
1st TN Cavalry
2nd TN Cavalry — Lt. Col. John H. Kuhn,
5th TN Cavalry — Col. George W. McKenzie,
9th TN Cavalry — Maj. James H. Akin,

Allen's Division — Brig. Gen. William W. Allen,

Hagan's Brigade — Col. David G. White,
1st AL Cavalry — Lt. Col. Augustus H. Johnson,
3rd AL Cavalry — Capt. A.P. Forney,
51st AL Cavalry — Col. Milton L. Kirkpatrick,

Anderson's Brigade — Brig. Gen. Robert H. Anderson,
3rd Confederate Cavalry — Col. Patrick H. Rice,
8th Confederate Cavalry — Lt. Col. John H. Prather,
10th Confederate Cavalry — Capt. W.H. Brazier,
5th GA Cavalry — Col. Edward Bird,

Dibrell's Division — Brig. Gen. George G. Dibrell,

Dibrell's Brigade — Col. William S. McLemore,
4th TN Cavalry
13th TN Cavalry
Shaw's TN Battalion-Cavalry

Breckinridge's Brigade — Col. William C.P. Breckinridge,
1st (3rd) KY Cavalry
2nd KY Cavalry
9th KY Cavalry

Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman — Commanding Officer (3/20-3/21),
Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum — Commanding Officer (3/19),

Headquarters Guard — OH Sharpshooters, 7th Company
Engineers & Mechanics:
1st MI Engineers — Col. John B. Yates,
1st MO Mechanics (5 Companies),

LEFT WING:
ARMY OF GEORGIA — Maj. Gen. Henry W. Slocum,
Chief Engineer — Lt. William Ludlow,
Pontoniers — 58th IN Infantry,

XIV Corps — Bvt. Maj. Gen. Jefferson C. Davis,
Chief of Staff — Lt. Col. Alexander C. McClurg,
Inspector General — Lt. Col. Henry G. Litchfield,

1st Division — Brig. Gen. William P. Carlin,

1st Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Harrison C. Hobart,
104th IL Infantry — Maj. John Widmer,
42nd IN Infantry — Maj. Gideon R. Kellams,
88th IN Infantry — Capt. William N. Voris,
33rd OH Infantry — Capt. Joseph Hinson,
94th OH Infantry — Maj. William H. Snider,
21st WI Infantry — Lt. Col. Michael H. Fitch,

2nd Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. George P. Buell,
13th MI Infantry — Maj. Willard Eaton (killed) / Capt. Silas A. Yerkes,
21st MI Infantry — Capt. Arthur C. Prince,
69th OH Infantry — Capt. Jacob J. Rarick,

3rd Brigade — Lt. Col. David Miles (wounded) / Lt. Col. Arnold McMahon,
38th IN Infantry — Capt. James H. Low (mortally wounded) / Capt. David H. Patton,
21st OH Infantry — Lt. Col. Arnold McMahon / Capt. Samuel F. Cheney,
74th OH Infantry
79th PA Infantry — Maj. Michael H. Locher,

2nd Division — Brig. Gen. James D. Morgan,
Provost Guard — 110th IL Infantry (Cos. A & B, 24th IL Infantry attached),

1st Brigade — Brig. Gen. William Vandever,
16th IL Infantry — Capt. Herman Lund,
60th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. George W. Evans,
10th MI Infantry — Col. Charles Lum,
14th MI Infantry — Lt. Col. George W. Grummond,
17th NY Infantry — Capt. Alexander S. Marshall,

2nd Brigade — Brig. Gen. John G. Mitchell,
34th IL Infantry — Capt. Peter F. Walker,
78th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Maris R. Vernon,
98th OH Infantry — Maj. David E. Roatch,
108th OH Infantry — Maj. Frederick Beck,
113th OH Infantry — Capt. Toland Jones
121st OH Infantry — Maj. Aaron Robinson,

3rd Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Benjamin D. Fearing (wounded) / Lt. Col. James W. Langley,
85th IL Infantry
86th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Allen L. Fahnestock,
125th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. James. W. Langley / Capt. George W. Cook,
22nd IN Infantry — Capt. William H. Snodgrass,
37th IN Infantry (1 Company) —
52nd OH Infantry — Lt. Col. Charles W. Clancy,

