From the Trenches BY DERRICK BROWN, ASSISTANT MANAGER

From the Trenches BENTONVILLE BATTLEFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE News from North Carolina’s Premier Civil War Battlefield Site and the Friends of Benton...
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From the Trenches BENTONVILLE BATTLEFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE

News from North Carolina’s Premier Civil War Battlefield Site and the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield.

Volume VI, Issue III

The three regiments of Bvt. Brig. Gen. George P. Buell’s Union brigade seemed poised to break through the unfortified lines on the right of the Army of Tennessee during the early afternoon of March 19, 1865. After all, the small Confederate brigades in their front had been forbidden to entrench, and thus threatened to give way to Buell’s attack. But, as the Federals approached to within fifty yards, a timely Confederate volley stopped the advance of the 21st Michigan and 69th Ohio. Yet the 13th Michigan pushed on, continuing the advance another twenty-five yards, causing the anxious Arkansans in Govan’s Brigade to flee. Just as the blue-coats were about to exploit this gap in the Army of Tennessee’s lines, a well-aimed shot struck the 13th Michigan’s com- Maj. Willard G. Eaton was killed at mander, Major Willard Eaton. Watching their beloved Bentonville on March 19, 1865. commander fall sent the 13th Michigan reeling back across the Cole Plantation with the remainder of Buell’s brigade in tow. Their fighting spirit had little time to recover when just two hours later the once stalwart 13th ran again to escape the “last grand charge of the Army of Tennessee.” It is no wonder that Eaton’s death affected his men so greatly, as he had been with them since the regiment’s organization at Kalamazoo in January 1862. Already forty, then Lieutenant Eaton left his two daughters in the care of their stepmother, his third wife Betty. Eaton was born near Rochester, New York in 1821, and had migrated to Otsego, Michigan in 1843 with his first wife Vesta. After Vesta’s death, presumably due to complications from the birth of their daughter Vesta Marie, Eaton married Ester Chichester. Ester too would pass in the next decade but Eaton did not have to look too far for a new spouse, as he soon married Betty, Ester’s sister who was already living with the Eatons. The 900 strong 13th Michigan arrived in Tennessee just in time to participate in the second day of the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862, the first of a long series of major battles in the Western Theater that the 13th Michigan experienced. Though active during the Iuka, Corinth, and Perryville Campaigns, it was at the Battle of Stones River on the last day of 1862 that the 13th Michigan received its true baptism by fire, losing nearly a third of its strength as casualties. Worse still was Chickamauga in September of 1863, where the 13th lost nearly half its number in the bloody fight near Lee and Gordon’s Mills. (Continued on page 2)

Summer 2016 Amanda Brantley , Editor

Inside this Issue Manager’s Message Page 3 Friends of Bentonville Pages 4 & 5 Meet the Interns Pages 6 & 7 152nd Anniversary Page 8

WILLARD EATON AND THE 13TH MICHIGAN BY DERRICK BROWN, ASSISTANT MANAGER

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Volume VI, Issue III

EATON, CONT’D It was at Chickamauga that newly promoted Major Eaton was forced into command of the 13th Michigan for the first time when Colonel Joshua Culver was wounded on September 19 by a Confederate artillery shell. Though Culver would recover in time to remain titular head of the unit, he would often be given brigade and garrison commands leaving day-to-day command with Eaton. This arrangement continued for the 13th until the last few months of the war. Unfortunately, a promotion would not come with Eaton’s new responsibilities until it was too late. Perhaps because of the regiment’s diminished size, the 13th was funneled into an engineer brigade after the battles around Chattanooga in late 1863. Early the next year, Eaton and his men were sent back to Michigan where most of the now veterans reenlisted. They were also reinforced by over 400 new recruits bringing the regiment back to a respectable 600 men when the 13th joined Major General William T. Sherman’s armies for their “March to the Sea” and the subsequent Carolinas Campaign. Eaton himself was eligible for discharge in January 1865 but the Major was still commanding the 13th when they arrived at Bentonville on March 19, 1865. As part of Buell’s XIV Corps brigade, the Michiganders were ordered across the Willis Cole Plantation, shortly after noon, in a probing assault on what was supposed to be a small Confederate cavalry force concealed in a line of trees. Unfortunately for Buell, and more so for his men, the section of woods they attacked was actually manned by battle hardened veterans from the Army of Tennessee. Despite this, the 13th Michigan was able to advance to within twenty-five yards of the Confederate lines, with Eaton leading from the front the entire way. As he was encouraging his men to advance rounds from a Confederate volley struck Eaton and the regimental color bearer. Though the color bearer was only wounded, Eaton was shot through the forehead, dying instantly. Witnessing Eaton’s death immediately halted the 13th’s advance, instead sending them into a precipitous retreat that was quickly followed by the 21st Michigan and 69th Ohio. The brigade was able to take temporary cover in a small ravine before again being sent fleeing from the Army of Tennessee. In the action on March 19, the 13th Michigan alone took over 100 casualties, nearly twenty percent of its effective strength. After reoccupying the areas abandoned in the eventual Confederate retreat members of the regiment eventually found the body of Eaton. He had been stripped of his clothing down Left: Eaton’s original battlefield grave marker. (Property of the 13th Michigan Memorial Association.) to his underwear by Confederates Right: Eaton’s grave in Ostego, Michigan. His headstone lists all the battles where he saw action. and was buried in a shallow mass grave with seven of his men. This was the first of at least three resting places for the now Colonel Eaton’s remains, as sadly his promotion regimental Colonel arrived just shortly after his death. Because of their affection for Eaton, his men took pains to mark his new grave with a box lid, carving his name, and marking the spot. Remarkably, veterans from the 13th, now calling themselves “the Eaton Society,” traveled to Bentonville in 1866 and were able to reinter Eaton to Mountain Home Cemetery in his hometown of Otsego, Michigan. The legacy of the Eaton society is now perpetuated by the 13th Michigan Memorial Association. Members of which recently toured Bentonville Battlefield, venturing near the exact site of Eaton’s death. A huge thank you is owed to the Society for sharing their collections with Bentonville Battlefield, such as diaries and photos. Amongst their extensive collections is amazingly the original box lid which was used as Eaton’s original grave marker on the battlefield.

