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The Battle Of Bentonville: Last Stand In The Carolinas
The Battle of Bentonville, in which Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's Confederates launched a massive assault against one wing of Gen. William T. Sherman's Federal army, was the military climax of the long overlooked but critical Carolinas Campaign. It was also the Southern Confederacy's final hurrah. Never again would the once-vaunted Army of Tennessee deploy and deliver a grand charge against the enemy. Never again would the major rivals of the Western Theater of the war, William T. Sherman and Joe Johnston, lock themselves in combat. The war that had dragged on year after bloody year drew to a close for these armies just thirty-six days after Bentonville, when Johnston surrendered his men at the Bennett farm house on April 26, 1865.
Mark L. Bradley has written the definitive account of not only the Battle of Bentonville, but Sherman's entire Carolinas Campaign. With a flair for storytelling, Bradley weaves a compelling and thorough the Tar Heel State. His penetrating biographical sketches of the principle commanders on both sides introduce the readers to the fascinating cast of characters who found themselves deeply involved in one of the war's final dramas.
Ultimately, however, this book is about the fighting at Bentonville. In sweeping detail, Bradley examines the intensive combat of March 19-21, 1865. Readers will find themselves carried along with the wind-whipped flags on the Army of Tennessee's final charge; in the muddy, hastily-dug trenches full of fighting and dying Union soldiers attempting to stem the tide of the bitter Southern attacks; and around both Union and Confederates campfires for a personal look at the war from the perspective of the men in the ranks.
Mark L. Bradley has written the definitive account of not only the Battle of Bentonville, but Sherman's entire Carolinas Campaign. With a flair for storytelling, Bradley weaves a compelling and thorough the Tar Heel State. His penetrating biographical sketches of the principle commanders on both sides introduce the readers to the fascinating cast of characters who found themselves deeply involved in one of the war's final dramas.
Ultimately, however, this book is about the fighting at Bentonville. In sweeping detail, Bradley examines the intensive combat of March 19-21, 1865. Readers will find themselves carried along with the wind-whipped flags on the Army of Tennessee's final charge; in the muddy, hastily-dug trenches full of fighting and dying Union soldiers attempting to stem the tide of the bitter Southern attacks; and around both Union and Confederates campfires for a personal look at the war from the perspective of the men in the ranks.
597 pages, Hardcover
First published May 21, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 5, 2025
As a new year begins, I think back to the spring of 2023 when I read Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era and was both overwhelmed and underwhelmed. Overwhelmed by trying to take in the entirety and the complexity of the Civil War in a single volume, and somewhat underwhelmed by the book’s attempt to be that definitive single-volume account.
So I thought I’d instead read books on each of the major battles, chronologically from Sumter to Appomattox, for a better, more thorough account of the war as it unfolded. It was a far bigger project than I anticipated. So nearly two full years and some five dozen books later, here I am at the beginning of 1865, reading about the last major battle that took place in North Carolina months before the war’s end. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel - and so can many of the combatants in Bradley’s account.
North Carolina does not immediately come to mind when thinking about significant Civil War locales. The shorthand view of the war’s last act is that Sherman marched to the sea in Georgia, and then Grant finished things off in Virginia. But that ignores what happened in between, as Sherman marched north in an effort to help Grant bring the war to an end. Sherman attempted to do so single-mindedly, but Bradley describes how he faced much more resistance along the way than he had in Georgia.
It was a “minor miracle” that Confederate Gen. Johnston was able to cobble together enough forces to put up a real fight and resist Sherman’s advance. While his newfound aggression was mostly “the result of desperation,” Bradley writes, “Bentonville represented Johnston's last hope, however desperate, of dealing Sherman a crippling blow.”
Before the climactic battle, though, there’s a very long buildup. The book takes its time providing background, and mini-biographies of numerous campaign participants that take us back in time again and again to moments earlier in the war. It takes a while to settle down onto the main timeline. Once Sherman starts moving through the Carolinas, every skirmish and battle is told in great detail.
