The End Of The Carolinia Fighting

The Battle of Bentonville a part of the Carolinians Campaign was fought March 19^th through 21^st 1865 near Four Oaks, North Carolina.

Union General William T Sherman split his army into two wings, with the right wing commanded by Major General Oliver O Howard, and the left wing under Major General Henry W Slocum.  Slocum’s men ran across entrenched troops belonging to Confederate General Joseph E Johnston army at Bentonville, North Carolina.

In the late afternoon of March 19^th 1865 the Confederates attacked the XIV Corps, routing two divisions.  It was only through counterattacks and hard fighting south of the Goldsborough Road that the Confederate offensive was slowed. Parts of the XX Corps entered the fight as they arrived on the field.  The fighting ended with coming darkness, and after the Confederates had made five assaults without dislodging the Union men.  Johnston reformed his line during the night into a “V” placing Mill Creek in his rear.

Sherman sent in reinforcements on March 20^th 1865.  He expected that Johnston would withdraw his troops, but everyone held their position with some minor skirmishing.

Union Major General Joseph A Mower took his Division on March 21^st 1865 down a narrow road into Johnson’s rear and made an attack.  The Confederates were able to drive off Mower’s men, and Mower rejoined the rest of Sherman’s men.  Johnston withdrew from the field during the night.  The casualties reported were 3,092 on the Confederate side and 1,646 for the Union troops.