From the Trenches

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Manager’s Message BY DONNY TAYLOR, SITE MANAGER

This summer, the staff and volunteers have worked to provide quality services to our visitors in all kinds of weather conditions. We have worked through a very warm and dry time early in the summer followed by many days of extremely wet weather, which soon changed to the oppressive heat of late July. All this was accomplished with their normal attention to detail, historical interpretation, and flexibility to tell the story of Bentonville Battlefield. We are still working to get our walking trail open to the public. All the interpretive panels, brigade markers, directional signage, and material for bridges are on site. The directional signage and five benches on the Bentonville Battlefield History Trail adjacent to the Visitor Center should be installed by the end of August by Kenden Godwin, to obtain his Eagle Scout rank. Shortly thereafter, Austin Larner will install five more benches on the Cole Plantation Loop. The Craft Services section of Historic Sites will construct two bridges, one over a low wet area, and one over the Army of Tennessee trenches along the trail. Steps leading from the Cole Plantation parking area down to the trail will also be added. The final phase will include removing any roots and trip hazards from the trail prior to the public opening. This has been a long project but the end is now in site, giving us a true outdoor classroom for the public. A huge thank you goes to the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield and the Johnston County Convention and Visitors Bureau for funding a matching grant to make these walking trails possible. June 11, 2016 was the first of our annual Summer Living History programs. We had three of our regular living history organizations participating, the 1st/11th North Carolina Troops portraying the Confederates and the 18th North Carolina Troops/9th New Jersey as the Federal component for the infantry demonstrations. As usual, the artillery gets everyone’s attention due all the noise. The expert crew of Andrews Battery manned the cannon for the program. Thanks to all the volunteers from these units and the FoBB that helped make this program both possible and successful. Infantry demonstration from the June 11, “Day in the Life of a Civil War Soldier” Program. This was the last program before the end of our fiscal year and was a boost to the visitation to exceed our goal of 43,000. We ended the fiscal year with 49,052 visitors, record attendance for a year that did not include a battle reenactment. Don’t forget to visit us at the three remaining living history programs in 2016 or any time during the week, Tuesday – Saturday 9-5. Also consider becoming a volunteer at Bentonville Battlefield or a member of the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield, Inc.

Volume VI, Issue III

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From the President BY DEAN HARRY, PRESIDENT FOBB

