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Averasboro, N.C., March 16, 1865. 14th and 20th Army Corps and
Kilpatrick's Cavalry. Gen. Sherman left Fayetteville on March 14. Gens.
Schofield and Terry with their columns were to join him at Goldsboro,
where he had planned to end his immediate campaign in order to the
establishment of his position with New Berne for a base. Johnston had
disposed his troops along the Raleigh roads and Sherman understood
that the Confederate general would try to turn the Federal left flank
in the march to Goldsboro. To meet this movement he threw out Gen.
Slocum's left wing, without trains and in light marching order, to
cover the advance of the main army and its wagons. A light column
embracing Gen. Kilpatrick's cavalry in strong force, the divisions of
Gens. Ward and Jackson of the 20th corps, and the divisions of Gens.
Carlin and Morgan of the 14th corps, was sent up the Raleigh road in a
direct demonstration against Raleigh. The right wing moved on the
direct road to Goldsboro. Between it and the light column was the
remainder of Slocum's wing. On the evening of the 15th the Federal
cavalry advance encountered that of the enemy 5 miles from
Fayetteville and forced it to fall back to Kyle's landing, midway
between Fayetteville and Averasboro. Reinforced by an infantry
brigade, Kilpatrick camped during the night within easy range of the
Confederate pickets and at daylight on the 16th he moved out in line
of battle, the infantry having the center. The enemy's pickets were
driven in and his skirmish line forced back to his main line of
battle. Doubting the prudence of an attack, Kilpatrick sent back for
infantry reinforcements and the entire 14th and 20th corps were
hurried forward. In the meantime the enemy moved out of his works and
furiously attacked Col. Jones' cavalry on the right. Jones gallantly
held his position until reinforced by the brigades of Jordan and
Atkins, when he repulsed three determined attacks, then charged in
turn and drove the Confederates back behind their works. The 14th and
20th corps having gone into position, Kilpatrick's cavalry operated on
the right throughout the day, and mounted or dismounted fought side by
side with the infantry. Gen. Howard was ordered to send his trains,
under good escort, well to the right, toward Fairon's depot and
Goldsboro and to hold 4 divisions in light marching order to go to the
aid of the left wing if that should be attacked while in motion. The
weather was bad and the roads were a mere quagmire, passable for
wheels only after being corduroyed. Sherman accompanied Slocum, who
went up the river road on the 15th, following Kilpatrick to Kyle's
landing, Kilpatrick skirmishing heavily with the enemy's rear-guard at
Taylor's Hole creek, 3 miles beyond. On the morning of the 16th, the
column advanced in the same order and developed the enemy with
artillery, cavalry and infantry intrenched a mile and a half in front
of Moore's cross-roads, the junction of the Smithfield and Raleigh
road with the one toward Goldsboro through Bentonville. Hardee, in
retreating from Fayetteville, had halted in the narrow swampy neck
between Cape Fear and South rivers, hoping to impede Sherman's advance
and enable Johnston to concentrate his forces at Raleigh, Smithfield
or Goldsboro in Hardee's rear. To keep the Goldsboro road clear and to
prolong the feint on Raleigh, Sherman had to dislodge Hardee. Slocum
was ordered to press forward and carry the position, a difficult
undertaking, because horses sank in the swampy ground and men could
scarcely walk on it. Hawley's brigade began skirmishing early in the
morning. It was 10 o'clock before other troops could reach the field.
The 20th corps under Gen. Williams had the lead and Ward's division
the advance. This division was deployed to the left of the road, its
right connecting with Hawley's left, and developed Rhett's brigade of
heavy artillery armed as infantry, posted across the road behind a
light parapet, with a battery enfilading the approach across a cleared
field. Williams sent Case's brigade by a circuitous advance to turn
this line. Case charged on and broke Rhett's brigade, which retreated
to a second line of barricades, better built and more strongly held.
The advantage was promptly followed up by a destructive fire from
three batteries, under Maj. Reynolds, chief of artillery of the 20th
corps. Ward's division advanced and developed a thord and still
stronger line. Jackson's division was deployed forward on the right of
Ward and two divisions of the 14th corps under Davis on the left, well
toward the Cape Fear river. Kilpatrick, acting in concert with
Williams, now massed his cavalry on the extreme right and with Jackson
felt forward for the Goldsboro road. He reached that road with one
brigade, which was driven back by McLaws' division to the flank of the
infantry. Late in the afternoon the whole Federal line drove the enemy
well within his intrenchments, pressing him so hard that in the stormy
night which followed he retreated over almost impassable roads,
leaving his dead and wounded. Ward's division followed him to and
through Averasboro, developing the fact that Hardee had retreated, not
on the Raleigh but on the Smithfield road. The Federal loss in killed,
wounded and missing was 682. The enemy's loss may be inferred from his
dead, 108 of whom were buried on the field by Federals.
Source: The Union Army, Volume 6, Cyclopedia of Battles,
1908 |