No Such Army Since the Days of Julius Caesar: Sherman's Carolinas Campaign from Fayetteville to Averasboro

by Mark A. Smith, Wade Sokolosky

General William T. Sherman's 1865 Carolinas Campaign receives scant attention from most Civil War historians, largely because it was overshadowed by the Army of Northern Virginia's final campaign against the Army of the Potomac. However, a careful examination of this campaign indicates that few armies in all of military history accomplished more under more adverse conditions than did Sherman's. Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky, both career military officers, lend their professional eye to the critical but often overlooked run-up to the seminal Battle of Bentonville, covering March 11-16, 1865. Beginning with the capture of Fayetteville and the demolition of the Arsenal there, Smith and Sokolosky chronicle the Battle of Averasboro in greater detail than ever tackled before in this, the third volume of Ironclad's "The Discovering Civil War America Series." In the two-day fight at Averasboro, Lt. Gen. William J. Hardee's Corps conducted a brilliantly planned and well-executed defense in depth that held Sherman's juggernaut in check for two full days. Having accomplished his objective, Hardee then broke off and disengaged. This delay permitted General Joseph E. Johnston to concentrate his forces in preparation for what became the Battle of Bentonville. The book includes new maps, abundant illustrations, and a detailed driving and walking tour for dedicated battlefield stompers.

Genres: Civil War, Civil War Western Theater, American Civil War, History, Military History, American History

260 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2006

Reviews

[James Crabtree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Too many general books about the Civil War tend to simplify or, worse, dismiss Sherman's last campaign, his march through the Carolinas. The impression one gets from the paragraph or two that is written about this campaign is that nothing happened because the Confederates had nothing left. This book actually sets that record straight, taking the reader from Sherman's start at Savannah, through South Carolina's capital of Columbia, to the Confederate arsenal at Fayetteville NC and culminating in the Battle of Averasboro.

While Sherman's army outnumbered the Confederate forces available in SC, the hardened general made his job easier by keeping the Confederates uncertain as to what his objective was: Athens or Charleston. By the time it turned out to be Columbia the Confederates had no hope of collecting what units they had available to stop him, or at least slow him down. Round One goes to Sherman.

Sherman crosses into North Carolina with the intention of taking the arsenal at Fayetteville and opening communications with Union forces at Wilmington via the Cape Fear River. It would have been impractical to for the Confederates to stop Sherman at Fayetteville either, since Johnston was still collecting soldiers from the shattered Army of Tennessee and from South Carolina. The Confederates tried to delay Sherman without getting themselves drawn into a battle they couldn't win along the banks of the Cape Fear. Round Two goes to Sherman as well.

But as he begins moving north Sherman once again tries to put the Confederates in doubt as to what his objective was: the state capital at Raleigh or the railhead at Goldboro? His left wing of two corps runs into General William J. Hardee and part of the Confederate Army. Near the town of Averasboro the general who literally wrote the book on infantry tactics managed to stop the Union advance and cause Union casualties which complicated Sherman's logistics. Hardee managed to buy time for Johnston to collect his army for the biggest battle fought in North Carolina and the last big battle of the Civil War: Bentonville.

The narrative is written in a style which keeps the reader focused on the story and is illustrated throughout with photos of many of the participants of the last campaign: commanders and privates alike. If you are interested in the Civil War I guarantee you this will fill some of the gaps in your knowledge and might change your mind about some of the things you think you know about Sherman's last march.

