Four Oaks in Johnston County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

The XV Corps At Bentonville

Photographed by Mike McKeown, October 11, 2025

1. The XV Corps at Bentonville Marker

Inscription.

The XV Corps At Bentonville. . , On the evening of March 19, the 15,000 soldiers of of Gen. J.A. Logan's XV Corps departed at moonrise for the 12-mile march to Bentonville, They had been called to the aid of Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman's Left Wing, which had been ambushed by a Confederate army earlier that day. By the middle of March 20, Logan's men had driven away the few Southerners sent to impede their advance. A link was forged with the Left Wing a mile to your left, up the Goldsboro Road., The remainder of the Right Wing , Maj. Gen. Frank Blair's XVII Corps , followed closely behind Logan. Blair's 11,000 men extended Union lines further northeast. Sherman' entire force was on the field, deployed in a six-mile arc around the now drastically outnumbered Confederates.,

"John Logan! Where is Logan?" Small>- Gen. Sherman when looking for assistance for his Left Wing, "Keep cool, they are coming again. Wait until you can count the buttons on their coats and see the whites of their eyes before you shoot." , Gen. John Logan along Sam Howell Branch, March 21, 1865

, Once deployed, Logan's corps faced Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's Division, entrenched along the far bank of Sam Howell Branch, a small creek in the woods in front of you. In some places, Logan's and Hoke's skirmishers were a mere 75 yards apart. Despite orders from Sherman not to launch a full-scale assault, Bvt. Maj. Gen. Charles Woods' and Bvt. Maj. Gen. John Corse's divisions repeatedly drove Southerners from their rifle pits, only to have them recaptured during counter attacks. Casualties, especially among officers, mounted for both sides., As fighting continued on March 21, men were pulled from Hoke's Division to shore up threatened areas along the Confederate line. Emboldened, the XV Corps redoubled their efforts to drive off the few adversaries remaining in their front. One U.S. soldier reported that the more than 300 men of his regiment fired 17,000 rounds on March 21 alone, yet the Southerners still held on. Expecting the battle to continue, Logan's men were surprised to find Confederate defenses abandoned at dawn on March 22., [Captions:] , Maj. Gen. John A. Logan commanded the XV Corps during the Carolinas' Campaign. (Library of Congress), Private Clark E. Cummings, 31st Iowa Infantry. The XV Corps insignia is visible on his jacket. (Library of Congress), The 6th Iowa's Charles F. Stratton enlisted in 1861. He survived almost the entire war only to be killed near here on March 20. (The Excelsior Brigade)

On the evening of March 19, the 15,000 soldiers of of Gen. J.A. Logan's XV Corps departed at moonrise for the 12-mile march to Bentonville, They had been called to the aid of Maj. Gen. W.T. Sherman's Left Wing, which had been ambushed by a Confederate army earlier that day. By the middle of March 20, Logan's men had driven away the few Southerners sent to impede their advance. A link was forged with the Left Wing a mile to your left, up the Goldsboro Road.

The remainder of the Right Wing — Maj. Gen. Frank Blair's XVII Corps — followed closely behind Logan. Blair's 11,000 men extended Union lines further northeast. Sherman' entire force was on the field, deployed in a six-mile arc around the now drastically outnumbered Confederates.

"John Logan! Where is Logan?" Small>- Gen. Sherman when looking for assistance for his Left Wing

"Keep cool, they are coming again. Wait until you can count the buttons on their coats and see the whites of their eyes before you shoot." — Gen. John Logan along Sam Howell Branch, March 21, 1865

Once deployed, Logan's corps faced Maj. Gen. Robert F. Hoke's Division, entrenched along the far bank of Sam Howell Branch, a small creek in the woods in front of you. In some places, Logan's and Hoke's skirmishers were

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a mere 75 yards apart. Despite orders from Sherman not to launch a full-scale assault, Bvt. Maj. Gen. Charles Woods' and Bvt. Maj. Gen. John Corse's divisions repeatedly drove Southerners from their rifle pits, only to have them recaptured during counter attacks. Casualties, especially among officers, mounted for both sides.

As fighting continued on March 21, men were pulled from Hoke's Division to shore up threatened areas along the Confederate line. Emboldened, the XV Corps redoubled their efforts to drive off the few adversaries remaining in their front. One U.S. soldier reported that the more than 300 men of his regiment fired 17,000 rounds on March 21 alone, yet the Southerners still held on. Expecting the battle to continue, Logan's men were surprised to find Confederate defenses abandoned at dawn on March 22.

[Captions:]
Maj. Gen. John A. Logan commanded the XV Corps during the Carolinas' Campaign. (Library of Congress)

Private Clark E. Cummings, 31st Iowa Infantry. The XV Corps insignia is visible on his jacket. (Library of Congress)

The 6th Iowa's Charles F. Stratton enlisted in 1861. He survived almost the entire war only to be killed near here on March 20. (The Excelsior Brigade)

Erected by Mr. Phil Flowers and Family.

Topics. This historical marker is listed

Photographed by Mike McKeown, October 11, 2025

2. The XV Corps at Bentonville Marker

in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is March 19, 1865.

Location. 35° 19.343′ N, 78° 16.745′ W. Marker is in Four Oaks, North Carolina, in Johnston County. It can be reached from the intersection of Harper House Road and St Johns Church Road, on the right when traveling west. At the Flower's Crossroads Stop on the Bentonville Battlefield Driving Tour. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Four Oaks NC 27524, 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 the North Atlantic Region,

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: The Fight For Flowers' Crossroads (a few steps from this marker); Main Union Line (approx. ¼ mile away); Federal Junction (approx. 0.3 miles away); Main Confederate Line (approx. 0.4 miles away); Union Headquarters (approx. half a mile away); Sherman's Right Wing Arrives at Bentonville (approx. half a mile away); March 20th— Johnston Remains on the Battlefield (approx. 0.6 miles away); "Uncle Billy" Comes to Bentonville (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Four Oaks.

Also see . . .
1. Union XX Corps (Wikipedia). (Submitted on October 15, 2025, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland.)
2. Battle of Bentonville (American Battlefield Trust). (Submitted on October 15, 2025, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland.)

Union Gen. Francis Blair Commander of the XVII Corps image. Click for full size.

Library of Congress

3. Union Gen. Francis Blair Commander of the XVII Corps

Credits. This page was last revised on March 16, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 15, 2025, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 104 times since then and 55 times this year. Last updated on March 16, 2026, by Mark P. Brock-Cancellieri of Baltimore, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 15, 2025, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. 3. submitted on February 26, 2026, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.