Last week, I visited Chapel Hill to do some research. I uncovered a few new letters and some miscellaneous information that I will be sharing on this website during the next few weeks.
On the way back home, I stopped at the Averasboro Battlefield. The Battle of Averasboro was a small but important fight. Confederate General William J. Hardee, with approximately 8,000 soldiers, contested the advance of the left wing of Sherman’s army (two corps containing ~30,000 soldiers). On March 16, 1865, Hardee skillfully executed a fighting retreat through three lines of defenses. That night, the Confederates snuck away and marched to Bentonville to join General Joseph Johnston’s forces in that area.
Hardee’s delaying action revealed that Sherman’s left wing was headed for Goldsboro, and it gave Johnston time to consolidate his scattered forces. Three days after the fight at Averasboro, Johnston sprang a trap on the unsuspecting Yankees at Bentonville.
The museum at the battlefield is small but packed with exhibits. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. There is no admission charge, but the museum does have a donation box. The battlefield is managed by a nonprofit, the Averasboro Battlefield Commission. More information is on their website at https://www.averasboro.com/.
I recommend visiting Averasboro for an hour or so. It would make a perfect stop before going to the bigger battlefield at Bentonville.
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