Confederate Breastworks The Confederate Breastworks, located at 2300 Ramsey Street in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, on the Veterans Administration Hospital property. The Breastworks were fortifications built on the north side of the city for the Confederacy to prevent Federal troops commanded by General William T. Sherman from taking an arsenal located in Fayetteville. It was believed that Sherman and his troops would travel up the Cape Fear River and invade Fayetteville from the north. On March 11, 1865, Sherman's army surprised the Confederate forces and invaded Fayetteville from the south.