Two days after surviving the battle of Bentonville, Lt. Col. William E. Strong reflected on “those brave and gallant companions in arms who will come back to us no more. Peace to the gallant dead, sleeping, some of them in far away and unmarked graves.” Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site will reflect on the battle’s casualties during the 157th-anniversary commemoration, “Peace to the Gallant Dead.” This illumination event will take place on the evening of March 19, 2022. Luminaries for all 4,133 men killed, wounded, or missing from both sides of the conflict will light up the battlefield from 7-10 p.m.
Anyone interested in supporting this event can sponsor a luminary for just $18.65. Sponsorships must be received by Feb. 28. Tickets for the illumination will go on sale to the public March 1. For more information on how to sponsor a luminary or purchase tickets, contact the site or visit the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield website at www.fobb.net.
Free Civil War-era military, medical, and civilian demonstrations will occur from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, was the largest battle ever fought in North Carolina and one of the last major battles in the Civil War. Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site interprets the battle and the Harper House, a farmhouse used as a field hospital where surgeons treated nearly 600 men wounded in the battle. The site is located at 5466 Harper House Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524, 3 miles north of Newton Grove on S.R. 1008, about one hour from Raleigh and about 45 minutes from Fayetteville.
For more information, visit https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/bentonville-battlefield or call (910) 594-0789.
Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site is part of the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development. NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, three science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 41 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the N.C. Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, and the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please visit www.ncdcr.gov.