South Carolina Memorial at Averasboro Battlefield, Chicora Cemetery, Dunn
The marker consists of a rectangular stone pedestal topped by a gravestone-shaped slab. The front of the monument depicts the emblem for the South Carolina Confederate Centennial Commission, featuring the Confederate battle flag and the state flag of South Carolina.
Images: Back |
South Carolina flag
Front: ON THIS FIELD MARCH 15-16, / 1865, MEN OF SOUTH CAROLINA / STOOD WITH MEN OF OTHER / SOUTHERN STATES AND / FOUGHT BLOODILY AND / BRAVELY FOR THEIR BELIEFS / AND WAY OF LIFE. IN DOING / SO THEY WROTE THEIR / NAMES IN IMPERISHABLE / LETTERS IN THE BOOK OF / GLORY.
Back: ERECTED BY / SOUTH CAROLINA / CONFEDERATE / WAR CENTENNIAL / COMMISSION / GOVERNOR DONALD S. RUSSELL / REP. JOHN A. MAY CHR. DR. DANIEL W. HOLLIS / HON. JULIAN METZ V. CHR. MRS. W. A. KING / HON. RODDEY L. BELL COL. S. PERRIN TOOLE / SEN. JOHN D. LONG MRS. ARCHIE C. WATSON / SEN. L. I. HESTER MRS. B. D. WOFFORD / MARCH 20, 1965
The Averasboro Battlefield Commission, Inc.; Boy Scout Troop 745 Salem United Methodist Church Eastover, North Carolina maintains the grounds.
March 20, 1965
35.263920 , -78.672920
View in Geobrowse
"Averasboro Battlefield," Rootsweb, (accessed June 16, 2014) Link
"South Carolina Monument, Averasboro Battlefield, North Carolina," Waymarking.com, (accessed August 6, 2014) Link
"South Carolina Troops at Battle of Averasboro, NC.," The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.org (accessed August 6, 2014) Link
Harnett County News (Lillington, NC), Thursday, March 18, 1965
Harnett County News (Lillington, NC), Thursday, March 25, 1965
Averasboro Battlefield & Museum website. Averasboro Battlefield Commission, Inc., http://www.averasboro.com/Home.aspx, (accessed September 21, 2015) Link
Faulkner, Ronnie W. 2006. "Battle of Averasboro," NCPedia.org, (accessed September 21, 2015) Link
United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. "Averasboro Battlefield Historic District," (accessed June 13, 2020) Link
Walker, Tom. "SC's Role in Confederate Centennial Discussed" The State (Columbia, SC), June 25, 1959 Link
Yes
Granite
South Carolina Confederate War Centennial Commission
The cost of the weekend’s events was expected to reach $7,000, with most of the funding coming from the sale of commemorative coins and donations.
The monument was scheduled to be dedicated in the afternoon at the Chicora Cemetery. Due to rain, the ceremony was relocated to Dunn High school, and the speaker was Lt. Governor Robert McNair of South Carolina, who reviewed South Carolina's role in the Battle of Averasboro. The master of ceremonies was State Senator Robert Morgan of Lillington.
The dedication of this monument was part of a larger ceremony commemorating the Battle of Averasboro, which included participants from 15 states and over 2000 spectators.
The Harnett County News published histories of the battle written by Malcolm Fowler for several weeks before the ceremony. The Confederate Centennial Committee and the Harnett County Confederate Centennial Committee sponsored the dedication ceremony.
The Battle of Averasboro (March 19-21, 1865) was the first battle where Confederates tried unsuccessfully to deter Sherman's advance from Fayetteville to Virginia. By delaying Sherman's much forces at Averasboro, the Confederate army was able to consolidate its troops in anticipation of a much larger battle at Bentonville.
South Carolina Representative John A. May, the legislator responsible for installing the Confederate flag above the S. C. State House, served as chairman of the S. C. Confederate War Centennial Commission.
Senator John D. Long was the author of the bill establishing the South Carolina Confederate War Centennial Commission. The Commission was established by the 1959 legislature, with members appointed to serve until 1966. The first state-wide meeting of the Commission occurred on June 24, 1959 in Columbia, South Carolina. The Commission sought to create programs of temporary inspirational value as well as long-range projects establishing permanent memorials.
Mrs. A. C. Watson was the president of the South Carolina United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Mrs. W. A. King was the immediate past president. Mrs. B. D. Wofford was regent of the Behethland Butler Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Julian Metz was the director of the Greater Charleston Chamber of Commerce.
The memorial sits to the left of the wrought iron fence that encloses Chicora Civil War Cemetery at the Averasboro Battlefield site (NC Highway 82, also known as Burnett Road). The marker is behind of the Confederate Dead Marker and close to the North Carolina Memorial, McLaws Division Marker, and Battle of Averasboro Confederate Memorial. The Union Soldiers Memorial is also in the walking distance. The entire area, along with nearby plantation houses, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Averasboro Battlefield & Museum site is located nearby, on the other side of NC Highway 82.
The landscape is primarily agricultural, with sloping hills, streams and wide vistas. The marker sits on the grass behind the iron fence.
Yes
Civil War reenactments are held periodically to commemorate the Battle of Averasboro. Reenactments are staged by reactivated Confederate units, such as the 22nd North Carolina regiment. Participants dress in period-specific attire and camp at the battlefield.
Know anything else about this monument that isn't mentioned here? If you have additional information on
this or any other monument in our collection fill out the form at the Contact Us link in the footer. Thank you.
