Just three days after the battle of Averasborough, North Carolina (March 16, 1865) the 55th Ohio, with the rest of the 20th Corps, were once again engaged in combat at Bentonville, North Carolina. Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston massed about 21,000 rebel troops and attacked the Federal Army of Georgia on May 19th. General Slocum's men withstood several desperate rebel attacks, after which Johnston withdrew his men to a defensive position along Mill Creek. The 55th Ohio and it's brigade, which had been marching most of the night with only a brief pause after daybreak, received orders at 11:30 a.m. to leave the wagons they were escorting and move forward. Said 3rd Brigade commander General Cogswell; "This brigade, by rapid marching, reached the field early in the p.m., and was massed in rear of the batteries, in rear of the First Division of (20th) Corps". At 3:00 p.m., the brigade was ordered to the right to fill a gap between two divisions of the 14th Corps.

Cogswell then stated: "Following by the flank in the direction pointed out to me by General Davis (Commanding 14th Corps) . . . I struck my flank upon two rebel lines that were passing up the gap for the purpose of turning General Morgan's division. Gaining quickly my proper front. and retiring a little to my right, I remained with four regiments in line and two in reserve in columns in rear of left and right, respectively, until I had ascertained by skirmishers where I was. Finding that I, too, had struck the enemy's flank, I moved forward about 100 yards, through dense swamps, cutting off parts of two rebel regiments, which fell as prisoners into the hands of the 14th Corps, and pressing back the enemy until he formed in my front in two lines, on the outside of a swamp, in the middle of which my line was. Here the brigade became hotly engaged until 8:30 o'clock that night, when the two lines of the enemy withdrew, leaving his dead and wounded in our hands. I then withdrew my line to the inner side of the swamp and strengthened it. The men slept on their arms". The brigade saw no significant action in the remaining two days of this fight, being relieved by Hobart's brigade of the 14th Corps. Cogswell's brigade lost 11 men killed and 113 wounded on the 19th (Total Union loss, March 19 - 21 was about 1,646). The 55th Ohio lost 9 men killed / mortally wounded, 17 other wounded, and 7 missing / captured (total 33).

By April 10th, Sherman was on the move again towards Smithfield, where Johnston's 45,000 rebels were positioned. Johnston quickly abandoned his position and moved to Raleigh, with Sherman in pursuit. ON the 12th of April, Sherman issued a special field order to the army, as follows:

"The general commanding announces to the army that he has official notice from General Grant that General Lee surrendered his entire army on the 9th inst. at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Glory to God and our country; and all honor to our comrades in arms, towards whom we are marching. A little more labor, a little more toil on our part, and the great race is won, and our government stands regenerated after four long years of war."

Regimental historian Hartwell Osborne recorded, "Lee's surrender was announced to the marching column on the 13th by an aide, who shouted the glad news as he rode by. The bands broke out into patriotic music, the columns cheered and cheered, and went forward with renewed vigor." On April 14th, Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston sent General Sherman a note requesting a meeting to discuss surrender. Sherman met Johnston on the 17th and presented him with generous terms, which he accepted. The troop's joy was soon turned to sorrow as news of President Lincoln's assassination reached the army. Officer's doubled the guards to prevent an outbreak of the troops against the government officials and sympathizers in the nearby town. On April 24th, news reached Sherman that his surrender proposal was too generous and had been rejected by the congress. Orders were issued that night to move against the rebels. However, General Johnston sent another note to Sherman to further discuss terms. On the 26th, final terms were agreed upon, and Johnston surrendered his men, including all troops in Georgia and Florida. Sherman ordered his troops back to Raleigh and the 20th Corps returned to its previous campground on the 25th of April, 1865. The war was over.

Sources:
Trials And Triumphs: The Record Of The Fifty-Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry
by Captain Hartwell Osborne And Others, A.C. McClurg & Co., 1904

All Brave And True: A History Of The Marches And Battles Of The 55th Ohio (Veteran) Volunteer Infantry Regiment by Dan Munson, March 1987, (2nd Edition)

 

 

Return to 55th Ohio Infantry Page