Winter Encampment

If asked where the Civil War ended most would state Appomattox, Virginia. The fact is that nearly 100,000 confederate troops remained under arms in the southeastern states commanded by Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston. Until these troops laid down their weapons, the war would continue. After suffering defeat at Bentonville, Johnston was forced to engage in a constant withdrawing action in the face of Sherman's superior forces. With the surrender of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia Johnston no longer saw the point of continuing the conflict. Here, at the homestead of James Bennett outside Durham, North Carolina, is where the war truly ended with Johnston's surrender to General William T. Sherman on April 26, 1865.

Unfortunately, the Bennett Farm did not attract as great a level of preservation as did Appomattox. No historic designations were given the property until the 1923 at which time the cabin had long since burned down. The property came under the protection of the State of North Carolina in the 1960's at which point a small cabin, similar to the Bennett's and dating to the same period was moved to the property and restored in the design of the original structure. Today, there is a nice visitor center with some interesting displays as well as a self guided tour which leads you through the property...

12-29-2011

Bennett Place State Historic Site (NC)

Bennett Place State Historic Site
The view of the site as one pulls in...
Bennett Place Site Map
Bennett Place State Historic Site
The visitor center...
Visitor Center
The displays inside the visitor center does a good job of explaining how the Civil War affected the Piedmont of North Carolina, particularly the farming families which included the Bennett's...
Visitor Center
This mosaic of photos shows the condition of the Bennett House over the course of the last century and a half. The house was abandoned in the 1880's and burned in 1921, leaving only the chimney. The current structure is an 1840's cabin, similar in design to the Bennett's, which was moved here in the 1960's and restored to look like the Bennett cabin...
Unity Monument
This monument was erected in 1923, soon after the original house burned. It signifies the reunification of the country and the plaque records the events that took place here...
Hillsborough Road
This is a short stretch of the original road which ran between Raleigh and the community of Hillsborough to the east. It was down the road that each General travelled to reach the Bennett Farm...
Bennett Farm
Looking across the Hillsborough Road to the Bennett Farm...
Bennett House
As I noted earlier this isn't the actual Bennett Home but one that belonged to one of the Bennett's neighbors, built around 1840, and moved to this site in 1960. It was placed on the foundation of the original house and renovated to the appearance it would have had in 1865. The chimney is the only remaining original feature of the Bennett Home...
Bennett House
A peek inside the Bennett Home which looks like it might be open in warmer months but was locked up tight when we visited...
Bennett House
As I noted earlier this isn't the actual Bennett Home but one that belonged to one of the Bennett's neighbors, built around 1840, and moved to this site in 1960. It was placed on the foundation of the original house and renovated to the appearance it would have had in 1865. The chimney is the only remaining original feature of the Bennett Home...
Bennett House
A closer look at the plaque on the original chimney which explains broadly what the original layout of the farm was...
Bennett House
Site of Johnson's final surrender to Sherman.
Bennett House
A peek inside the kitchenhouse...
Ash Hopper
Next to the kitchenhouse we found this curious contraption...the Bennett's used a device like this to make potash by pouring water through the ash in the hopper and boiling the mixture which flowed out the spigot at the bottom. They'd use the potash for soap, paint, and making hominy...
Kitchen Garden
This area served as the vegetable garden for the Bennett family...it looks like it should for late December...
Well with Sweep
This was well, a well...the box and 'sweep' that it's attached to protect the open stone shaft which dates back to when the Bennett's lived here...
Bandstand/Gazebo
This, to me, is the most curious structure on the grounds. It has no historic correlation to the Bennett's or the events that took place here in 1865. It was simply moved here from Durham in 1924 and serves as a place for ceremonies and concerts in the park...
Bennett Place State Historic Site
Though it's not signed as such, this huge Oak overshadowing the Hillsborough Road could have possibly been a silent witness to the events that took place here...kinda cool...
Winter Encampment
The park had a small area on the edge of the woods set up as a winter camp that one might have found soldiers living in during the period of the Civil War. Here a small lean-to sit's beside a couple campfires...
Winter Encampment
The park had a small area on the edge of the woods set up as a winter camp that one might have found soldiers living in during the period of the Civil War. The small lean-to was no doubt meant as a temporary home while a more solid shelter, such as the cabin in the foreground, could be built...
Winter Encampment
Looking back across to the visitor center from the Winter Encampment...it amazes me how, even to this day, the events that took place here still go all but unnoticed. Though perhaps lacking the high-profile participants of Appomattox, the Bennett Place had an equally important role in our country's history. I feel privileged to have visited...