Johnston County, NC - Bentonville Battleground

Reprinted with permission of the Smithfield Herald and cannot be 
reproduced without permission. 
September 3, 1957

               Battleground Site Deed Transferred

 (There is a picture of four men and the caption reads: Bentonville 
Battleground Transaction - Dr Chistopher Crittenden, Director of the 
State Department of Archives and History (left) and Billy Britt of 
Smithfield, presents checks totalling $50,000 to J J Dunn of Four Oaks, 
Route 1 (third from left) in the presence of Clerk of Court H V Rose of 
Smithfield as the Dunns transferred the 51-acre site of the Battle of 
Bentonville in Johnston County.)

 Smithfield - Aug 30 - A deed was signed here today transferring to 
the State the 51-acre site of the Battle of Bentonville in Johnston
County.

 The deed was signed by Mr and Mrs J J Dunn, Dr Christopher Crittenden
director of the State Department of Archives and History, and others
met with the Dunns, who received a $50,000 check for the property.

 The property, located about 18 miles south of here, is the site of 
the biggest and bloodiest battle ever fought in North Carolina. In the
closing days of the Civil War, the battle was fought unsuccessfully to
halt the march of Gen William T Sherman's Union forces toward Raleigh.

 Half of the cost of the property was put up by the State, Johnston 
County advanced $10,000, with the remaining $15,000 being raised from
private contributions. All except about $2,000 of the amount from
private contributions has been raised.

 The battleground site will be restored. The old Harper House, in
which the Dunns live, was erected prior to the Civil War. The Dunns
have been given 90 days to vacate the house, which will be used as
headquarters for the historic site. Gun emplacements, breastworks and
trenches are still on the property.

 George K Gelbach of Edenton has been employed by the State to help
in plans for the resorations.


                 Open House Held at Battleground

 Smithfield - Open house at Bentonville Battleground in southern
Johnston County is being held every Sunday from 2 until 5 pm it was
announced this week by H V Rose, who has been one of the prime movers
in the restoration of the site of the last great battle of the Civil
War, said that local persons will be available to show visitors around.

 He said that a large map showing the details of the battle and relics
are on display. Eventually on the site will be built a keepers 
residence, a fireproof museum room, picnic tables, and toilet 
facilities. Planting shrubbery and landscaping is to be done to restore
the spot as near as possible to the way it looked when the battle was
fought.

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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Guy Potts <gpotts1@nc.rr.com>

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