.

After the capture of Union soldiers on the first day of the Battle of Wyse Fork,  the Union prisoners were brought to this location to be disarmed and sent by rail to Richmond for imprisonment.

Accomplishments at Camp Southwest

-57 acres has been purchased by the Historical Preservation Group to be preserved forever as part of the Wyse Fork Civil War Battlefield
-Camp Southwest Sign
-Lenoir County Civil War Trails marker interpreting the Junior reserve role during the battle of Wyse Fork
-Much undergrowth has been cleared
-GPS reading have been done on various areas of the site
-Trail along side the earthworks
-Stone monument to Honor the Vause Family on there support in preserving the earth works for generations
-Interpretive marker on the North Carolina Junior Reserves

Plans include:  Acquisition of property, Parking area, Trails with interpretation, Overlook for earthworks

Vause Family Dedication Service

The Family That Just Knew

    FIRST BATTLE OF KINSTON BATTLEFIELD PARK
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Summary of Battle
The First Battle of Kinston was part of the Goldsborough Expedition or sometimes referred to as Foster’s Raid.  The battle took place on December 13 and 14, 1862. 

Principal Commanders were Brig. Gen. John G. Foster [US] and Brig. Gen. Nathan Evans [CS]

Forces engaged were Department of North Carolina, 1st Division [USA]; and Evans’s Brigade [CSA]

Estimated Casualties were 685 total.

Description: A Union expedition led by Brig. Gen. John G. Foster left New Berne in December to disrupt the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad at Goldsborough. The advance was stubbornly contested by Evans’s Brigade near Southwest Creek at Woodington and the following day at the Kinston Bridge.  The Confederates were outnumbered and withdrew north of the Neuse River in the direction of Goldsborough. Foster continued his movement the next day, taking the River Road, south of the Neuse River heading for Goldsborough. 

First Battle of Kinston Civil War Battlefield Park

The development of First Battle of Kinston Battlefield Park is a work in progress. At present the battlefield is interpreted at five different sites

Preserving History-DONATION OF LAND BY MARSHALL KING  counted  as a milestone for
Kinston Battlefield Park

WNCT-TV http:/http://www.wnct.com/nct/news/local/article/donation

Site 1 Information and Visitors Center
At present the tour begins at the Information and Visitors Center at the Highway 70 and Hwy 258 intersection Highway 70 where you may view a video that relates the times of the First Battle of Kinston that took place in December 1862

For many of the soldiers it was the first time in battle.  The young men of aristocratic New England families and the middle class families of the Mid-Atlantic States were fighting to preserve the Union. They were horrified at the battle that took place on a cold Sabbath morning against the southern boys who were defending their land against what they believed was northern aggression.  At the visitors center you will also find displays of Civil War relics that have been found on the battlefields in the area. 

It was at this location where Confederate troops were racing for the other side of the Neuse River Bridge with Union soldier in hot pursuit.  600 Confederate soldiers did not make it and were captured by Union forces.

Site 2 Woodington Site
Head south on Hwy 258 to the Woodington Community.  Go about 4 miles and you will cross Southwest Creek.  About a quarter of a mile on the left you will see a Civil War Trails Bugle marker.  At this location is a parking area and an interpretive sign relating the events of the first day of battle which took place in the Woodington area at Southwest Creek.

Site 3 Harriet’s Chapel/Starr's Battery Site
Head back north on Hwy 258 about 4 miles you will see on your right a Civil Wars Trails Bugle sign.  Pull into parking area near the Civil War Trails marker.

Enjoy the walking trail on this two acre site that was once where fighting took place around a small church called Harriet’s Chapel. This site is the middle of the battlefield and the location of where the fiercest fighting took place.   Here you will find a Civil War Trails marker that will interpret the site.  This area is the location site of Starr's Battery and the little church known as Harriet's Chapel.  The church was riddled with shelling from musket and canon fire. It was destroyed by the battle.

Site 4 Wil King Memorial Site
Go north on Hwy 258 for less than a quarter of a mile to 258 and 70 intersections.  Turn right on Hwy 70.  Go about quarter of a mile to next stop light. Turn right and the Wil King Memorial Site will be just ahead on the left

This area is where the Union forces first broke through the Confederate lines.