[Matthew Bartlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is one thing which I do not believe gets enough coverage in Civil War study, it is the war in the west. Also, I do not believe that the end of the Civil War in the West gets enough coverage, even when it gets coverage. While today’s book does not completely cover the end of the Civil War in the West, it is one of the stepping stones which leads us there. “No Such Army since the Days of Julius Caesar,” chronicles Sherman and his Carolinas campaign in March of 1865. Mark A. Smith and Wade Sokolosky have brought us a book not only well researched and developed, but a fine book which covers that which is not covered enough.
Colonel Wade Sokolosky is a graduate of East Carlolina University and a veteran of the United States Army. He leads tours of Civil War battlefields and is a well seasoned speaker to many. He also co-authored “To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming,” which precedes this work. He is also the author of Final Roll Call: Confederate Losses during the Carolinas Campaign. Major Mark A. Smith is a veteran of the United States Army holding various positions in his career. He holds a Masters degree in military studies. He is the other co-author of “To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming.”
In their previous work, both Smith and Sokolosky showed us the Battle of Wise Forks which occurred in March of 1865. This book focuses on the fighting immediately following the “March to the Sea” with Sherman’s plan to head north into the Carolinas. As I was reading the opening pages, I was fascinated not only by the plans coming ahead by moving into the Carolinas, but by Sherman himself. I will not get into it here since Sherman is so well covered by other works, but as a side note, both Smith and Sokolosky handled the commander quite well. But what was interesting was the coverage of the Confederate side of the ordeal coming into this campaign. Most usually focus on Sherman and his movements, but here there is plenty of coverage on the opposition. Of course, the narrative on the Battle of Averasboro showed that Sherman could be halted. While it was an inconclusive fight, there was still enough time to be given to the Confederacy for Johnston to assemble his forces. I have to say that while reading these narratives, I was enthralled by the accounts. I was happy to see these battles getting their due diligence with research and that both authors continued their dedication to the Carolinas campaign that we saw in their earlier work.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War in the West. For far too long, these engagements have not been covered in history and I am happy to say that Smith and Sokolosky brought about a well written work for the fighting. The narrative is aided not only by well drawn maps, but photographs which are relevant to the events at hand. Highly Recommended!

Matthew Bartlett

[Drew Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently written, well researched, fair to both sides. A true history that tells it like it was with little to no opining or moralizing, the way history was meant to be written. As a north carolinian I appreciated learning more about this overlooked saga that is usually overshadowed by the larger battle soon after at Bentonville. Recommended

[Alice Ruth Scott Seger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This campaign

The title is misleading, it should have been Confederant Resistance in the Carolinas. Harding did a great job with little to work with. He slowed Sherman’s dreadnaught down, and figured out his destination

[W Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine little book on the fall of Fayetteville, NC, and the Battle of Averasboro. It covers the gap between the Battle of Monroe’s Crossing and the Battle of Bentonville in General WT Sherman’s campaign in North Carolina. It is well researched and well written. It is worth the read.

[Pete Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting limited study on a specific part of Sherman’s Carolina campaign. I thought the authors did a great job presenting their research in an engaging way, with plenty of maps to guide the reader along the way.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers the destruction of the Fayettville Arsenal and Battle of Averasboro.

[William Olenick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent account of a little known part of the final days in the ACW.

[Ron Salargo · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.25 stars. A good introduction into Shermans’s Carolina campaign.

[Adelbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent study of the North Carolina portion of the Carolina's Campaign.
Well researched and written in a comprehensive and readable style.

[Eric Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on the fighting around Fayetteville and the battle of Averasboro.

[Don Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the most informative I've read concerning the North Carolina battles.
The author's have provided after several years of battlefield exploration, library research and painstaking writing and revision on the part of two professional soldiers whose expertise, hard work and determination in "No such Army" the Battle of Averasboro has at last received definitive treatment.

These were among the final great battles of the War. Fayetteville, Averasboro and finally the Battle of Bentonville where Gen. Joseph E. Johnston attacked one of Sherman's wings in the hope of defeating the "Federals" decisively.

The book is written from the perspective and with the insight that professional military minds bring to the research. Strategy and tactics are examined. It gives the reader the feeling of understand how and why decisions were made - and finally why things turned out as they did.

These are not Battles that receive the attention of those that took place earlier, they are as important and signal the coming of the end of the War.

A good read.

[Jim]

A good study of a neglected battle in Sherman's Carolinas campaign. The authors begin by providing an overview of Sherman's March to the Sea and his Carolinas campaign before covering the march of the left wing of his army from Fayetteville to Averasboro and the Battle of Averasboro in detail. Appendices include a driving tour, a good coverage of Sherman's logistics, hospitals after the Battle of Averasboro and a letter from a civilian witness. This book leaves me wanting to read a good history of the Battle of Bentonville, which followed shortly after Averasboro. The title comes from a quote by Joe Johnston describing the incredible marching skills of Sherman's army, which was helped in no small measure by the First Michigan Mechanics and Engineers. The 9th (cavalry), 10th, 14th & 19th Michigan regiments also fought at Averasboro.