Research Guides: Battle Studies, Country Studies, &amp; Staff Rides: Civil War: Bentonville

Bentonville

The Battle of Bentonville was the last full-scale action of the Civil War and the largest ever fought in North Carolina. Bentonville was the only major attempt to defeat the Union army as it marched through the Carolinas, led by General William T. Sherman.

Resources

Bentonville Battlefield
This North Carolina's historic landmarks website contains maps, the order of battle, chronology and synopsis of the Battle of Bentonville. The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, was the last full-scale action of the Civil War in which a Confederate army was able to mount a tactical offensive.
The Staff Ride (CMH Pub 70-21)
A history of the staff ride with an outline explaining how to organize and lead a staff ride at any level. By William Glenn Robertson. Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington DC, 1987.

Bentonville by Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes
Call Number: E477.7 .H84 1996
ISBN: 9780807857847
The battle of Bentonville, the only major Civil War battle fought in North Carolina, was the Confederacy's last attempt to stop the devastating march of William Tecumseh Sherman's army north through the Carolinas. Despite their numerical disadvantage, General Joseph E. Johnston's Confederate forces successfully ambushed one wing of Sherman's army on March 19, 1865 but were soon repulsed. For the Confederates, it was a heroic but futile effort to delay the inevitable: within a month, both Richmond and Raleigh had fallen, and Lee had surrendered.
Moore's Historical Guide to the Battle of Bentonville by Moore, Mark A.
Call Number: 973.738 MOORE
Available at Camp Lejeune & Camp Johnson libraries.
Guide to the field where Sherman and Johnston fought their final battle, with detailed route and battle maps.
The Role of Union Logistics in the Carolina Campaign of 1865 by Maj. Johnny Sokolosky, USA
Call Number: Available online - click on title for access

Documenting the American South: Battle of Bentonville
Links are to personal narratives and sketches by soldiers in the battle. From the digital collection at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
North Carolina Civil War Image Portfolio
Prints and photographs from the North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies
The 128 volumes of the Official Records provide the most comprehensive, authoritative, and voluminous reference on Civil War operations.

Battle of Bentonville: 1st Position, March 19, 1865
from the Library of Congress Map Collection.
Battle of Bentonville, circa 1891-1895
Users can compare a historic battle map with a current map or satellite image. North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

	Hours of Operation	Contact Us	Social Media
	Current Hours	Circulation Desk: (703) 784-4409	Twitter
		Reference Desk: (703) 784-4411	Facebook
		FDLP Library

This is an official U.S. Marine Corps website \| Library of the Marine Corps \| 2040 Broadway Street \| Quantico, Virginia 22134 \| 703.784.4409 Marine Corps Social Media / Accessibility / FOIA / No Fear Act / Marines.mil / MCB Quantico / USA.gov