Organization of the Army near Smithfield, N.C., Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, commanding,
March 13, 1865
Army of the Tennessee
Lt. Gen. Alexander P. Stewart, commanding
Cheatham's Corps
Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Cheatham, commanding
Bate's Division
Maj. Gen. William B. Bate
Finley's Brigade
Lt. Col. E/ Washburn
1st and 3d Florida Infantry
Captain A. B. McLeod
1st Florida (dismounted) Cavalry and 4th Florida Infantry
Captain George R. Langford
6th Florida
Lieutenant Malcolm Nicholson
7th Florida
Captain Robert B. Smith
Report of Maj. Gen. William B. Bate, C. S. Army, of operations March 19.
Headquarters Bate's Division,
In the field, near Smithfield, N. C., March 28, 1865.
Colonel: In obedience to orders from headquarters of the Army of Tennessee I have the honor to submit the following as the official report of the participation of that portion of Cheatham�s corps under my command in the battle of Bentonville on the 19th instant:
Cheatham�s division did not arrive until after the battle. Cleburne�s, under Brig. Gen. James A. Smith, and Bate�s (my) division, under command of Colonel Kenan, of the Florida brigade (neither of them complete, however, in strength), constituting that part of the corps present, and under my command, left camps near Smithfield Depot on the 18th instant, and after an exhausting march of fifteen or twenty miles went into bivouac, after night, near Bentonville.
On the morning of the 19th the corps resumed motion about 9 o�clock, and some three miles distant from Bentonville went into position on the extreme right of the army and in prolongation of Lee�s corps. While forming my line my extreme left, Govan�s brigade, commanded by Col. P. Y. Green, of the [Fifth] Arkansas Regiment, was suddenly and fiercely assaulted. The enemy, with vigor, pushed up within thirty yards of this part of the line, which, fortunately, had been established, but after a sharp engagement was repulsed and precipitated from the field, leaving his dead and wounded. My lines were soon adjusted and breast-works constructed.
I received orders from Lieutenant-General Hardee in person early in the afternoon to advance and attack the enemy in my front. Having just returned from a close and accurate reconnaissance, in which I ascertained that the left of the enemy�s line, at least his front line, did not extend connectedly at all beyond my right, and there being a division (Taliaferro�s) lying in reserve in my immediate rear, I urged that it make a detour, passing beyond my extreme right, and be thrown upon the left flank of the enemy. This was adopted and the time of our advance deferred half an hour, that the flanking division might get into position before the front attack was made. At the designated time my command was promptly moved off, Cleburne�s division composing the first and my divisiomi the second line of battle. In front of the right of the line there was an open field and fronting the center and left a pine forest. The right brigade (Smith�s) of the front line in advancing obliqued too far to the left, in order to get under cover of the timber, and caused a momentary confusion in this line just as it received the first volley from the enemy behind his defenses, which in my immediate front was only a few hundred yards. This line staggered and delayed for a few moments under this fire, whereupon the second line being ordered, approached in such fine spirit and order as to reassure the first and excite an emulation which caused the first line to move rapidly forward directly on the works. His strong defenses were carried with a shout and a bound, and he rapidly driven in confusion. These defenses were continuous and well constructed, located about 800 yards in front of our breast-works, on a slight eminence, with a small creek in rear. Without delay he was steadily pursued. The left-oblique movement on the right of the front line at the start exposed that flank to a right-oblique fire (as Taliaferro�s division had not got around), which necessitated my moving the second line and forming it on the right of the first and in continuation thereof. My whole command, with double line of skirmishers thrown forward, in one line advanced in incomparable style, driving the enemy from his second line of works and other chosen places. He made an obstinate stand in rear of a road parallel to and more than a mile distant from his original line, repelling and driving us for a short distance. Our line of battle being readjusted the advance was ordered, and, though his resistance was determined, he was driven back beyond a slough, whicli served for a time as a kind of breastwork to our persistent pursuit. Our line cleared it, however, with but little delay, and was still advancing when I was ordered by General Hardee, through a staff officer, to halt and await further orders before moving. My command when halted was some distance in advance of our main line of battle. The left of the flanking division having been driven back, my right was again exposed. To guard against a flank movement in that direction, and in order to relieve it from isolation and connect with main line on my left, I retired it and placed the Second Tennessee Regiment [Provisional Army] in advance, with its right thrown back as a guard to its exposed flank. The enemy was in view, and taking advantage of this retrograde movement, turned and advanced upon us, but after a sharp contest was driven back again, which repulse we in turn followed up until re-enforcements came to his assistance, by the aid of which he drove us back a short distance and formed a strong line, which our single line was too weak, from casualties and exhaustion, to successftilly attack. The two opposing lines being in easy rifle range kept up a constant fire. These facts I made known and renewed my application for re-enforcements to enable me to advance. McLaws� division after sundown passed throngh my lines and halted a few paces in its front. Had these fresh troops been thrown in an hour earlier our victory would have been more complete and more fruitful of advantage. The firing continued until dark. My lines remained stationary until about 9 o�clock that night, when, in obedience to orders, we buried our dead, cared for our wounded, and returned to our intrenched lines.