3rd Division — Bvt. Maj. Gen. Absalom Baird,

1st Brigade — Col. Morton C. Hunter,
82nd IN Infantry — Lt. Col. John M. Matheny,
23rd MO Infantry (4 Companies) —
17th OH Infantry — Lt. Col. Benjamin H. Showers,
31st OH Infantry —Capt. Eli Wilkin,
89th OH Infantry — Lt. Col. William H. Glenn,
92nd OH Infantry (11th OH attached) —

2nd Brigade — Col. Thomas Doan,
75th IN Infantry
87th IN Infantry
101st IN Infantry — Maj. George W. Steele,
2nd MN Infantry — Lt. Col. Judson W. Bishop,
105th OH Infantry

3rd Brigade — Col. George P. Este,
74th IN Infantry
18th KY Infantry
14th OH Infantry
38th OH Infantry

Artillery — Maj. Charles Houghtaling,
1st IL Light Artillery, Battery C — Lt. Palmer Scovel,
2nd IL Light Artillery, Battery I — Lt. Judson Rich,
IN Light Artillery, 19th Battery — Lt. Samuel D. Webb (killed) / Lt. Clinton Keeler,
WI Light Artillery, 5th Battery — Capt. Joseph McKnight,

XX Corps — Bvt. Maj. Gen. Alpheus S. Williams,

1st Division — Brig. Gen. Nathaniel J. Jackson,

1st Brigade — Col. James L. Selfridge,
5th CT Infantry — Lt. Col. Henry W. Daboll,
123rd NY Infantry — Col. James C. Rogers,
141st NY Infantry
46th PA Infantry — Maj. Patrick Griffith,

2nd Brigade — Col. William Hawley,
2nd MA Infantry
13th NJ Infantry — Maj. Frederick H. Harris,
107th NY Infantry — Col. Nirom M. Crane,
150th NY Infantry — Col. Alfred B. Smith,
3rd WI Infantry — Lt. Col. George W. Stevenson,

3rd Brigade — Brig. Gen. James S. Robinson,
82nd IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Edward S. Salomon,
101st IL Infantry — Lt. Col. John B. LeSage,
143rd NY Infantry — Lt. Col. Hezekiah Watkins,
61st OH Infantry
82nd OH Infantry
31st WI Infantry — Col. Francis H. West,

2nd Division — Bvt. Maj. Gen. John W. Geary,

1st Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Ario Pardee, Jr.,
5th OH Infantry
29th OH Infantry
66th OH Infantry
28th PA Infantry — Lt. Col. James Fitzpatrick,
147th PA Infantry

2nd Brigade — Col. George W. Mindil,
33rd NJ Infantry — Lt. Col. Enos Fourat,
119th NY Infantry — Col. John T. Lockman,
134th NY Infantry
154th NY Infantry
73rd PA Infantry
109th PA Infantry

3rd Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Henry A. Barnum,
60th NY Infantry
102nd NY Infantry
137th NY Infantry
149th NY Infantry
29th PA Infantry — Maj. George E. Johnson,
111th PA Infantry

3rd Division — Bvt. Maj. Gen. William T. Ward,

1st Brigade — Col. Henry Case / Bvt. Brig. Gen. Benjamin Harrison,
102nd IL Infantry
105th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Everell F. Dutton,
129th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Thomas H. Flynn,
70th IN Infantry — Col. Benjamin Harrison,
79th IN Infantry

2nd Brigade — Col. Daniel Dustin,
33rd IN Infantry — Lt. Col. James E. Burton,
85th IN Infantry
19th MI Infantry
22nd WI Infantry

3rd Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. William Cogswell,
20th CT Infantry — Lt. Col. Philo B. Buckingham,
33rd MA Infantry — Lt. Col. Elisha Doane,
136th NY Infantry — Capt. George H. Eldridge,
55th OH Infantry — Col. Edwin H. Powers,
73rd OH Infantry — Lt. Col. Samuel H. Hurst,
26th WI Infantry — Col. Frederick C. Winkler,

Artillery — Maj. John A. Reynolds,
1st NY Light Artillery, Battery I — Capt. Charles E. Winegar,
1st NY Light Artillery, Battery M — Lt. Edward P. Newkirk,
1st OH Light Artillery, Battery C — Lt. Jerome Stephens,
PA Light Infantry, Battery E — Capt. Thomas S. Sloan,

