All right one of my Wife's and I stops on our spring break odyssey was Bentonville. First, the pictures we took don't really do the site justice so I've provided a link that give a much better impression of this site. Here's the link:
www.civilwaralbum.com/misc8/bentonville1.htm. When I went to the visitor's center and asked the ranger about the 8th Arkansas he didn't have a much to add over what we already knew. They were in Bate's Corps (Cheatham's old corps), Cleburne's old division, Govan's Brigade and were in the vanguard of the AOT's assualt on the 20th Corps on March 19th. It appeared to me the balance of their fighting was in an around the Morris Farm and they were part of the Confederate high tide at this battle. There is nothing exceptional about the terrain they fought over or what they held at nightfall on the 19th; just small rolling hills with a forested area and ravine in front of them. They skirmished in front of their position on the 20th and retreated over the Mill Creek Bridge on the 21st and 22nd. I couldn't get to their position as most of it was on private property. Although, the battlfield hasn't changed much since 1865 most of the battlefield is on private property.
However, I was able to get to the 21st Wisconsin's position on the 19th just south of the Cole Farm. They were in an open area with woods behind them and a swamp in front of them to their right. I have a copy of, "Memoirs of a Dutch Mudsill" and Otto doesn't really mention getting beaten outflanked, beaten and along with the rest of Fitch's Brigade being pretty much out of the fight by the evening of March 19th.( I will say this about 21st Wisc., if I were doing first person while portraying this unit I think all I would do and talk about is making and drinking coffee..... because that's all Otto seems to do).
That's about the scoop on the battlefield itself. I read Hughes book on the battlefield before going down there and of course Otto's book but the staff there recommended "Moore's Historical Guide to the Battle of Bentonville" which I bought there for about $15 and it is indeed and excellent book with great maps, personal accounts (he mentions Confederates deserting during a battle and turning around and fighting with the Federals! Apparently they were bitter over being drafted into CS service). That's about the scoop on the battlefield and our trip through NC to Virginia.
Tim Ruyle