So Bentonville is not so much the focus of the book, as the title suggests, but its climax. As the various battles play out, the book includes many detailed maps, and Bradley provides a lot of personal accounts and uses dialogue to reconstruct conversations, which gives it a you-are-there feel.
But I admit to impatience getting to the main event. So many battles are described in the first half of the book that it’s hard to get into Bentonville when it finally arrives in the second half. The descriptions of what happened where and when are certainly thorough, but the analysis of how the battle began and how it played out is left to the short epilogue, and I wish there could have been more of this throughout the narrative and not merely tacked onto the end:
“Sherman was as reluctant to open a battle at Bentonville as Johnston was eager to invite one,” Bradley observes. “Sherman regarded Johnston's army as little more than a nuisance, and one that he was prepared to sidestep” as he continued his march. He critiques Johnson for failing to capitalize on his initial success, but mostly critiques Sherman for “choosing to skirmish with Johnston rather than bring him to battle,” for being “more concerned with meeting his timetable” and ultimately “squandering a golden opportunity to crush one of the Confederacy’s few remaining field armies.”
A win was a win, though. And while Sherman may not have crushed Johnston, Lee’s surrender to Grant weeks later made it a moot point, prompting Johnston to surrender as well. And it made Bentonville largely fade from historical memory, overshadowed by the end of the war that the battle actually did little to precipitate.
Yet Bradley poignantly concludes that all battles ought to be remembered, their significance notwithstanding, in honor of those who fought and died there. That, he suggests, means battlefields themselves should be preserved as well. His last couple of paragraphs provide a look at “Bentonville Today,” as of the book’s 1996 publication. At that time, he writes, the battlefield was well-preserved, but mostly due to neglect and inertia and apparent developer disinterest. That was beginning to change, though, and the battlefield, he warned, was in danger of being lost.
Since then, the battlefield has been made a National Historic Landmark, thousands of acres have been preserved, and the effort to save even more is ongoing. So while the book itself may have been a respectable three-star read for me, if it helped bring renewed attention to the battle and help preserve its memory - that’s certainly a five-star result.
So I thought I’d instead read books on each of the major battles, chronologically from Sumter to Appomattox, for a better, more thorough account of the war as it unfolded. It was a far bigger project than I anticipated. So nearly two full years and some five dozen books later, here I am at the beginning of 1865, reading about the last major battle that took place in North Carolina months before the war’s end. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel - and so can many of the combatants in Bradley’s account.
North Carolina does not immediately come to mind when thinking about significant Civil War locales. The shorthand view of the war’s last act is that Sherman marched to the sea in Georgia, and then Grant finished things off in Virginia. But that ignores what happened in between, as Sherman marched north in an effort to help Grant bring the war to an end. Sherman attempted to do so single-mindedly, but Bradley describes how he faced much more resistance along the way than he had in Georgia.
It was a “minor miracle” that Confederate Gen. Johnston was able to cobble together enough forces to put up a real fight and resist Sherman’s advance. While his newfound aggression was mostly “the result of desperation,” Bradley writes, “Bentonville represented Johnston's last hope, however desperate, of dealing Sherman a crippling blow.”
Before the climactic battle, though, there’s a very long buildup. The book takes its time providing background, and mini-biographies of numerous campaign participants that take us back in time again and again to moments earlier in the war. It takes a while to settle down onto the main timeline. Once Sherman starts moving through the Carolinas, every skirmish and battle is told in great detail.
So Bentonville is not so much the focus of the book, as the title suggests, but its climax. As the various battles play out, the book includes many detailed maps, and Bradley provides a lot of personal accounts and uses dialogue to reconstruct conversations, which gives it a you-are-there feel.