RIGHT WING (Arrived March 20th):
ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE — Maj. Gen. Oliver O. Howard,

Escort — 15th IL Cavalry,
Pontoon Train Guard — 14th WI Infantry, Company E,

XV Corps — Maj. Gen. John A. Logan,

1st Division — Bvt. Maj. Gen. Charles R. Woods,

1st Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. William B. Woods,
26th IA Infantry
12th IN Infantry
27th MO Infantry
31st/32nd MO Infantry Consolidated (6 Companies) — Lt. Col. Abraham J. Seay
76th OH Infantry

2nd Brigade — Col. Robert F. Catterson,
6th IA Infantry
26th IL Infantry
40th IL Infantry
103rd IL Infantry — Lt. Col. George W. Wright,
97th IN Infantry
100th IN Infantry — Col. Ruel Johnson,
46th OH Infantry — Lt. Col. Edward N. Upton,

3rd Brigade — Col. George A. Stone,
4th IA Infantry
9th IA Infantry
25th IA Infantry
30th IA Infantry
31st IA Infantry

2nd Division — Maj. Gen. William B. Hazen,

1st Brigade — Col. Theodore Jones,
55th IL Infantry
116th IL Infantry
127th IL Infantry
6th MO Infantry with 8th MO Infantry, Cos. A & B attached — Lt. Col. Delos Von Deusen,
30th OH Infantry — Capt. C.A. Earnest,
57th OH Infantry

2nd Brigade — Col. Wells S. Jones,
111th IL Infantry
83rd IN Infantry — Capt. William N. Craw,
37th OH Infantry — Lt. Col. Louis Von Blessingham,
47th OH Infantry
53rd OH Infantry
54th OH Infantry — Lt. Col. Israel T. Moore,

3rd Brigade — Brig. Gen. John M. Oliver,
48th IL Infantry
90th IL Infantry
99th IN Infantry
15th MI Infantry
70th OH Infantry

3rd Division — Bvt. Maj. Gen. John E. Smith,

1st Brigade — Brig. Gen. William T. Clark,
63rd IL Infantry
93rd IL Infantry
48th IN Infantry
59th IN Infantry
4th MN Infantry
18th WI Infantry Detachment —

2nd Brigade — Col. Clark R. Wever,
10th IA Infantry
17th IA Infantry (1 Company) —
56th IL Infantry
26th MO Infantry (2 Companies) with Detachment of 10th MO Infantry
80th OH Infantry

4th Division — Bvt. Maj. Gen. John M. Corse,

1st Brigade — Brig. Gen. Elliott W. Rice,
2nd IA Infantry
7th IA Infantry
52nd IL Infantry
66th IN Infantry

2nd Brigade — Col. Robert N. Adams,
12th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Henry Van Sellar,
66th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Andrew K. Campbell,
81st OH Infantry — Maj. William C. Henry,

3rd Brigade — Col. Frederick J. Hurlburt,
39th IA Infantry —
7th IL Infantry — Maj. Edward S. Johnson,
50th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. William Hanna,
57th IL Infantry —

Unassigned (Not Engaged):
110th U.S. Colored Infantry —

Artillery — Lt. Col. William H. Ross,
1st IL Light Artillery, Battery H — Capt. Francis DeGress,
1st MI Light Artillery, Battery B — Lt. Edward B. Wright,
1st MO Light Artillery, Battery H — Capt. Charles M. Callahan,
WI Light Artillery, 12th Battery — Capt. William Zickerick,

Unassigned:
29th MO Mounted Infantry —

XVII Corps — Maj. Gen. Francis P. Blair, Jr.