When the Civil War ended in 1865, Southern soldiers returned to a region physically devastated by four years of war. With a military age population numbering around 100,000 men, North Carolina alone lost around 35,000 soldiers killed fighting for the Confederacy and another 2,000 fighting for the Union. Tens of thousands more suffered from debilitating wounds, amputations and what we now know as post-traumatic stress disorder. Property was lost, wives were widowed, children were orphaned and southerners were faced with the reality that for them, life would never be the same. For returning northern soldiers, life was little better. Expecting to be hailed as conquering heroes by a grateful nation, Union soldiers quickly learned that northerners were anxious to forget the war and the men who fought it. After four years of war, Northern veterans had difficulty adjusting to civilian life and found employers reluctant to hire them. Suffering from the same physical and mental health problems as their southern counterparts, many Northern veterans turned to alcohol or narcotics to deal with the stress of a now unfamiliar civilian life. Pensions were meager and hard to come by, yet those who had not fought the war grew to resent the veterans who received them. Battlefield preservation and interpretation was, understandably, not a high priority for a nation struggling to redefine itself in the aftermath of total war. To a large extent, the task of preserving the landscape of war would fall to future generations. We in North Carolina are blessed with numerous Civil War sites. Some are interpreted by little more than a roadside marker, others carefully preserved and extensively interpreted. Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site is the scene of the largest land battle of the Civil War fought in North Carolina. Today the landscape remains much the same as it was when the soldiers and civilians who experienced the battle saw it. For the past five years, the goal of the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield has been to assist the current stewards of the battlefield, the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, which carries the responsibility of restoring, rehabilitating, interpreting, and maintaining the landscape. Together we bear the responsibility of helping others understand the importance of what happened here in 1865 and what it means to us today. Since the Friends first meeting in December of 2011, our members have given of their time, talents, and money to help insure that our generation, and those to come, will be able to visit Bentonville, to see it as the soldiers saw it and to understand how the 1865 battle helped to hasten the end of the bloodiest period of American history. Working closely with the Site staff members, we have hosted a symposium on the Civil War in North Carolina, hospital and civilian experience programs, the sesquicentennial re-enactment, numerous workdays, and most recently a member appreciation luncheon featuring noted Civil War authors Mark Bradley and Wade Sokolosky. For the past five years the Friends have provided Battlefield Guides for both military staff rides and civilian tours as well as providing in depth leadership programs developed for military and business groups. We have funded summer interns, provided needed Dr. Mark Bradley speaks during Member Appreciation Day. operational money and purchased fence rails,

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From the Trenches

From the President, Cont’d brigade and interpretive markers for the site. While we have accomplished much in the five short years since that first meeting, we are just getting started. Our future plans include hosting a symposium in 2018 and, before we know it, it will be time to begin work on the 155th Anniversary Re-enactment. All this has been made possible through the efforts of our dedicated members, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them, the staff of Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for their dedication and support. Please join with us and help preserve the history that was made here in North Carolina. Become a member today.

Win a Henry Rifle Tickets only $10.00! Valued at over $2,000. Collectors edition Henry Rifle Manufactured by A. Uberti. engraved and sold by America Remembers. N0. 270 of 300 produced.

Drawing to take Place March 19, 2017 during Bentonville’s 152nd Anniversary Commemoration. You do not have to be present to win. All proceeds Benefit the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield, Inc.

Become a member of the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield, Inc. The FOBB is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Friends members receive the quarterly newsletter, membership lapel pin, gift shop discount, and invitation to member-only events and activities. Memberships start at only $15.00 per year. For more information or to join, visit www.fobb.net/membership

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Volume VI, Issue III

Meet the Interns Nicholas Teder YAIO Intern Greetings! My name is Nicholas Teder, and I am an intern at Bentonville Battlefield for the summer of 2016. I hail from Cary, North Carolina, and am a rising junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am double majoring in History and Peace, War, and Defense with a minor in Dramatic Art. I am hoping to enroll in the Masters in Arts of Teaching Program to receive my Master’s Degree in the School of Education in one year, as well as receiving my licensure to teach Nick is a rising Junior at UNC-Chapel Hill. Secondary Social Studies in the state of North Carolina. I received an internship through the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office (YAIO) of North Carolina which placed me at Bentonville Battlefield. The YAIO internships are competitive with about ninety students selected out of the 476 applicants, so I am very grateful to have this opportunity. During my time at Bentonville, I had wonderful experiences with the staff, who helped me understand and learn about the battle, and the public, who allowed me to teach them some more history. Half of my time was spent on visitor services, which included answering questions or giving guided tours of the Harper House. Leading guided tours granted me a great opportunity to help decide how to disseminate information to different groups, a skill which I hope to master as a teacher. The other half of my time here at Bentonville was spent working on two different projects. The first project I began working on was creating baskets filled with “touch” items that school groups, can feel and/or smell during the guided tours. We are currently still coordinating and seeking different items for these baskets. My second task was to create a Teacher Institute for educators to come to Bentonville to receive continuing education credit. We have created a brochure, a flyer, and a PowerPoint for the program itself and are now coordinating with several county school boards in the area to spread the word about this tremendous program we have to offer. I am very grateful for these great lessons Bentonville Battlefield has taught me and will truly miss giving tours and the staff, but am hopeful the lessons I learned here will continue into in my career.