In this battle there were but few stragglers from my command, and not a man stopped to plunder the knapsacks of the enemy, which were lying in numbers behind his breastworks.
I am much indebted to officers and men of the corps for their prompt and gallant conduct. Though entering this fight after a long and wearisome trip, a retreat from a disastrous field, few in numbers, without the complement of officers, and much embarrassed for the want of efficient reorganization, the corps not only exhibited the innate metal of its material and maintained its ancient battle prestige, but encircled its brow anew with laurels gathered from the Atlantic slope.
I cannot confer too much commendation upon my division commanders, Brig. Gen. James A. Smith and Colonel Kenan, of [Sixth] Florida Regiment, both of whom were equal to every emergency, and inspired their commands by the proper example. Colonel Kenan lost a leg at the close, in the thickest of the fight, which deprives the country of the services of a most gallant and efficient officer.
I am doubly grieved to mourn, in conjunction with other casualties, the loss of the young, gallant, and lamented commander of Tyler�s brigade, Bate�s division, Maj. W. H. Wilkinson. For four years under my eye he has borne himself with modest grace, becoming dignity, and marked gallantry. He fell at the head of his brigade, leading the last charge of the day.
I am indebted to Colonel Moore, of North Carolina, for assistance as volunteer aide on this occasion.
To no one of my command am I more especially indebted than Capt. J. Cobbs, of the [Fortieth] Alabama Regiment, who was on duty with me as assistant adjutant-general. When his horse was killed under him he promptly took his place on foot and continued the discharge of his duty with persistent energy and peerless resolution.
Lieut. Bradford Nichol, acting ordnance officer for the corps, merits special notice in this report for the incomparable energy and efficiency in getting, under embarrassing circumstances, transportation for and furnishing timely supplies of ammunition.
To Dr. George M. McDowell, chief surgeon, I tender my acknowledgments for the skill, energy, and success displayed in his department.
A list of casualties has heretofore, as per order, been forwarded to your office. It exhibits a loss of little more than 25 per cent of the number engaged.
For further particulars allow me to respectfully refer to the reports of my brigade commanders.
I am, most respectfully, your obedient servant,
Wm. B. Bate,
Major-General, Commanding.
Organization of the Confederate Forces, commanded by General Joseph E. Johnston. At time
of surrender at Greensborough, N. C.
Hardee's CorpsLieut. Gen. William J. Hardee.
Brown's (late Cleburne's) Division Maj. Gen. John C. Brown.
Smith's Brigade
Brig. Gen. James A. Smith.
1st Florida (consolidated 1st, 3d, 4th, 6th. and 7th Infantry and 1st Cavalry)
Lieut. Col. Elisha Mashburn.
1st Georgia (consolidated 1st, 57th, and 63d Georgia Infantry), Col. Charles H. Olmstead
54th Georgia (consolidated 37th and 54th Georgia and 4th Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters), Col. Theodore D. Caswell.