A portion of coxs forces, capturing 800 federals and one canon. Things look pretty good for the confederates on the first day but then the second day cox brings up reinforcement. The federals dig in. Bragg attempts an attack on the tense, but hes repulsed. Receiving words that cox is receiving still more reinforcements, bragg decides to fall back towards goldsboro ending the battle of lysis forks. In the meantime, sherman plots the course of his army group from fayetteville. Goldsboro is his objective, but he wants to keep johnston guessing as to what his objective is. Hes going to send the left wing under slocum northward on the old raleigh stage road, as if hes heading towards the North Carolina state capital. They will be marching in light marching order, all the unnecessary wagons will be with the right wing under howard. They will be taking direct roads to goldsboro. The idea is to keep johnston up in the air as to where sherman is heading. Johnston has a plan of his own. He has told general hardy to make a stand somewhere south of a verse broke to buy time for the concentration of the federal confedereateate army. Its there that a Brigade Commander by the name of colonel offered am. The colonel accompanied by nothing more than one staff officer he is probably captured, taken prisoner of war by kilpatricks chief of staff. This turns out to be something of a reunion, because it seems the general sherman and several of his subordinates were stationed in charleston before the war. They spend the evening together and have dinner. And then the following morning, shermans army moves out. Sherman has accompanied slocums wing. They find hardy drawn up in the defense mac apps. For you students of the revolutionary war, this looks like the gelber courthouse. Sherman is able to drive back the first two lines, but he gets to the third and main line around dusk. He decides to launch a general assault the following morning. However, after dark, hard he falls back towards smithfield. That is were johnson has made his headquarters. He informs johnston that he believes that shermans destination is goldsboro. Now most of the left wing is turning to the right, heading east on the goldsboro road. Johnson has made his headquarters at smithfield because its roughly midway between raleigh and goldsboro. Hardy managed to accomplish what he was supposed to do, which was slow shermans progress. I now johnston has to make a decision. Where and if he should attack shermans army. He sends a dispatch to general hampton. Hampton has made his headquarters on the evening of march 17 at the willis plantation willis cole plantation on the goldsboro road. Hampton johnson asks hampton for his assessment. Hampton says i found a Perfect Place to launch a surprise attack on the union left wing. And he recommends that johnson sent his army marching for bentonville. At dawn on march 18, johnston does just that. Up to this time, general sherman has expected johnston to try to oppose his entry into goldsboro. But faulty intelligence and poor maps lead him to believe that johnston is falling back towards raleigh, confederates are burning all the bridges that will separate them from the union army, and that the road to goldsboro is open. If theres anything in the union army that is dangerous right now, its overconfidence. In the words of lieutenant John Marshall brain them, one of the soldiers in the leftwing. He said, on the morning of march 19 he writes in his diary, we feel in excellent spirits. Everything promises for a smooth entry into goldsboro. That will prove to be his last entry. He will be lying dead on the field of battle in just a few hours. Sherman prepares to join the right wing under howard. He has a brief conversation with slocum and several other generals including 14th Corps CommanderBrigadier General jefferson c. Davis. Isnt that a great name for a yankee general . Precious perfect. Davis tells sherman he thinks hes going to run into more than the usual confederate cavalry opposition. Sherman says, no, theres nothing out there. Just a Small Division of confederate cavalry. He says, brush them out of the way. I will see you at coxs bridge tomorrow. Well slocums wing will not reach coxs bridge for four days. Leading the way on the morning of march 19, william p. Carlins division, moving out. Then all of a sudden they hit the cole plantation. All hell breaks loose. Carlin has run into hokes infantry. One of the bird rates, North Carolina junior reserves consisting almost entirely of teenage boys, are blocking the way. You can see them just yet. Off to their left, army of tennessee is also going into position. There are fewer than 4000 veterans from the army of tennessee at bentonville. Just a shadow of the 70,000 man army that johnston led in the spring of 1864. But the attack plan is developing. Slocum is getting impatient. He cant understand why his veteran infantry is allowing his cavalry to stop them. He orders a probing attack to find out what is out there. Carlins division sustains a bloody repulse and they are sent back. And now slocum decides he will send his other division of the 14th corps up to the front, and the 20th corps. Then he receives startling intelligence. A union pow who has made his escape during that federal repulse reports to slocum that johnston has arrived with his entire army. Army at bentonville. He has told his men theyre going to defeat slocum at bentonville. Theyre going to fall on the right wing to the south and destroy them in turn. If thats not enough convincing, slocum also hears from a 14th corps staff officer who has been up at the front. That officer says, general, i find more than [indiscernible] cavalry. I find infantry dug in all along our front, and enough of them to give us the amusement we shall want for the rest of the day. Now slocum realizes hes in for it. He lives his two a 14th corps divisions at the front to stop the impending assault. He takes the 20th corps and has them entrenched back at the Reddick Morris farm on more defensible ground about a mile to the rear. Now all he can do is just wait. In the meantime he starts sending couriers to general sherman with increasingly urgent messages telling