The National tribune., 1893-04-06
FIGHTING THEM OVER.
What Our Veterans Have to Say About
Their Old Campaigns
OUR LAST BATTLE.

OUR LAST BATTLE.
Address of Col. Lee on the Anniversary OF
tho Fight at BentonviIie.
The 18th anniversary Of the battle OF Ben
sonyille N. c., was celebrated on March 49, at
Monticello. IL, by the survivors living at that
MACE Articles were read and addresses de-
iiyered s,r Ccmrads Saint. 18th Ind battery !;
f. Lee list ILL.,. DIR. J. W. Coleman, Surgeon
18th Iowa; w. z Smith, Gath Ohio; A. Ill.
WiIdman, Battery I. I'd III. L. A. This WAS the
last battle iouxht BY the armies OF Gems. sher-
man and Johnstca- The following address was
delivered by Z Z. LSe:
Gen. Shermsa's triumphsut army had
marched from Atlanta TO the sea, and was on
t.s way 10 Join the Eastern army under the
command of Gen. u. S. Grant. COMMANDMENTS
Chief Shermsnis army had passed through
South Carolina and was moving through
North Csrolins 10 meet the commands OF Zen.
Schofeld, from Wilmington, and Gen. Terry,
from New Berne. When il reached Fayetteville,
n c.. there was short halt ordered, and boat
came up the Cape Fear River to bring supplies
and TO communicate with Gen. sherman, who
sent the Secretary of War a dispatch. saying:
"wheeler's and Wade HRnpton's cavalry have
been in my front through the Csroiinas, but
have kept at . respectful distance"
There was one more move to make, and IL
this should be q successful one the war must
she Fifteenth snd Seventeenth Corps, CON-
mauded by Gen. O. o. Howard, AMI the Four
fesath and Twentieth Corps, commanded by
Gen, II w. socum, wss permitted TO form a
sanction with Gems. Schsheld and Terry, at
Goldsboro there weuid be at beast 100000 men
who would move up to Richm0nd and unite
with the Army of the Potomac. under Grant
and Meade, and there was no power in the Con-
federscy to meet such army and contend
against it.
To keep the Union Generals from uniting
their armies was the object OF Gems. Lee and
Johnston and for this purpose Gen. johnston
was restored to command aud Gen. Beau
regard WAS sent up from Charleston TO take
command of ali the avaiishfe forces that eouid
be concentrated in North Carolina; to step the
army under Gen. Sherman from making the
junction with Schofeid and Terry, and, if pos
sible to whip il IN detail before the arrival of
the other corps.
The corps to which we belonged (the Seven
teenth) formed a part of the right wing, and
was some 20 miles IRON the lett wing which
was moving towards Avervsboro from Favette-
Vile where K ilpatTicB's cavalry ana JackSen's
and Wards Divisions, of the Twentieth Corps,
found force nnder Gen. Hardee ard drove
them back capturing battery and some 200
prisoners, with loss of $50 In killed aud
wounded
The march was again resumed towards Colds
boro and on the 18th of March, 1865, we could
hear the roar of the guns OF Csriins Divisions
and the other divisions Of the Fourteenth and
Twentieth Corps, as they were f1ercely assaulted
by the combined forces of Joseph Il. Johnston,
Hardee, Bragg, and Besnregard. Ne realized
that the eveutful hour had come, and that ii
we succeeded IN our last grand move on the
chess board of war we must fight for it. We
had unbsunded faith in the ability and bravery
OF the Fourteenth and Twentieth Corps to hold
the enemy in check until we of the Fifteenth
and Seventeenth Corps could arrive, but as
night approached tie roar OF the guns on the
left told us plainly that q desperate struggle
was going on, and we knew that the critical
hour bad cone and was at hand and when we
of the right wing must take part
We stopped long enough TO eat our suppers
when word was received that the left wing
had been attacked by force of 81, 600 under
Johnston, Beaure=srd and Hardye and that
o desperate battle had been fought with our
troops holding the field We received orders
to move Immediately in light marching order,
leaving the wagontraius and baggage. TO be on
hand early on the morning oil the 10th OF
March. to attack the enemy q left. We marched
ali night, wading swarnps and streams, some OF
them up 10 our waists, and by daylight were
ready TO strike the enemy's left, which we did,
and drove them steadily all day back TO the
Neuse River into their works. Here we met
Gems Seliofeld and Terry coming up from
Goldsboro and siege was immediately hneun,
the troops closing up On the Con federate works.
Tire skirmishlipes would charge right up TO
the Confederate werks, 80 determined were
they TO shcw fight.
On the next day Gen. Joe Mower obtained
permission 10 charge the works the right.
De sent his First Brigade in and they captured
the FIRST line of works aud battery o. artillery,
but in sending the other troops forward they
missed che First Brigade. and for want Of
proper support they were driven back with a
loss of 250 in killed and wounded. We engag-
cd the enemy to the left OF Gen. Mower aud
charged them on their line. losing number OF
men, among them cur commanding officer,
Lieut.. William III. Palmer, who was wounded
and had his leg taken of.
There WAS short cessation in the firing after
Gen. Mowers defeat 1t had been raining
most of this time and light earthworks had
been thrown up TO protect the troops in the
front When night came the skirnish-iines
renewed the tight, winch was kent mp until
about four O'Clock a. ~, when there was no
response from the Confederates, and as soon as
day began TO dawB we crawled out OF onr pits
aud made car WY over to the Confederate
works. hut they were deserted. The enemy
hsd retreated during the night. and fell back
Oh Raleigh.
This ended our last battle of the war The
army went cut to Goidsboro and went into
camp where we received our mail FROM home
and received some clothing ann supplies of
which. we were in great need after eur march
through the Carolinas. wadiBg swamps. through
almost impassabe roads and sandy qusgmires.
Bentonyiile aud Nsnse River will always be
memorable as being the places where one of
the last struggles OF the war occurred and
where gallant troops, commanded by Gems.
Sherman Slocnm and Howard, met the enemies
OF the Union under Johnston, Beanregard
Harcee aud Hampton and defeated them, TINS
securing the junction of the armies of the
Last and West and putting end 10 the war
khat threatened the destruction of our Union.