Had a fantastic time touring the Bentonville Battlefield near Smithfield, NC today. The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, was the last full-scale action of the Civil War in which a Confederate army was able to mount a tactical offensive. This major battle, the largest ever fought in North Carolina, was the only significant attempt to defeat the large Union army of General William T. Sherman during its march through the Carolinas in the spring of 1865. The Harper House which was used as a Union field hospital and is certainly worth a visit. There are more than 23 sites to see on a complete tour of the battlefield which will give you a good picture of the scale of this 1865 battle. I also made a trip into Smithfield itself to see the Hastings House which was used by Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston during the Bentonville Campaign. General William T. Sherman made the announcement of the surrender of Robert E. Lees forces on the stairs of the courthouse in Smithfield as well. There was actually street fighting in Smithfield on April 11th, 1865 as the war drew to a close. Many preservation efforts have expanded what you can now tour of the battlefield and new monuments have been going within the last few years. As we approach the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Bentonville, I would highly recommend a trip to the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site. Things have improved so much since my first visit to this battlefield in the 1980s!!!!!
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 03:57:06 +0000
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