But I admit to impatience getting to the main event. So many battles are described in the first half of the book that it’s hard to get into Bentonville when it finally arrives in the second half. The descriptions of what happened where and when are certainly thorough, but the analysis of how the battle began and how it played out is left to the short epilogue, and I wish there could have been more of this throughout the narrative and not merely tacked onto the end:
“Sherman was as reluctant to open a battle at Bentonville as Johnston was eager to invite one,” Bradley observes. “Sherman regarded Johnston's army as little more than a nuisance, and one that he was prepared to sidestep” as he continued his march. He critiques Johnson for failing to capitalize on his initial success, but mostly critiques Sherman for “choosing to skirmish with Johnston rather than bring him to battle,” for being “more concerned with meeting his timetable” and ultimately “squandering a golden opportunity to crush one of the Confederacy’s few remaining field armies.”
A win was a win, though. And while Sherman may not have crushed Johnston, Lee’s surrender to Grant weeks later made it a moot point, prompting Johnston to surrender as well. And it made Bentonville largely fade from historical memory, overshadowed by the end of the war that the battle actually did little to precipitate.
Yet Bradley poignantly concludes that all battles ought to be remembered, their significance notwithstanding, in honor of those who fought and died there. That, he suggests, means battlefields themselves should be preserved as well. His last couple of paragraphs provide a look at “Bentonville Today,” as of the book’s 1996 publication. At that time, he writes, the battlefield was well-preserved, but mostly due to neglect and inertia and apparent developer disinterest. That was beginning to change, though, and the battlefield, he warned, was in danger of being lost.
Since then, the battlefield has been made a National Historic Landmark, thousands of acres have been preserved, and the effort to save even more is ongoing. So while the book itself may have been a respectable three-star read for me, if it helped bring renewed attention to the battle and help preserve its memory - that’s certainly a five-star result.
January 9, 2022
This book is magnificent.
Mark L Bradley's 1996 book Last Stand in the Carolinas: The Battle of Bentonville is the definitive book concerning that particular American Civil War battle. It follows a common approach to a Civil War battle study, tracing out a few weeks of action that preceded the battle, then diving deep down into the details of the battle in question.
The first part of the book covers actions that transpired during the first three weeks of March 1865, beginning around the border town of Cheraw, South Carolina, and then following Sherman's advance, and Joseph E Johnston's retreat, through North Carolina, until the eve of the battle of Bentonville. While this first part of the story is unfolding Bradley is providing superb thumbnail sketches of the participants in the drama that is to be. Reading this first part of the book in particular is a joy because Bradley is an outstanding storyteller and writer: the chronicle is completely engrossing and the book is hard to put down.
The battle of Bentonville took place 19-21 March 1865, and once this part of the story begins, the style of the narrative shifts. This is the true focus of the book and Bradley is giving us a definitive text about a battle which has merely been lightly glossed over in the past. This means that Bradley is going to include every single detail he can possibly find in his text, and believe me, his scholarship is impeccable and he found a lot of details. As a consequence, the narrative slows down considerably from what has gone before, as we get the blow-by-blow actions taken at the regiment-by-regiment level as history records it. This too is a common approach to a Civil War battle study and it can sometimes seem tedious. On the other hand, if one embraces this level of detail, the effect can also be enthralling.
Sherman's campaign for Atlanta and subsequent march to the sea are much more familiar narratives in the collective unconscious and subsequent activities in the Carolinas get short shrift in our memories. After all, the Civil War was winding down at this stage. We are prone to forgetting the epic scale of the drama that also unfolded in this period of the War. Also, events rushing forward around Petersburg and Richmond tend to steal the spotlight. But if you read Bradley's book you will be richly rewarded, and you may even come to conceive of all of Sherman's exploits from the moment he departed Chattanooga for points south in a different light.
Mark L Bradley's 1996 book Last Stand in the Carolinas: The Battle of Bentonville is the definitive book concerning that particular American Civil War battle. It follows a common approach to a Civil War battle study, tracing out a few weeks of action that preceded the battle, then diving deep down into the details of the battle in question.
