The Third Day at Bentonville: Death of the General's Son

From the March 21, 2014, Beach Carolina Magazine.

On March 21, 1865, Union and Confederate fought the third and final day of the Battle of Bentonville in southern Johnston County.

Three days before this, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston had attempted to strike and overwhelm the left wing of Major General William T. Sherman's Union Army advancing northward toward Goldsboro, North Carolina.

His surprise attack failed and the two armies began skirmishing as Johnston's troops withdrew across a small bridge at Mill Creek.

On March 21st, Major General Joseph Mower of the 17th Corps, found a gap in the Confederate left and pushed his division forward to threaten Johnston's retreat path.

Confederate Lt. General William Hardee was able to gather enough troops to blunt Mower's attack, but unfortunately his son, Willie, who had just joined the army a short time earlier, was severely wounded.

The next day, Johnston completed his withdrawal across Mill Creek ans Sherman continued on to Goldsboro. Willie Hardee was taken to Hillsborough where he was died and buried.

A Son of the South.  --Old Secesh