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Not a battlefield at all here but the surrender of the last major Confederate field army took place here. Following the Battle of Bentonville Joseph Johnston’s Confederate army was on the run and William T. Sherman’s Union army had moved in an occupied Raleigh. When news reached Johnston that Robert E. Lee had surrendered he decided it was pointless to carry on. Despite Jefferson Davis’ wish that the war continue Johnston sent a courier to Sherman to discuss terms of surrender.

A meeting was set up at the farm of James Bennett near Durham Station, North Carolina for April 17. Johnston and Sherman met there escorted only by a few regiments of cavalry. During the first day’s discussion Sherman was informed of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the following day a surrender was agreed upon. Sherman’s terms mirrored those of Grant’s but since Confederate Secretary of War John Breckenridge attended the meeting as well he insisted on the resolution of political issues that would affect the post-war period. Sherman had discussed with Lincoln terms of surrender and followed the spirit of that discussion being completely unaware that the War Department prohibited even Grant from discussing civil issues.

These terms were rejected by the War Department and negotiations began again on April 26 and terms were agreed upon. Davis insisted that Johnston disband his army so it could fight a guerrilla war but Johnston’s heart was not in it. As a department commander Johnston surrendered about 90,000 men and the terms of this surrender mirrored those Grant offered with the only difference being that the soldiers returning home would be given rations to take with them. This removed the last major field army in the South and effectively ended the war. Small groups of Confederates would surrender in the coming days and Jefferson Davis would be captured a few weeks later.

Bennett Place is as the Bennett Place State Historical Site.