Limited Edition Civil War Prints
Signed and numbered by
 artist Stephen McCall
$125 per print
only 125 to be sold

Dr. Charles Classen commissioned Civil War artist, Stephen McCall, to paint two paintings of the Battle of Wyse Fork.  One painting depicts the Capture of the 15^th Connecticut on the first day of the battle which was the last mass capture of Union soldiers in the Civil War.  The second painting depicts Gen. Hoke’s attack on the last day of the battle.  Dr. Classen has partnered with the Historical Preservation Group and allowed them to have prints made of the paintings.  The funds raised from the sale of the prints will go forward the preservation of the Lenoir County Battlefields.  The first print to be made available will be the Capture of the 15^th Connecticut.  This will be a limited edition print with only be 125 prints being made available.  Each print will be signed by the artist and a certificate of authenticity will come with the print. The prints will sell for $125 each.
  For more information contact Lyle Holland 252-

Civil War Artist

Stephen McCall

Stephen McCall was born and raised in Nash County, NC, an accomplished artist and teacher, Mr. McCall now resides near the mountains of Virginia where he continues to produce artwork. He received his BFA from East Carolina University, Greenville, NC in 1985 and began working for the Dean of the Art Department the following year. In 1988, He graduated from the University of Georgia with a MFA where he was awarded two consecutive graduate assistantships.

Mr. McCall developed an interest in the Civil War era while studying history at ECU. While teaching at Nash Community College and the Rocky Mount Arts Center, he attended several Living History Programs and realized that he could combine his artistic talents with his passion for history.

After 16 years, Mr. McCall has created hundreds of paintings and drawings covering a great many aspects of life, still life, portraits, book illustrations and events in history, including the most recent. His works are presently exhibited in state historic sites, public institutions and private collections. His artwork may be seen across the US and as far away as Spain and South Africa. Mr. McCall takes great pride in tailor-making the subject matter of his artwork to match his patron’s desire.

Artist McCall did the series of paintings done of the CSS Neuse and are available at the CSS Neuse Sate Historic Site.  Mr. McCall lives in the mountains of Virginia and is an accomplished painter

In early March 1865, Union Gen. John Schofield moved his base of operations from Wilmington to New Bern, North Carolina.  After the fall of Wilmington, Confederates pulled back concentrating their forces at Kinston.  There, Gen. Braxton Bragg’s command had Gen. Robert F. Hoke’s and Gen. Daniel Harvey Hill’s two divisions.  On the evening of March 7, 1865, at a council of war Hoke proposed a plan to take out the Union advance and set a trap to snare part of the army.

Schofield marched out to New Bern west toward Kinston.  Bragg had deployed his troops in defensive positions behind Southwest Creek preparing to spring Hoke’s trap.  In the predawn hours of March 8, Hoke pulled three brigades out of the entrenchments and marched to the southeast and crossed the swamp undetected by the Union advance.  To mask Hoke’s movement, Hill’s infantry and artillery fired on the Union soldiers in their front.  Hoke’s assault cut two Union regiments off from their support two miles away at Wyse Fork.  The outnumbered and surprised Union soldiers turned about face and fired at Hoke’s attacking infantry three times.  Each time the Confederates enveloped them and forced them into a smaller space.  Finally, the discipline of the Union soldiers failed and the Confederates overwhelmed the survivors and rounded up most of those trying to escape, capturing nearly 900 officers and men. 

Excerpted from “The Civil War Battles, Lenoir County North Carolina” by Joseph E. Brent, Historian and Historical Consultant, Mudpuppy and Waterdog, Inc. of Versailles, Kentucky. which was made possible by a grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program, a part of the National Park Service..

As part of two Union divisions, the 15^th Connecticut Regiment left New Bern with orders to repair the Atlantic and North Carolina railroad leading to Goldsboro.    General William T. Sherman’s army was to use the railroad as its supply line.

Wise Fork Series of Prints
First in series

Surrender
 of the
15^th Connecticut

Near Kinston
 North Carolina

March 8, 1865

This print depicts the surrender near Kinston, N. C. of the 15^th Connecticut Regiment during the Battle of Wise Fork March 8, 1865.. Our thanks to Dr Charles Classen who owns the original oil painting by Stephen McCall.