Calamity in Carolina: The Battles of Averasboro and Bentonville, March 1865

By Daniel Davis and Phillip Greenwalt

Robert E. Lee gave Joseph E. Johnston an impossible task.

Federal armies under Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman had rampaged through Georgia on their “March to the Sea” and now were cutting a swath of destruction as they marched north from Savannah through the Carolinas. Locked in a desperate defense of Richmond and Petersburg, there was little Lee could do to stem Sherman’s tide—so he turned to Johnston.

The one-time hero of Manassas had squabbled for years with Confederate President Jefferson Davis, eventually leading to his removal during the Atlanta Campaign. The disgraced Johnston had fallen far.

Yet Lee saw his old friend and professional rival as the only man who could stop Sherman—the only man who could achieve the impossible. “J.E. Johnston is the only officer whom I know who has the confidence of the army,” Lee told Davis.

Back in command, Johnston would have to assemble a makeshift force—including the shattered remnants of the once-vaunted Army of Tennessee—then somehow stop the Federal juggernaut. He would thus set out to achieve something that had ever eluded Lee: deal a devastating blow to an isolated Union force. Success could potentially prolong the most tragic chapter in American history, adding thousands more to a list of casualties that was already unbearable to read.

Historians Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt, co-authors of Bloody Autumn: The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864 and Hurricane from the Heavens: The Battle of Cold Harbor, now turn their considered gaze toward the long-forgotten battles of Averasboro and Bentonville. Written in the accessible style that has become the hallmark of the Emerging Civil War Series, Calamity in Carolina: The Battles of Averasboro and Bentonville includes more than a hundred illustrations, new maps, and thought-provoking analysis to tell the story of the last great battles of the war in the West.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Savas Beatie
• Release date: Mar 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781611212242

Daniel Davis

A former historian at Appomattox Court House National Historic Site and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Daniel T. Davis is a co-managing editor of Emerging Civil War (www.emergingcivilwar.com). He has co-authored six books in the Emerging Civil War Series and has also authored and co-authored articles in Blue & Gray, Civil War Times, and Hallowed Ground.

Book preview

THE BATTLES OF AVERASBORO AND BENTONVILLE, MARCH 1865

By Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt

Chris Mackowski, series editor

Daniel T. Davis, chief historian

Also part of the Emerging Civil War Series:

The Aftermath of Battle: The Burial of the Civil War Dead by Meg Thompson

Bloody Autumn: The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864 by Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt

Bushwhacking on a Grand Scale: The Battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 18-20, 1863 by William Lee White

Dawn of Victory: Breakthrough at Petersburg, March 25-April 2, 1865 by Edward S. Alexander

Fight Like the Devil: The First Day at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863 by Chris Mackowski and Daniel T. Davis

Grant’s Last Battle: The Story Behind the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Chris Mackowski

Hurricane from the Heavens: The Battle of Cold Harbor, May 26-June 5, 1864 by Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt

The Last Days of Stonewall Jackson: The Mortal Wounding of the Confederacy’s Greatest Icon by Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White

No Turning Back: A Guide to the 1864 Overland Campaign by Robert M. Dunkerly, Donald C. Pfanz, and David R. Ruth

A Season of Slaughter: The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, May 8-21, 1864 by Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White

Simply Murder: The Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862 by Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White

Strike Them a Blow: Battles Along the North Anna, May 21-25, 1864 by Chris Mackowski

That Furious Struggle: Chancellorsville and the High Tide of the Confederacy, May 1-5, 1863 by Chris Mackowski and Kristopher D. White

To the Bitter End: Appomattox, Bennett Place, and the Surrenders of the Confederacy by Robert M. Dunkerly

THE BATTLES OF AVERASBORO AND BENTONVILLE, MARCH 1865

By Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt

Savas Beatie

California

© 2015 by Daniel T. Davis and Phillip S. Greenwalt

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN-13: 978-1-61121-245-7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014958714

First edition, first printing

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DAN: For my grandfather, the first Daniel T. Davis

