Battle of Averasborough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Averasborough
Part of the Campaign of the Carolinas
Date March 16, 1865 (1865-03-16) Location Harnett County and Cumberland County, North Carolina Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
William T. Sherman	William J. Hardee
Units involved
Army of Georgia	Hardee's Corps
Strength
12,000	7,000
Casualties and losses
700	500

The Battle of Averasborough was a fight during the American Civil War on March 16, 1865. It took place in North Carolina, in Harnett and Cumberland counties. This battle was an important event leading up to a much bigger fight called the Battle of Bentonville, which happened just three days later. It was part of the Campaign of the Carolinas, where Union forces moved through the South.

Who Fought in the Battle?

The Union Army's Plan

General William T. Sherman led the Union Army. He was moving his soldiers north toward Goldsboro. His army marched in two main groups, like two big columns.

One group, called the Army of the Tennessee, was led by General Oliver O. Howard. The other group, the Army of Georgia, was under General Henry W. Slocum.

The Confederate Army's Strategy

The Confederate Army was led by General Joseph E. Johnston. He sent General William J. Hardee and his soldiers to attack. Their goal was to strike General Slocum's group. They wanted to hit Slocum's soldiers while they were separated from the rest of General Sherman's army.

Key Moments of the Battle

General Slocum's troops had crossed the Cape Fear River near Fayetteville. They were marching along a road toward Raleigh. Near a place called Averasborough, they met General Hardee's Confederate soldiers.

On the morning of March 16, the fighting began. Union soldiers from the XX Corps, led by General Alpheus S. Williams, were pushed back. This happened after a strong attack by the Confederates.

More Union soldiers soon arrived to help. These reinforcements launched a counterattack. They managed to push back two lines of Confederate defenders. However, they were stopped by a third line of Confederate troops.

At this point, more Union soldiers from the XIV Corps started to join the battle. These troops were led by General Jefferson C. Davis. General Hardee's Confederate soldiers were now outnumbered. They were also in danger of being surrounded. Because of this, Hardee's troops decided to pull back and leave the battlefield.

The Battlefield Today

The Battle of Averasborough took place near Erwin, North Carolina. The main fighting happened on the land of a place called Oak Grove. Another nearby location, Lebanon, was used as a hospital during the battle.

Before the battle, Union soldiers visited the Ellerslie Plantation. They took supplies from the plantation. They also used the main house there to house some of their troops.

Today, the area where the battle happened is important. The Averasboro Battlefield Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. This means it's a special historical site. The American Battlefield Trust and its partners have worked to protect this land. They have saved about 520 acres (2.1 km²) of the Averasborough battlefield.

Casualties and Outcome

The Confederates had hoped to slow down the Union Army for a longer time. But they did not succeed as much as they wanted. Both sides had about 700 soldiers who were either killed, wounded, or missing.

These losses were tough for both armies. However, the Union Army could afford to lose 700 soldiers more easily than the Confederate Army. The Confederates had fewer soldiers and resources available. The battle ended without a clear winner, but it set the stage for the next big fight.

Images for kids

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  Map by the American Battlefield Protection Program

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  Map from The Record of the Fifty-Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry (1904)