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From the Trenches

Meet the Interns Kenly Stewart Buck Dunn Intern Howdy folks my name is Kenly Stewart and it has been my privilege to be the Buck Dunn Intern for the summer of 2016. I was born and raised in Autryville, NC and I am now a rising senior at Campbell University. (Roll Humps !!) Becoming an intern and working at Bentonville Battlefield, is really a dream come true for me. I have been a student of the American Civil War since I was a little fella, and Bentonville is the first battlefield I remember visiting. My mother took me to my first reenactment at Bentonville when I was ten and I have not missed a reenactment since. It was at Bentonville that history came alive for me for the first time, and that experience started me on the path that led me Kenly will begin his Senior year at Campbell University in August. to become a history major in college. My main job as the Buck Dunn intern involved scanning and organizing Dr. Mark Bradley’s research files used to write the definitive book, Last Stand in the Carolinas: The Battle of Bentonville. The part of the internship I enjoyed the most however, was giving tours of the Harper House and talking about the battlefield with the public. At Campbell, I am a history major with a minor in religion. Besides academics I am involved in a variety of extracurricular activities including Vice President of the Campbell University History Club and being Risk Management Chair for the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. I also have the honor of being a member of the history honors society Phi Alpha Theta, and being on the Dean/President list the past three years. Besides these activities I also work for Campbell as a resident assistant, helping manage dormitories and apartments. This fall I am very excited about starting a new job working for the Study Abroad department helping conduct research and planning for programs. Though it will be a bittersweet moment when my internship ends, I am looking forward to starting school in the fall and beginning a new chapter. Bentonville and the awesome staff, both past and present, inspired me when I was kid and have continued to inspire me this summer. In closing I really want to thank all the members of Bentonville’s staff for their friendship and mentorship this summer, and their continued dedication to telling the story of the Harper Family and the Battle of Bentonville.

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From the Trenches

March 18-19, 2017 Bentonville Battlefield Teacher Institute

This two-day course will give teachers the opportunity to experience all Bentonville has to offer for educators. Classroom resources, field trip activities and more all while earning Continuing Education Credit!

Coming June 2017

Scene of the last major Confederate offensive of the Civil War

BENTONVILLE BATTLEFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE 5466 Harper House Rd Four Oaks, NC 27524 Phone: 910-594-0789 Fax: 910-594-0070 E-mail: [email protected] Site Hours Tuesday through Saturday 9 am–5 pm Closed Sundays and Mondays Call for Holiday Schedule Admission is FREE Site Staff Donny Taylor, Site Manager Derrick Brown, Assistant Site Manager Amanda Brantley, Programs Coordinator Chad Jefferds, Historic Interpreter Jeff Fritzinger, Maintenance Mechanic

Websites www.nchistoricsites.org /bentonvi/bentonvi.htm

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. This major battle, the largest ever fought in North Carolina, was the only significant attempt to defeat the large Union army of Gen. William T. Sherman during its march through the Carolinas in the spring of 1865. Today, visitors can take a self-guided driving tour of the preserved battlefield and view four wayside exhibit areas, follow a short walking trail to view original trenches from the battle, and visit the Harper family cemetery and monument area. The Visitor Center contains exhibits and a brief orientation film. Guided tours of the c. 1855 Harper House, a Union field hospital, are available on the hour beginning at 10:00 a.m. with the last tour at 4:00 p.m.

Upcoming Special Events August 27, 2016 Life on Campaign Summer Artillery Program Hear the roar of cannon fire! Starr’s Battery will show how artillery regiments loaded and fired during the Civil War. Infantry displays by the 27th NC Co. D will showcase a common soldier’s daily life. Demonstrations will occur throughout the day. 10:00-4:00.

October 22, 2016 Fall Festival and Living History Bring the family and celebrate fall at Bentonville Battlefield! Activities include hayrides, carnival games based on 19th century games, corn shucking contest, townball (19th century baseball), and more! “Johnny has Gone for a Soldier: The Southern Home-front During the First Years of the Civil War” Visitors to Bentonville will learn about 19th century farm life, and the

chores that women and children were suddenly responsible to perform. Demonstrations include open hearth cooking, children’s games, spinning, sewing, and more. 10:00- 4:00

December 3, 2016

“A Civil War Christmas” Holiday Open House Come celebrate a Civil War Christmas during this Holiday open house event. Costumed interpreters will decorate the kitchen in festive themes using natural materials such as holly, magnolia, fruits, & popcorn strands. Visitors can enjoy cookies and cider while listening to period music. Costumed military interpreters will be available to discuss how the common soldier spent his time on furlough with friends and family. 10:00- 4:00