Newspapers / Wayne Community College Student … / May 20, 1992, edition 1 / Page 8
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8 WCC CAMPUS VOICE- MAY 20,1992 Bentonville—site for learning By CHRIS REICIMRT Members of Rosalyn Lonax''s English 271 class took a -field trip to Bentonv i11e Battleground on February 27, 1992. The trip showed students some of the history of the Civil Ular by relating it to the 1i terature of the t Hme . Students saw a film about the history of Bentonville; then some students gave oral presentations about Civil Uar authors Ual t Ulh i tman and Herman Melville, their lives and works. The battleground, located in Johnston County, is the site of the largest Civil Uar battle fought in North Carol i na. The Battle of Bentonville, occurring from March 19 until March 21, 1865, also was the last major battle of the Civil Uar . Un ion General Ulilliam T. Sherman, returning from his infamous "march to the sea,” advanced north through South Carolina to meet General Ulysses S. Grant in \<>irginia. Although he had encountered minor sk i rm i shes throughou t the South, Sherman did not meet with any cornsiderable Confed erate opposition as he continued northward through the battle-torn South. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston was ordered to unite widely scattered soldiers in North Carolina in an attempt to prevent ENG 271 students stind in front of the Harper House which they toured as part of their field trip in winter quarter. PHOTOs Chris Reichart Sherman from meeting Grant in Virginia. Johnston, whose army of 20,000 men was less than half the size of Sherman's, realized that he would have to wait until Sherman''s army split into 2 groups before attack i ng. Johnston seized his opportunity when bad road conditions forced Sherman's army into two wings of 30,000 each. On March 18, 1865, Johnston learned that Sherman'^s 2 armies had been separated by a half-day's march, so he set up his for a surprise attack near the V i11 age of Bentonv i11e. Monument at Bentonville Battlefield cornnemorates contributions of North Carolinians during the Civil War. PHOTO: Martin Cox V- .I-’** Students saw Union trenches wh PHOTO: Chris Reichart ile on their field trip. The next day, on March 19, one half of the Union army fell into Johnston's trap. At first, the Confederates were successful, overrunning large numbers of Union troops. As the battle progressed, however, the Union forces managed to hold their lines, forcing Johnston's army back to their original pos i t i ons. On Marcn 20, Sherman's right wing arrived, putting an end to any Confederate hope of victory. The battle raged on for two days, however, until the outnumbered Confederate army was forced to retreat towards Smithfield. Instead of following the battered Confeder ates, Sherman led his »rmy into Goldsboro for food and suppiies. On Apr i1 26 Johnston surrendered to Sherman near Durham, ending the fighting in the Carol Inas- *-^i si tors to the battleground today can tour Harper House, a farmhouse formerly (wned by ^John and Amy Harper and used as a field hospital during the Civil Uar. The visitors center contains several static Contlnu6d on next psge
Wayne Community College Student Newspaper
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May 20, 1992, edition 1
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