The first part of the book covers actions that transpired during the first three weeks of March 1865, beginning around the border town of Cheraw, South Carolina, and then following Sherman's advance, and Joseph E Johnston's retreat, through North Carolina, until the eve of the battle of Bentonville. While this first part of the story is unfolding Bradley is providing superb thumbnail sketches of the participants in the drama that is to be. Reading this first part of the book in particular is a joy because Bradley is an outstanding storyteller and writer: the chronicle is completely engrossing and the book is hard to put down.
The battle of Bentonville took place 19-21 March 1865, and once this part of the story begins, the style of the narrative shifts. This is the true focus of the book and Bradley is giving us a definitive text about a battle which has merely been lightly glossed over in the past. This means that Bradley is going to include every single detail he can possibly find in his text, and believe me, his scholarship is impeccable and he found a lot of details. As a consequence, the narrative slows down considerably from what has gone before, as we get the blow-by-blow actions taken at the regiment-by-regiment level as history records it. This too is a common approach to a Civil War battle study and it can sometimes seem tedious. On the other hand, if one embraces this level of detail, the effect can also be enthralling.
Sherman's campaign for Atlanta and subsequent march to the sea are much more familiar narratives in the collective unconscious and subsequent activities in the Carolinas get short shrift in our memories. After all, the Civil War was winding down at this stage. We are prone to forgetting the epic scale of the drama that also unfolded in this period of the War. Also, events rushing forward around Petersburg and Richmond tend to steal the spotlight. But if you read Bradley's book you will be richly rewarded, and you may even come to conceive of all of Sherman's exploits from the moment he departed Chattanooga for points south in a different light.
July 6, 2024
Excellent, detailed study not only of Bentonville but also of Monroe's Crossroads and Averasboro; the author also includes biographical background of the major commanders in both armies and gives an analysis of the tactics and decisions made in all three battles. The post-Bentonville portion of the campaign is passed over quickly but the author has a separate book covering the Confederate surrender at the Bennett Place. As a minor criticsm, the South Carolina portion of the campaign is passed over rather quickly; also for some reason, the Confederate order of battle listed each regiment separately rather than the consolidated units.
May 27, 2023
Having been posted to Fort Bragg, I purchased this book when it was first published. Having spent the last year reading various histories of the Carolinas Campaign, I finally tackled this volume and thoroughly enjoyed it. Bradley obviously knows his subject and has done a masterful job in covering the battle and its participants. Moore's maps really enhance the experience and I look forward to using them when I make the time to visit the battlefield which is about an hour from my home. Highly recommend this book!
October 25, 2018
Mark Bradley has done a fantastic job documenting the Battle of Bentonville and telling the story of the men from both the North and South that fought there. It is a detailed explanation of the fighting and a valuable resource for anyone studying the Carolina's Campaign. It is a great book for students of the Civil War, especially those that can visit the battlefield at Bentonville.
January 3, 2016
"Last Stand in the Carolinas" covers the events of Bentonville, the largest battle of Sherman's Carolinas Campaign of 1865. The battle remains a bit obscure, overshadowed by the many larger battles earlier in the war and even Sherman's more famous March to the Sea (which involved no major battles). In short, Joe Johnston cobbled together the Confederate garrisons from Charleston and Wilmington, the remains of the Army of Tennessee (largely wrecked a few months earlier under Hood at Franklin and Nashville), junior and senior reservists, and some reinforcements from Virginia. Still badly outnumbered, Johnston attempted to attack and destroy one wing (if not one corps) of Sherman's army and defeat it before the rest of the Federals could arrive with superior numbers and before the arrival of other Union forces under Schofield and Terry from the NC coast made the Union numbers utterly overwhelming.
There are just over 400 pages of main text. The first 150 pages cover the events of the campaign up before the start of the titular battle (including smaller battles at Monroe's Crossroads and Averasboro). Essentially nothing after the end of the battle is covered as the author chose to save that for a sequel, This Astounding Close: The Road to Bennett Place. The three days of Bentonville are covered down to the regimental level.
