March 19, 1865---The Battle of Bentonville (Day One)

MARCH 19, 1865:     

The Battle of Bentonville       (Day One):    

The United States’ Army of Georgia moves inexorably toward Goldsboro, North Carolina. Bloodied in the Battle of Averasboro, the Army of Georgia is about to meet its greatest challenge. General Joseph E. Johnston C.S.A. is going to go for broke in an attempt to stall the Union advance. He throws his full 22,000-man force against Sherman’s left wing. 

The Union is lulled into a false sense of security when Johnston’s units take up a blocking position south of the Neuse River. Having the river at his back limits Joe Johnston’s maneuverability, or so Sherman believes. 

Thinking that they have encountered only an advance guard, the endless blue line halts and emplaces, by and large using natural features in the landscape as defensive positions rather than formally entrenching and building breastworks. Clearly, they expect to be on their way rapidly. 

This expectation is crushed, and so is the Union’s defensive line, when a massed Confederate attack occurs around 3:00 P.M.. Quickly exploiting the weaknesses in the Union line, the Confederates manage to send them reeling back in confusion. As the Federals withdraw, additional Confederate forces on their flank open up a withering enfilade fire. Only the arrival of Union reserves prevents a rout. Under heavy close-range fire, the Union entrenches, succeeding in throwing back five furious Confederate charges. The weight of sheer numbers tells. As darkness falls, the two sides remain in place. 

 . . . It looked like a picture and at our distance was truly beautiful . . . But it was a painful sight to see how close their battle flags were together, regiments being scarcely larger than companies and a division not much larger than a regiment should be. 

--- Col. Charles W. Broadfoot, 1st North Carolina Junior Reserves.