him of his peril and begging him for reinforcements. Its going to take them close to 24 hours to reach bentonville. In the meantime, slocum has to hold on. After johnston for johnson this has been frustrating. It is not until 2 45 on march 19 that he finally launches his attack. At first everything works perfectly. In the words of a confederate with the junior reserves when the army of tennessee moves out and they begin their assault he said it looked like a picture and was truly beautiful, but it was painful to see just how close the battle flags were together. Regiments being scarcely larger than [inaudible] there were enough confederates to drive back carlins Division North of the road, and in turn, push the men of carlins Division South of the road back as well. We stood as long as man can stand. When i was no longer a possibility, we run like the deuce. If that did not get the point across, he also wrote, we showed to the reds as well as our own side some of the best running ever did. [laughter] everything looks good for joe johnsons confederates at this point. Theres just one problem. South of the road, general bragg, he holds fast. We dont know why exactly. He never wrote a report. We know he did not launch his attack until over an hour after johnstons specified the attack. That gives the men of morgans division the federal south of the road a precious hour and 15 minutes to dig in and prove their entrenchments. It serves them well. In the course of the fighting side of the road, the turning point of the battle, morgans men have to fight on both sides of their works because they are attacked from their front left flanks. After they are repulsed, troops of the army of tennessee managed to get in behind. But morgans men hold on. In the meantime, the momentum is still strong north of the road. The men of culvers division and the army of tennessee. They continue on to the Reddick Morris farm. Here two old adversaries face each other. They first met in 1862. They met for the second time just a few days before. Now theyre meeting again at bentonville. This we the confederate armys High Water Mark at bentonville. The tennessee veterans will launch at least four desperate assaults across morriss openview straight into the mouths of at least 16 union guns firing spherical case and canister. Confederates are unable to break through the union line. At nightfall, johnston calls off all further attacks. Slocum managed to hold on in the battle on march 19. Ends on a draw. Now its up to the right wing. They come marching to slocums assistance. They reach bentonville around midday. The first troops to get there are the 15th army corps under the command of Major General john a dull logan, former congressman from illinois. Probably the best political general in the union army. Now johnston faces a real dilemma. He has been facing slocum to the west of to this point. Now hes got a deal with the might of shermans entire army. He has to bend back his left flank. In effect, hes going to create a bridge guarding his only route of retreat across a flooded millcreek. By Early Morning march 21, 1865, johnston will be outnumbered on the order of 3 to 1. The federals will have nearly 60,000 troops at bentonville. Johnston will have 20,000 that most. Sherman is wondering why johnston decided to stay at bentonville. This is not typical johnston behavior. Johnston cites two reasons why hes going to her main at bentonville. One, he wants to evacuate his wounded. Two, he wants to tap sherman into launching a desperate frontal assault. Maybe he can take some heavy yankee casualties before he pulls out. Three, he doesnt say this, but i think this is also in the back of his head. It appears to the confederates at bentonville that on the 19th it came this close to defeating slcoums slocums wing. To retreat at this point is to concede defeat. To bolster the morale of his men , who have not enjoyed success in a very long time, johnston decides to remain at bentonville. He feels it is worth the risk but it nearly results in the loss of his army. On the afternoon of march 21, 1865, shermans most aggressive general goes into position on the extreme right of the union line. He is facing bentonville. He asks his commander, he says, i dont suppose you would have any objection to my making a little reconnaissance, to which blair replies, none whatsoever. Theres a little bit of George Patton in joe mauer. He sees this as a precursor. When he does for his little reconnaissance is he takes his two available brigades and decides to attack the confederate lines in bentonville. It just so happens that johnstons headquarters is right there. It takes mauer about an hour to get across the swamp, reach the confederate line. The only confederates he is facing poor excuse of a skirmish line. General johnston directs hardy to put together a counterattacking force to stop progress. It will take time for them to collect strength. And just before hardy can launches counterattack he punches a hole in the confederate line. Their 16th shooter henrys, are able to get all the way to bentonville. They come within a few yards of cutting off johnstons only line of retreat. In the process, they send general johnston fleeing to the rear. But then hardy strikes. He succeeds in pushing back more. Yes gotten cold feet, because he has decided to deploy closer to the main union line. He has left his skirmishers hanging in the breeze. Among the attackers on the confederate side or general hardys only son, 16yearold willie hardy. And young willie is mortally wounded when hes charging. Johnston succeeds in repulsing mauers attckack. Mauer is getting ready to launch another strike. But then the order comes from general sherman to stand fast. Mauer is to hold his ground. Johnstons army has survived to fight another day. However, unbeknownst to sherman and johnston, they fought their last battle. Battle at bentonville. Now johnston falls back to smithfield, having failed to defeat even slocums wing. General sherman is more than happy to let johnston escaped his grasp so we can continue on to goldsboro. Shermans army reaches goldsboro on the 23rd. A few days later, sherman makes a trip to city