Fort York, North Carolina-- Part 4: Part of Stoneman's Raid

The Battle of Fort York was fought April 12, 1865, three days after General Lee surrendered at Appomattox.

Col. John K. Miller arrived by the fort with 1,000 Union troops at 2 a.m..  His first two scouts to arrive at the site were killed.

He sent word back to General Stoneman who was busy pillaging and plundering nearby Salisbury that he needed artillery to take the fort.  The artillery arrived an hour or so later and a five and a half hour battle ensued.  The Union force lost 16 soldiers.

With dark approaching, Col. Miller retreated back to Salisbury after tearing up tracks on their side of the Rowan River, but they did not destroy their target, the trestle railroad bridge.

It is believed that the Confederates lost two men.

So, the Confederacy won the last pitched battle in North Carolina.  Even though Lee had surrendered, neither side knew about it.

--Old Secesh