This is a very thorough treatment of the battle, accompanied by lots of excellent maps. Barring new sources being found (especially on the Confederate side) in the two decades since this Bradley wrote this book this is probably still an exhaustive narrative of the battle. The writing is a little dry and those more interested in the events of the campaign through South Carolina will need to look elsewhere. (In the book, Bradley would seem to recommend John G. Barrett's Sherman's March Through the Carolinas.)
Recommended for Civil War buffs (especially fans of authors like Peter Cozzens), but probably a little too detailed and obscure for the average history reader.
There are just over 400 pages of main text. The first 150 pages cover the events of the campaign up before the start of the titular battle (including smaller battles at Monroe's Crossroads and Averasboro). Essentially nothing after the end of the battle is covered as the author chose to save that for a sequel, This Astounding Close: The Road to Bennett Place. The three days of Bentonville are covered down to the regimental level.
This is a very thorough treatment of the battle, accompanied by lots of excellent maps. Barring new sources being found (especially on the Confederate side) in the two decades since this Bradley wrote this book this is probably still an exhaustive narrative of the battle. The writing is a little dry and those more interested in the events of the campaign through South Carolina will need to look elsewhere. (In the book, Bradley would seem to recommend John G. Barrett's Sherman's March Through the Carolinas.)
Recommended for Civil War buffs (especially fans of authors like Peter Cozzens), but probably a little too detailed and obscure for the average history reader.
November 2, 2019
Civil War buffs are probably dimly aware of Bentonville, the last battle between the Confederates and Union in the "southern theatre". Sherman marched up from Savannah, was met be Johnston's motely army and a battle ensued. A few weeks later, Johnston had surrendered.
Since I happened to be in North Carolina recently, I decided to visit Bentonville and of course, needed to learn more about the battle beforehand.
Mark Bradley does an excellent job of writing Civil War operational and battle history on a par with others such as Peter Cozzens or Stephen Sears. The maps are great and you are never lost. Chapters are crisp and filled with first hand accounts. Bradley editorializes at times about command decisions which is what a historian should do. Bragg, as usual, doesn't come off well.
Surprisingly, the Confederates almost won this battle as poorly deployed Union forces were struck and almost defeated in detail before Sherman's other wing could arrive.
Bradley is so immersed in this region that he wrote a sequel (the weeks post Bentonville called This Astounding Close: The Road to Bennett Place) that I picked up in the park's gift shop/visitor center. He also narrates the audio tour of the battle field.
An excellent book for those interested in Civil War battles beyond the big ones. And not a specialist book at all.
Since I happened to be in North Carolina recently, I decided to visit Bentonville and of course, needed to learn more about the battle beforehand.
Mark Bradley does an excellent job of writing Civil War operational and battle history on a par with others such as Peter Cozzens or Stephen Sears. The maps are great and you are never lost. Chapters are crisp and filled with first hand accounts. Bradley editorializes at times about command decisions which is what a historian should do. Bragg, as usual, doesn't come off well.
Surprisingly, the Confederates almost won this battle as poorly deployed Union forces were struck and almost defeated in detail before Sherman's other wing could arrive.
Bradley is so immersed in this region that he wrote a sequel (the weeks post Bentonville called This Astounding Close: The Road to Bennett Place) that I picked up in the park's gift shop/visitor center. He also narrates the audio tour of the battle field.
An excellent book for those interested in Civil War battles beyond the big ones. And not a specialist book at all.
January 23, 2019
A great book about a lesser-known battle: General Joseph E. Johnston's last ditch effort to crush one wing of Sherman's seemingly unstoppable army. This book has plenty of firsthand accounts, very detailed troop movements, and good maps to go with it. A must-read for any student of the Civil War.
July 21, 2014
Never read a military battle book of this kind before. Tough read but enjoyed learning a ton of new things.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews