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FOUR OAKS, N.C. — Due to the uncertainty regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the re-enactment, scheduled for March 21-22, 2021, at Bentonville Battlefield has been cancelled. The event had been rescheduled from its original date in March 2020.

As one of North Carolina’s largest and most popular attractions, months of planning and preparation are required to safely host the program. Event organizers waited as long as possible to make this difficult decision.

“As a state historic site, the safety of the visiting public is always paramount, which led us to cancel the event. That said, we are still extremely excited about future preservation, interpretation, and exploration of North Carolina’s premier Civil War battlefield,” says Bentonville Site Manager Colby Stevens.

Taking place once every five years, these anniversary reenactments provide a large source of revenue to fund interpretation and preservation efforts by the site’s non-profit support group, the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield Inc. The Friend’s President, Pattie Smith, comments, “Despite the financial importance of the event, the Friends fully support this decision. We are hopeful, however, that everyone will seriously consider supporting the site, and the Friends, in one of the ways listed below.”

Those who have purchased tickets, or registered as participants, have two options for donation:

• Help build a new tour stop: Donate the price of the ticket to a new Webb’s battery on the Cole Plantation tour stop to interpret the 19th Indiana Battery and its eventual capture by Confederate forces. The stop will also tell the story of Pvt. Peter Anderson, a 17-year-old Medal of Honor recipient.
• Increase battlefield interpretation: Donate the price of the ticket to the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield, a non-profit organization that supports the state-owned battlefield. This donation will fund preservation and interpretive programs at Bentonville Battlefield.

E-mail bentonville@ncdcr.gov to convey a choice of donation, which includes a free, one-year membership to Friends of Bentonville Battlefield.

If you wish to obtain a refund, mail the tickets back to the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield at 5466 Harper House Rd. Four Oaks, NC 27524. A refund will be issued via paper check, which will be sent to the return address. If you have questions regarding ticket refunds, please call 910-594-0789. Tickets must be returned to receive a refund. For participant refunds, please email bentonville@ncdcr.gov with your registration information.

The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, involved 80,000 troops in one of the last major actions of the war. Bentonville Battlefield is at 5466 Harper House Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524, three miles north of Newton Grove on S.R. 1008, about one hour from Raleigh and about 45 minutes from Fayetteville. For more information, visit www.nchistoricsites.org/bentonvi/bentonvi.htm or call (910) 594-0789.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources:
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state's natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR's mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state's history, conserving the state's natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development. NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call (919) 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.

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CONTACT:

Colby Stevens
(910) 594-0789

Michele Walker
(919) 814-6660