Each day, the American Battlefield Trust fights to ensure that America’s historic, hallowed ground remains a fixture for this and future generations. Well, that fight — one you constantly carry forward with your abundant support — has resulted in yet another preservation victory: Six acres at the Bentonville Battlefield in Johnston County, N.C.
The Battle of Bentonville began on this day in 1865 and lasted three days, going down in history as the largest battle ever fought in the Tarheel State. Furthermore, it functioned as a catalyst that set off the last series of standoffs between Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston’s Army of Tennessee, as Federal forces closed in around the Confederate army.
The six acres you’ve helped us secure were integral to the first day at Bentonville and set the stage for the following two days of fierce fighting at this central North Carolina site. Consisting of two separate parcels of land, the preserved properties witnessed action brought forth by Confederate forces as they launched assaults and maneuvers against Union troops. But regardless of what was thrown against them, the men in blue held their ground and, as the sun set on that first day, fighting resulted in a tactical draw. Ultimately, the tide would turn in the Union’s favor at Bentonville, with war in the Western Theater drawing to a close.
Recognized as a vital part of the battle’s story, the preservation of this acreage drew the support of not only the Trust’s crucial members — like yourself, but also the American Battlefield Protection Program. With an army this size to drive our success, the properties have not only been saved, but already transferred to the State of North Carolina for incorporation into Bentonville Battlefield.
And while the Trust has successfully saved more than 1,860 acres at this site, our work is still not done. Currently, we are working to preserve an additional seven acres at Bentonville — land that will bring us ever-closer to finishing the preservation of the First Day’s Battle, and a task that will require the continued support of our unwavering army of preservation champions.
All my thanks,
David N. Duncan, President ABT