RMC US Navy

World War II

Korea

Nov. 2, 1918—Mar. 11, 1982

PHILL: For my sister and brother, Adrienne and Patrick

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

FOREWORD by Mark A. Moore

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE: War is All Hell

CHAPTER TWO: Uncle Billy and His Armies

CHAPTER THREE: The Last Rally of the Western Confederates

CHAPTER FOUR: The Battle of Averasboro

CHAPTER FIVE: Marching to Battle

CHAPTER SIX: Bentonville Opens

CHAPTER SEVEN: Johnston’s Grand Assault

CHAPTER EIGHT: Reinforcements on the Road

CHAPTER NINE: Sherman Arrives

CHAPTER TEN: The Armies Skirmish

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Reconnaissance in Force

CHAPTER TWELVE: The Battle Ends

DRIVING TOUR #1: Averasboro

DRIVING TOUR #2: Bentonsville

APPENDIX A: Sherman’s March: The Impact on Georgia and the Carolinas

by Ashley Webb

APPENDIX B: Mower’s Attack: Yards Short of Total Victory

by Robert M. Dunkerly

APPENDIX C: The Swamp Lizard: The Military Career of Joseph Anthony Mower by Daniel T. Davis

APPENDIX D: The Road to Bennett Place

by Chris Mackowski

APPENDIX E: Sherman and Johnston: Foes in War, Friends in Peace

by Phillip S. Greenwalt

APPENDIX F: Preserving the Bentonville Battlefeld

by Donny Taylor

ORDER OF BATTLE

SUGGESTED READING

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Maps by Hal Jespersen

Carolinas Campaign: February to April 1865

Battle of Averasboro, March 16, 1865

Approaches to Bentonville

Army of Tennessee Attack, March 19, 1865

Battle of Bentonville, March 20, 1865

Mower’s Assault, March 21, 1865

Averasboro Driving Tour

Bentonville Driving Tour

A reconstructed cabin that once stood on the grounds of the Lebanon Plantation at Averasboro now stands in the Chicora Cemetery. (kb)

A Confederate grave at Chicora Cemetery. (dd)

Many individuals assisted us in bringing this work to publication, not the least of which is the editor of the Emerging Civil War Series, Chris Mackowski. Chris is a great friend, and his guidance has helped us grow as historians and writers. He also contributed an appendix to this work. Kristopher D. White, emeritus editor and cofounder of the Emerging Civil War blog, has also been instrumental in our careers.

We are blessed to work with a great group of historians at the Emerging Civil War. Christopher L. Kolakowski graciously took time away from his busy schedule to review the manuscript. Ashley Webb wrote a wonderful appendix on the impact on civilians of Sherman’s maneuvers. Derek Maxfield loaned us a picture of Sherman’s HQ in Savannah. Eric J. Wittenberg, an authority on Civil War cavalry operations, provided excellent insight on some intricate pieces related to Averasboro and Bentonville. Eric also provided an introduction to Wade Sokolosky, an authority on Civil War North Carolina. Like Eric, Wade was a patient sounding board. Similarly, Rob Orrison introduced us to Donny Taylor, the Historic Site Supervisor at Bentonville. Donny took time away from preparing for the Sesquicentennial to contribute a critical appendix on the preservation efforts at Bentonville. Always a joy to work with is Bert Dunkerly. He pried himself away from To the Bitter End to write an appendix on a key aspect of the battle of Bentonville.

Derrick Brown and Amanda Bentley, also of Bentonville, helped us with identifying battle sketches. Derrick was also kind enough to act as a guide to the Army of Tennessee earthworks. David Hall gave an excellent tour of the Harper house.

The redoubtable John Coski of the Museum of the Confederacy sent us a copy of one of his ancestor’s letters who fought at Bentonville.

Mark A. Moore, who helped bring the battles of Averasboro and Bentonville to life through his beautiful maps, wrote a superb foreword.

We would also be remiss if we didn’t express a deep debt of gratitude to Theodore Savas and Sarah Keeney of Savas Beatie, LLC. Once again, they have helped bring one of our manuscripts to fruition. The incomparable Hal Jespersen worked with us to build a superb set of maps.

