rd that several of these promising young men, who had left their
homes so far behind, were killed and many wounded.

This ended the battle of Bentonville, and we might say the war. The
sun of the Confederacy, notwithstanding the hopes of our Generals, the
determination of the troops, and the prayers of the people, was fast
sinking in the west. The glorious rising on the plains of Manassas had
gone down among the pine barriers of North Carolina. The last stroke
had been given, and destiny seemed to be against us. For hundreds of
miles had the defeated troops of Hood marched barefooted and footsore
to the relief of their comrades of the East, and had now gained a
shallow victory. They had crossed three States to mingle their blood
with those of their friends who had fought with dogged resistence
every step that Sherman had made. But their spirits were not broken.
They were still ready to try conclusions with the enemy whenever our
leaders gave the signal for battle. The South could not be conquered
by defeat--to conquer it, it must be crashed. The tattered battle
flags waved as triumphantly over the heads of the shattered ranks of
the battle-scared veterans here in the pine barriers as it ever did on
the banks of the Rapidan.

It is sad to chronicle that on this last day, in a battle of the
cavalry, in which the infantry had to take a part, the gallant son of
the brave General Hardee fell at the head of his column as the Eighth
Texas Cavalry was making a desperate charge.

In the battle of Bentonville the Confederates had fourteen thousand
infantry and cavalry. The cavalry being mostly on the flanks, and
General Wheeler on the north side of Mill Creek, could not participate
in the battle in consequence of the swollen stream. The Federal Army
had thirty-five thousand engaged on the 19th and seventy thousand in
line on the 20th. The loss on the Confederate side was one hundred and
eighty killed, one thousand two hundred and twenty wounded, and five
hundred and fifteen missing. The enemy's losses in killed and wounded
far exceeded the Confederates, besides the Confederates captured nine
hundred prisoners.

On the night of the 21st the army began its retreat, crossing Mill
Creek on the morning of the 22nd, just in time to see the enemy
approach the bridge as our last troops had crossed.

On the 23rd General Sherman marched his army to Goldsboro, there
uniting with General Schofield. It was the intention of General Lee
t