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Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Source:  The Battle of Averasboro Union Soldiers Memorial, Averasboro Battlefield, Dunn. Photo by Bill Coughlin, August 3, 2010, courtesy of HMdb.org

  • Monument Name

    The Battle of Averasboro Union Soldiers Memorial, Averasboro Battlefield, Dunn

  • Type

    Marker

  • Subjects

    Civil War, 1861-1865

  • City

    Dunn

  • County

    Harnett

  • Description

    The granite marker commemorates the Union soldiers of the 20th Corps killed in the battle of Averasboro. The slab has a rounded top fashioned after Union grave markers (Confederate grave markers had gable tops) and stands approximated 6 ft. tall on a double base of granite on concrete. An engraved star above the front inscription represents the forces of General Sherman. The back of the monument lists the companies involved in the battle.

    Image: Rear inscription

  • Inscription

    Front: DEDICATED TO THE / UNION SOLDIERS / OF THE / 20TH CORPS / WHO FOUGHT AND DIED / DURING / THE BATTLE OF AVERASBORO / MARCH 15-16, 1865

    Rear: 20th CORPS / 1ST DIVISION / 1ST BRIGADE 2ND BRIGADE / 5TH CONN 46TH PA 2ND MASS 13TH NJ / 123RD NY 141ST NY 107TH NY 150TH NY / 3rd WISC / 3RD BRIGADE / 82ND ILL 101ST ILL / 61ST OH 82ND OH / 143RD NY 31ST WISC / 3RD DIVISION / 1ST BRIGADE 2ND BRIGADE / 70TH IND 102ND ILL 33RD IND 85TH IND / 105TH ILL 129TH ILL 19TH MI 22ND WISC / 79TH OH / 3RD BRIGADE / 20TH CONN 33RD MASS / 136TH NY 26TH WISC / 55TH OH 73RD OH / ARTILLERY / 1ST NY LIGHT, BATTERIES I AND M / 1ST OH LIGHT, BATTERY C / PA INDPT BATTERY E LIGHT ARTY

  • Custodian

    The monument is maintained by the Averasboro Battlefield Commission, Inc.

  • Dedication Date

    March 17, 2001

  • Decade

    2000s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    35.266540 , -78.671980 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Series

    Averasboro Battlefield

  • Supporting Sources

      "20th Corps Marker," The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.com, (accessed May 16, 2012) Link

      "20th US Army Corps Monument, Averasboro Battlefield," Waymarking.com, (accessed May 15, 2012) Link

      "Averasboro - Civil War Battlefield, Museum, Gift Shop, and Special Events," Averasboro.com, (accessed February 4, 2011) Link

      "Battle of Averasboro, North Carolina," Civil War Index, (accessed May 16, 2012) Link

      "Union Corps Histories: 20th Corps (Hooker's)," Civil War Archive, (accessed May 16, 2012) Link

      Barksdale, Andrew. “Battle of Averasboro Soldiers Honored,” Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, NC), March 18, 2001

      Leclercq, Matt. “Averasboro plans salute,” Fayetteville Observer (Fayetteville, NC), March 17, 2001

      North Carolina History Project. "Prelude to the Battle of Averasboro," (accessed August 19, 2017) Link

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Granite

  • Sponsors

    Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Edgerton.

  • Monument Cost

    $2,000

  • Monument Dedication and Unveiling

    Two markers, one to Confederate troops and one to Union troops, were dedicated before a crowd estimated at 300 people. Re-enactors in uniforms of Confederate gray and Union blue were present. One of those, Mike Peete, portrayed a soldier in the 150th New York Volunteer Infantry regiment that had fought in the battle. He had driven from New York for the ceremony. Walt Smith, secretary and treasurer of the battlefield commission noted that it was important to recognize sacrifices of both Confederate and Union soldiers who had fought “in this tragic, but heroic, battle.” Robert Bryan, president of the battlefield commission said representing both sides in Civil War memorials is common today.

  • Subject Notes

    Approximately 650 Union soldiers were killed in the Battle of Averasboro, many of them members of the 20th U. S. Army Corps, also known as Hooker's Corp. The men of the 20th Corps were under the direction of General Sherman.

  • Location

    The monument is located on Averasboro Battlefield. Several other monuments to the battle are located nearby. These include: a monument to the North Carolina Soldiers erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, a monument to the Confederate Memorial erected in 1872 in nearby Chicora cemetery, a monument to the South Carolina troops involved in the battle, McLaws Division Marker, and Confederate Dead Marker. In addition, the 20th Corps monument was designed and dedicated with a companion monument dedicated to the fallen Confederate soldiers under Rhett’s Brigade of General William J. Hardee’s army. This is located in close proximity to the 20th Corps monument.

  • Landscape

    The monument is a part of Averasboro Battlefield, which also includes the Averasboro Battlefield Museum and historic plantation houses. The Battlefield is also home to Chicora Cemetery, which holds 57 Confederate soldiers killed in battle.

  • Death Space

    Yes

  • Post Dedication Use

    The Averasboro Battlefield hosts many events throughout the year, including battle re-enactments.

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