Learn about North Carolina's contribution to the Confederate causes during the American Civil War
Examine how the saying "First at Bethel, farthest to the front at Gettysburg and Chickamauga, and last at Appomattox" characterizes North Carolinians' contribution to the Confederate cause during the American Civil War.
© Civil War Trust (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
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Transcript
Hello. My name is Kirk Bradley, and I'm a trustee of the Civil War Trust. I'm here at Bennett Place in Durham, North Carolina. Being a state with a large coastal area and bordering three other states, it was obvious that North Carolina would play an important part in the Civil War.
Over 130,000 troops served in the Confederate Army and all branches of infantry, cavalry and artillery. Interestingly, there were also 8,000 that fought for the Union-- 3,000 white and 5,000 black. A more important statistic is the fact that 40,000 troops died in service of the Confederate army from North Carolina-- a very significant number of the total deaths and casualties for the Confederate States of America.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, veterans of the war were proud of the fact that North Carolinians were first at Big Bethel, furthest to Gettysburg and Chickamauga, and last at Appomattox. They served in all the major conflicts in both the Eastern and Western theaters, with names you remember.
In addition, to service on the battlefield, there were many North Carolinians that helped with war material and taking care of the troops in hospitals. There were many famous North Carolinians affiliated with the war. Among these are Braxton Bragg, Leonidas Polk, D.H. Hill, James Johnston Pettigrew, and many, many others.
While many North Carolina troops surrendered with Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, the largest Confederate troop surrender was negotiated here in North Carolina at Bennett Place in Durham, North Carolina, where I'm standing today. There are memorials to North Carolina troops across the country.
Perhaps the most poignant is the memorial that is on the battlefield at Gettysburg. If you look at the faces of those men, it shows the courage, tenacity, force of effort that it took in this great conflict of our country.
Over 130,000 troops served in the Confederate Army and all branches of infantry, cavalry and artillery. Interestingly, there were also 8,000 that fought for the Union-- 3,000 white and 5,000 black. A more important statistic is the fact that 40,000 troops died in service of the Confederate army from North Carolina-- a very significant number of the total deaths and casualties for the Confederate States of America.
In the late 19th and early 20th century, veterans of the war were proud of the fact that North Carolinians were first at Big Bethel, furthest to Gettysburg and Chickamauga, and last at Appomattox. They served in all the major conflicts in both the Eastern and Western theaters, with names you remember.
In addition, to service on the battlefield, there were many North Carolinians that helped with war material and taking care of the troops in hospitals. There were many famous North Carolinians affiliated with the war. Among these are Braxton Bragg, Leonidas Polk, D.H. Hill, James Johnston Pettigrew, and many, many others.
While many North Carolina troops surrendered with Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, the largest Confederate troop surrender was negotiated here in North Carolina at Bennett Place in Durham, North Carolina, where I'm standing today. There are memorials to North Carolina troops across the country.
Perhaps the most poignant is the memorial that is on the battlefield at Gettysburg. If you look at the faces of those men, it shows the courage, tenacity, force of effort that it took in this great conflict of our country.
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