Statesville in Iredell County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Statesville in the Civil War

The Raiders Soon Departed

— Stoneman's Raid —

Statesville in the Civil War Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, December 14, 2024

1. Statesville in the Civil War Marker

Inscription.

Statesville in the Civil War. The Raiders Soon Departed. After destroying the Confederate supply depot and prison at Salisbury, Union Gen. George Stoneman led his raiders west toward Tennessee, arriving in Statesville on the night of April 13, 1865. Here his men burned supplies, the railroad depot, and the Iredell Express office, nearly setting the town afire. Some soldiers were accused of mistreating residents and beating one to compel him to lead them to hidden gold. The wife of Gov. Zebulon B. Vance, however, received courteous consideration, and Col. William J. Palmer, commander of one of Stoneman's brigades, ordered personal items returned to her that had been removed from one of her trunks. The raiders soon departed., As Federal troops closed in on Raleigh near the end of the war, Gov. Vance fled the city at midnight on April 12 and joined his family here in the residence now called the Vance House. He remained there until Union cavalrymen arrested him on May 13. Taken to Washington, D.C., and held in the Old Capitol Prison for seven weeks, Vance was finally released without being charged and returned here. He later moved to Charlotte, practiced law, was elected U.S. Senator, and held that office until his death in 1894. The house was moved to Sharpe Street in 1950., (sidebar) , Iredell County voted 1,818 to 191 against a state secession convention in February 1861. When President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the "rebellion" after the surrender of Fort Sumter in April, however, North Carolina seceded on May 20. Statesville and Iredell County residents joined companies in eleven North Carolina regiments, the Home Guard, and Junior Reserve units. Most fought in battles in eastern North Carolina and Virginia. Veterans later attended many reunions and Memorial Day services here. About 45 veterans are buried at Fourth Creek Landing Cemetery and 200 at Oakwood Cemetery in Statesville. The Beaux Arts-style former courthouse here was built about 1900., (captions) , Gen. George Stoneman . Gen. Zebulon Vance Courtesy of Library of Congress , Route of Stoneman's Raid in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina, March-April 1865

After destroying the Confederate supply depot and prison at Salisbury, Union Gen. George Stoneman led his raiders west toward Tennessee, arriving in Statesville on the night of April 13, 1865. Here his men burned supplies, the railroad depot, and the Iredell Express office, nearly setting the town afire. Some soldiers were accused of mistreating residents and beating one to compel him to lead them to hidden gold. The wife of Gov. Zebulon B. Vance, however, received courteous consideration, and Col. William J. Palmer, commander of one of Stoneman's brigades, ordered personal items returned to her that had been removed from one of her trunks. The raiders soon departed.

As Federal troops closed in on Raleigh near the end of the war, Gov. Vance fled the city at midnight on April 12 and joined his family here in the residence now called the Vance House. He remained there until Union cavalrymen arrested him on May 13. Taken to Washington, D.C., and held in the Old Capitol Prison for seven weeks, Vance was finally released without being charged and returned here. He later moved to Charlotte, practiced law, was elected

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U.S. Senator, and held that office until his death in 1894. The house was moved to Sharpe Street in 1950.

(sidebar)
Iredell County voted 1,818 to 191 against a state secession convention in February 1861. When President Abraham Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the "rebellion" after the surrender of Fort Sumter in April, however, North Carolina seceded on May 20. Statesville and Iredell County residents joined companies in eleven North Carolina regiments, the Home Guard, and Junior Reserve units. Most fought in battles in eastern North Carolina and Virginia. Veterans later attended many reunions and Memorial Day services here. About 45 veterans are buried at Fourth Creek Landing Cemetery and 200 at Oakwood Cemetery in Statesville. The Beaux Arts-style former courthouse here was built about 1900.

(captions)
Gen. George Stoneman • Gen. Zebulon Vance Courtesy of Library of Congress
Route of Stoneman's Raid in Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina, March-April 1865

Erected by North Carolina Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition,

Statesville in the Civil War Marker looking for towards the Iredell County Courthouse image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, December 14, 2024

2. Statesville in the Civil War Marker looking for towards the Iredell County Courthouse

it is included in the North Carolina Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 13, 1865.

Location. 35° 47.012′ N, 80° 53.278′ W. Marker is in Statesville, North Carolina, in Iredell County. It is on South Center Street (North Carolina Route 115) south of Court Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 S Center St, Statesville NC 28677, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Piedmont.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: United Spanish American War Veterans Memorial (here, next to this marker); Iredell County Confederate Memorial (a few steps from this marker); Iredell County War Mothers

Looking north from Civil War Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, December 14, 2024

3. Looking north from Civil War Marker

(a few steps from this marker); Iredell County Courthouse (a few steps from this marker); Student Sit In (within shouting distance of this marker); Commercial National Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Wallace Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Bristol Block (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Statesville.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Statesville in the Civil War (has been replaced with this marker).

Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. Old CWT Marker At This Location also titled "Statesville in the Civil War".

Credits. This page was last revised on December 16, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2024, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 285 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on December 14, 2024, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. 2, 3. submitted on December 15, 2024, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.