A monument to Federal units that fought at Bentonville sits on the battlefeld. (dd)

DAN: My beautiful wife Katy continues to be my foundation for all that I do. She accompanied me on battlefield trips to Averasboro and Bentonville. I cherish every moment with her. Also joining us were my brother, Matt, and his fiancée, Candice. Katy and I wish them all the best as they embark in a new life together. To my parents, Tommy and Kathy Davis, who instilled in me at an early age a love for the Civil War. What’s the idea, Porter?! Lastly, to all of my family and friends, I can’t thank you enough for your ongoing support.

PHILL: To my soul mate, best friend, travel partner, and battlefield companion, my wife Adel. She has made me a greater person, and her continued support, not to mention her willingness to allow me to turn a drive back from a vacation into a research trip to Averasboro and Bentonville just shows how lucky I am. To my parents, Stephen and Melanie, who fostered from an early age my interest in American history and continue to provide support and accompaniment on many a battlefield visit. To all the friends and family, too numerous to count, who have provided an encouraging word, support, or just checked in to see how the project was coming along—thank you!

Theodore P. Savas, publisher

Chris Mackowski, series editor

Daniel T. Davis, chief historian

Sarah Keeney, editorial consultant

Kristopher D. White, emeritus editor and co-founder

Maps by Hal Jespersen

Design and layout by Chris Mackowski

PHOTO CREDITS:

Gene Adcock (ga) Battles & Leaders (b&l) Katherine Bowen (kb) Daniel Davis (dd) Matthew Davis/Candice Coleman (md/cc) Phillip Greenwalt (pg) Harper’s Weekly (hw) Library of Congress (loc) Chris Mackowski (cm) Derek Maxfield (dm) North Carolina Division of Archives and History (ncdah)

Confederate graves stand near the Bentonville Battlefield Visitor Center. (cm)

BY MARK A. MOORE

Civil War military campaigns, especially those involving large armies that traveled hundreds of miles to achieve their objectives, were complex events that are difficult to fully understand without in-depth study.

For historians, from the most erudite academicians to knowledgeable researchers of every stripe, such campaigns offer seemingly endless avenues of study. From civilian politicians who influenced the course of military actions to the common soldiers who served and died to achieve political objectives, the elements that build the larger narrative are multifaceted. Ideology, command structure, leadership, conflicting personalities, social interaction, logistics, morale, geography, weather, and good or ill fortune—all of these aspects had a direct impact on the course of military events. Historians can spend years studying a single campaign, gaining a wealth of knowledge in the process, while still not being able to answer every question that arises from their research. Imparting the knowledge gained, in writing, is a challenge at any level.

Where does the general reader begin? There are many overview studies of the war. But what if a casual reader is interested in a specific campaign or battle? Does the reader dive right in to the existing scholarship? In many cases, the answer is yes—because for certain battles and campaigns, that is all that is available with any degree of accuracy. If general readers are interested in anything beyond Gettysburg or the larger battles and campaigns, their options diminish as they look for knowledgeable overviews of other aspects of the war.

A number of Confederate soldiers who died at Bentonville are buried in a cemetery adjacent to the battlefield visitor center. (dd)

The Emerging Civil War series seeks to address this deficiency by offering an introductory bridge between the reader’s interest and the deeper scholarship available. The series paints in broad strokes while striving to offer enough detail and insight to foster understanding, to stoke the interest of readers, and steer them toward deeper knowledge.

With Calamity in Carolina, authors Daniel Davis and Phillip Greenwalt tackle the final days of the Civil War in North Carolina, and the last big battles between the armies of William T. Sherman and Joseph E. Johnston—an epic and poignant campaign. The Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, was on the verge of collapse and a junction of the armies of Johnston and Robert E. Lee seemed all but probable as Sherman tightened the noose in North Carolina.

In addition to the history of events that occurred 150 years ago, the authors provide information on places to visit and driving tours to help readers connect the past with the public history facilities that currently interpret it. Further context is offered through a series of informative sidebars. Appendices provide analysis of the effect of Sherman’s March on civilians; Mower’s Charge and Hardee’s counterattack; Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Mower; the eventual surrender at Bennett Place; the postwar friendship between Sherman and Johnston; and the all-important preservation of the battlefield at Bentonville. Lastly, a useful suggested reading section provides readers with a list