point, virginia to meet with general grant. Sherman does not say this in his memoirs. It does not turn out too well for him. He has two items on his agenda when he goes up to city point. Its not about peace terms. Item number one, he wants grants to postpone his offensive so that sherman will have time to march his army into virginia to join in the grand assault against lee. Grant was no part of that. Yes decided he wants the army of the potomac and the army of the james to do this on their own. The second item on shermans agenda, persuade Phil Sheridan to lead his cavalry into North Carolina to assist in running down and bagging johnston. Sheridan wants no part of that. He wants to be in on the effort to finish lees army. Hes going nowhere. So now sherman doesnt really have a whole lot left. But it turns out that president lincoln is that city point. Sherman wasnt aware of that. On the 27th and 28 grant and sherman and admiral porter have sort of an informal conversation with lincoln. It soon becomes apparent to sherman the lincoln wants to offer a lenient piece to the confederates, be conciliatory. With malice towards none charity for all. This deeply impresses sherman. Is going to carry back those thoughts with him to North Carolina. In his memoirs, sherman has this to say about lincoln. Of all the men ive ever met, he possessed more of the elements of greatness combined with goodness than any other. Now, sherman is going to march northward from goldsboro toward richmond, but that changes on april the sixth because he received word that grant has broken through with petersburg and richmond. The confederates are fleeing towards the west. How sherman directs his army toward raleigh. Joe johnston is that smithfield. While the federals are celebrating in their camps its very quiet at the camps in smithfield. On april the 10th, true to his timetable, sherman begins what he believes will be his final offensive. Hes right. He moves out on the 10th, heading towards raleigh. Joe johnston falling back a days march. It is on the 12th of april that sherman receives word from grant of lees surrender. The men are jubilant. Theyre marching with light hearts. Johnston has already received the news, an unofficial report that he has received from president jefferson davis, whose government has fled to danville, virginia. Likewise, reporting the surrender of leess army. Now both commanders know the game is up. Its on the afternoon of the 12th that the governor of North Carolina since a deputy nation down to shermans headquarters. It is captured. It turns out the troops who captured the train bearing david l. Swain and david a. Graham are commanded by swains future fatherinlaw. Sherman tells [indiscernible] that hes not authorized to negotiate with civilian authorities, but he promises fans vance that if he chooses to remain in raleigh, he will let him remain as governor. Sherman is already going out on a limb, promising more than he probably should. In any event, swain decides to fall back with johnstons army. Yes received reports that both swain and grahams train was captured by the federals and they are prisoners. Incorrect information, but its probably just as well. Sherman reaches raleigh on april the 13th. After reviewing his troops, he establishes his headquarters at the governors palace. President davis has continued to fall back. He stops at greensboro where he summons General Johnson to meet him. Johnston goes to greenberg assuming that davis is soliciting his opinion. Asking for a briefing on the military situation. One johnston gets to greensboro, he finds out davis actually has a plan to raise a new army by collecting all the men who deserted or evaded inscription. Johnston realizes that plan. Then davis announces that secretary of war records will arrive that evening with word on the fate of lees army. Breckenridge arrives. He reports yes, lees army has indeed surrendered. Then johnston said he needs an opportunity to tell the president the truth. Breckenridge gives and that opportunity the following day on the 13th. Johnston tells them there he bluntly that the confederate soldiers in his army have only the close on their backs, the weapons in their hands and that it would be the greatest of crimes to continue the war when his small army was outnumbered 10 to 1. Davis refuses to believe the game is up. He decides to pull you in a bow regard the general into his cabinet. Everyone size with johnston. There is nothing left for davis to do now. He dictates a letter to general sherman for the needful arrangements to terminate the existing war. Davis does not have his heart in negotiations. He decides to continue falling back and will retreat as far as charlotte. It is up to general johnston to open negotiations with general sherman. Calvary commanders Exchange Messages and it is agreed they will meet roughly midway between patricks headquarters and hamptons headquarters. It is there on the morning of april 17, 1865 that sherman add johnston and johnston meet for the first time. They go inside the house of james and Nancy Bennett and they begin their negotiations. Sherman has a fateful telegram when he enters that house. Just before he left, he received word that president lincoln had been assassinated on april 14. The first person that sherman revealed this to is general johnston. Johnston reads the telegram and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He pronounced it the greatest possible calamity to the south. Sherman thinks he has got johnston over a barrel. He then proposes that johnston surrender according to the appomattox terms. But, johnston quickly recovers and he says, the appomattox terms are entirely fair to an army that is surrounded. However, my army is concentrated around greensboro while yours is 75 miles to the east. I can pick up and leave whenever i want. Then it johnston says, lets not negotiate or the surrender of just my army but all the confederate armies still on the field and make one job of it. That appeals to shermans flair for the dramatic. He forgets about a strictly military surrender and now it will be a surrender based on political terms. He will be getting a do hot water at this point b