Kinston and part of the Southern army was at Smithfield. On that date Gen. D. H. Hill was ordered to take his own division and Pettus brigade of Stevenson’s division and move to Hoke’s position for battle. Clayton s division of Lee’s corps and the Junior reserves under Baker soon after reported to General Hill. On the 8th, Generals Hoke and Hill engaged the corps of General Cox, stated by him to be 13,056. The battle was fought near Kinston, and its opening was fortunate for the Confederates. Upham’s brigade was broken and this initial success was about to be followed up vigorously, when an order from the commanding general diverted a part of the force engaged. The Federals retained their works, and the Confederates retired to effect the purposed junction. The Federal loss was 1,257.
Hardee at Averasboro, on the i5th of March, was called upon to make a stand against Sherman until Hoke and Hill could get up from Kinston. Bravely Hardee’s men met the issue and gained the time.
General Johnston, determined to strike Sherman before Schofield’s arrival, concentrated his army at the ham let of Bentonville. There, on the 19th, he inflicted a signal repulse on Sherman. Davis was the first to feel the weight of the Confederate battle. Carlin advanced two brigades against the Confederate front and recoiled in disorder. Buell’s brigade was next broken by Bate, and then Stewart and Hill continued the success toward the center. Brigade after brigade of Davis was crushed, and but for a gallant charge by Fearing, the center would have been entirely disrupted. Morgan tried in vain to break Hoke’s front. Toward 5 o’clock a general advance was ordered by the Confederate front, and was also continued until dark. It was successful in front of Cogswell and at other points, but did not result in driving off Sherman. The Junior reserves, of North Carolina, "the unripe wheat" of the State, made themselves prominent for gallantry on this field.