Escort — 11th IL Cavalry, Company G

1st Division — Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Mower,

1st Brigade — Brig. Gen. John W. Fuller,
64th IL Infantry — Capt. Joseph S. Reynolds,
18th MO Infantry — Col. Charles Sheldon,
27th OH Infantry
39th OH Infantry — Maj. Daniel Weber,

2nd Brigade — Col. Milton Montgomery,
35th NJ Infantry
43rd OH Infantry
63rd OH Infantry
25th WI Infantry

3rd Brigade Col. John Tillson,
10th IL Infantry
25th IN Infantry
32nd WI Infantry

3rd Division — Brig. Gen. Manning F. Force,
Provost Guard — 20th IL Infantry — Lt. Col. Henry King,

1st Brigade — Col. Cassius Fairchild,
30th IL Infantry — Col. Warren Shedd,
31st IL Infantry — Col. Edwin S. McCook,
45th IL Infantry — Col. John O. Duer,
12th WI Infantry
16th WI Infantry

2nd Brigade — Col. Greenberry F. Wiles,
20th OH Infantry
68th OH Infantry
78th OH Infantry
17th WI Infantry

4th Division — Bvt. Maj. Gen. Giles A. Smith,

1st Brigade — Brig. Gen. Benjamin F. Potts,
14th IL Infantry with 15th IL Infantry Battalion
53rd IL Infantry
23rd IN Infantry
53rd IN Infantry — Capt. Henry Duncan,
32nd OH Infantry

3rd Brigade — Brig. Gen. William W. Belknap,
11th IA Infantry
13th IA Infantry
15th IA Infantry
16th IA Infantry
32nd IL Infantry

Artillery — Maj. Allen C. Waterhouse,
1st MI Light Artillery, Battery C — Lt. William W. Hyser,
MN Light Artillery, 1st Battery —
OH Light Artillery, 15th Battery —

Unassigned:
9th IL Mounted Infantry —

Calvary — Guarded Flanks, Not Significantly Engaged, No Casualties

3rd Division Cavalry — Bvt. Maj. Gen. Hugh Judson Kilpatrick,
Assistant Adjutant General (Maj.) L.G. Estes,

1st Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Jordan,
3rd IN Cavalry & 8th IN Cavalry Battalion — Lt. Col. Fielder A. Jones
2nd KY Cavalry — Maj. Owen Starr,
3rd KY Cavalry — Lt. Col. Robert H. King,
9th PA Cavalry — Lt. Col. David H. Kimmel,

2nd Brigade — Bvt. Brig. Gen. Smith D. Atkins,
92nd IL Mounted Infantry — Lt. Col. Matthew Van Buskirk,
9th OH Cavalry — Col. William D. Hamilton.
10th OH Cavalry — Lt. Col.. Thomas W. Sanderson,
9th MI Cavalry — Col. George S. Acker,
McLaughlin's Squadron (OH) — Capt. John Dalzell,

3rd Brigade — Col. George E. Spencer,
1st AL Cavalry (Union) — Lt. Col. Sanford Tramel,
5th KY Cavalry — Maj. Christopher T. Cheek,
5th OH Cavalry — Maj. George H. Rader,
13th PA Cavalry — Col. Michael Kerwin,

4th Brigade (Provisional) — Lt. Col. William B. Way,
1st Provisional Cavalry
2nd Provisional Cavalry
3rd Provisional Cavalry

Artillery:
WI Light Artillery, 10th Battery — Lt. Oscar A. Clark.

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Sources:

Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume I, edited by Walter Clark, PP.387-415.

Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume II, edited by Walter Clark, PP.1-13, PP.506-520, PP.629-651, PP.745-765, PP.788-807,

Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume III, edited by Walter Clark, PP.161-204, PP.205-221, PP.431-445, PP.476-498, PP.503-514, PP.685-701.

Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-'65 - Volume IV, edited by Walter Clark, PP.8-23, PP.24-34, PP.35-63, PP.107-108, PP.261-269, PP.303-313, PP.329-337, PP.341-354, PP.385-396,

North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume I, P.374.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume IV, P.520.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume VI, PP.203-204.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume VIII, P.428.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume X, P.190.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XII, PP.146-148, PP.274-275.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XIV, PP.265-270, PP.495-499, PP.643-645.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XV, PP.306-310.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XVII, PP.109-115.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XVIII, P.110.
North Carolina Troops: 1861-1865, A Roster, Volume XIX, P.425.

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume XLVII, Part I, PP.67-76, PP.1059-1060, P.1080, P.1093, P1096.

Battlefields.org's Online Account of the Battle of Bentonville,

NCPedia.org/s Online Account of the Battle of Bentonville,

Wikipedia's Online Account of the Battle of Bentonville


 


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