The first site to be developed on the Kinston battlefield has been named for Wil King.
It is  a beautifully landscaped 27 acre area that had been the Confederate’s left flank.  It was at this location where the Federals first broke through the Confederate line.  Enjoy a walk along side a Bern that is lined with markers representing each state. Here you will learn of the various states and regiments that fought in the battle from both the Union and Confederacy.
THE PLAZA:
There is a brick wall with the name of the battle and date of battle inscribed on the front. Behind the wall is a fifty foot circular brick plaza. At one end of the plaza is a granite memorial monument for Wil King. At the other end of the plaza are three flag poles. The center pole flies the American flag. The other flag poles fly the period flags for the Union and the Confederacy. A spotlight brightens the plaza and flag poles. The flags fly 24 hours a day. There are two markers, each placed at the walkways entering the plaza. One is a Civil War Trails marker interpreting what took place on the site during the battle. The other marker is a copy of a resolution written by the Lenoir County Battlefields Commission expressing their gratitude for Wil’s work. Beyond the plaza is a berm that circles around the site. There is a walking path atop of the berm. At intervals along side of the berm are State markers for each state that fought in the battle. On theses markers are listed all the regiments from a given state. A state flag representing the given state is affix to the marker. The state flags fly only on special occasions. Dwarf Magnolia trees line along the edge of the site near Meadowbrook Drive and Harriet Drive.  A parking area is in front of the brick wall across the road.  Rail fencing down both sides of Harriet Drive.

Site 5 Neuse River Site
Go back to Hwy 70 and turn left.  While on Hwy 70 bear to your right just before the intersection.  As you round the curve you will see a Civil War Bugle sign.  Turn right into parking area.

Here you will find a Civil War Trails marker and have a view of the Neuse River which had served as a natural line of defense for the Confederacy.  The marker will relate the story of the charging of the bridge and its burning as the battle reached a climax ending with the Confederate forces withdrawing back to the other side of Kinston.

Rivermount Planning
The Rivermount Site is located on Highway 258 South (Richlands Highway) about a quarter of a mile south of the Hwy 70 S and 258 Intersection

The Rivermont Site of the Kinston Battlefield is about 100 acres. This site will be for living histories and educational exhibits that display earthworks, trenches and abatises There are plans for a re-eneactment area, camp area, military drill field, civilian history area, educational area, and trails with interpretation. 

The Interpretive Plan for this site will tell stories not only of the First Battle of Kinston but of the people that fought in the battle. 

National Register of Historic Places in Lenoir County North Carolina
Portions of the First Battle of Kinston Battlefield

CIVIL WAR TRAILS
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Members of the Historical Preservation Group( Cindy Brochure, Jane Phillips and Lyle Holland) and Battlefield Commission ( Lonnie Blizzard) started meeting  with a group in 2002 and for the next year and a half worked on Civil War Trails coming to North Carolina.  The NC Department of Cultural  Resources, NC Department of Transportation and the NC Department of Commerce put their stamp of approval on the project and gave it their full support. 

A series of meetings took place with the Kinston people being a part of the planning process.  The Kinston group made sure that the Battle of Wyse Fork and the First Battle of Kinston was included in the first CWT brochure published for North Carolina.  Cindy Brochure and Jane Phillips  met with groups in Wayne, Craven and Carteret Counties and introduced them to Civil War Trails and they all became a part of the Trail.

Funding for the Lenoir County Civil War Trails markers came from the NC Dept of Transportation and the Lenoir County Convention and Visitors Bureau Tourism Development Authority.

At the present time Lenoir County has ten markers.  The Battlefield Commission is  in the planning process to have more markers for Lenoir County.

Lenoir County Civil War Trails
The Lenoir County Civil War Trail  markers are a significant asset to interpreting the history of the battles and developing the battlefield areas.  The Lenoir County Civil War Trails is another step in bringing tourism to Lenoir County. The newest markers has been made possible by a donation from the "CSS Ram Neuse Camp #1427, Sons of Confederate Veterans.

 Confederate Headquarters of Gen. Bragg Marked
Sponsored by Lenoir Co. Battlefield Commission

This marker concerns the Confederate Battlefield Headquarters at the Howard Family home (the Howard House was demolished in 1960) on the Wyse Fork battlefield.  From that location the Confederate troops were commanded by Gen. Braxton Bragg with the divisions of Major General D. H. Hill and Major General Robert Hoke.  The house was used to plan the battle that resulted in what was the last major Confederate tactical victory of the war.  This resulted in the capture of 900 Union soldiers on the first day of the battle.  Their intent was to stop Gen. Schofield’s Federal Troops from joining up with Gen. Sherman’s forces coming up from South Carolina.  

After the third day of the battle the Confederate forces retreated into Kinston and went on to fight another day.  Gen. Schofield’s Army marched on to join up with Gen. Sherman’s forces.  They all met again at Bentonville. 

You’ll learn even more if you will drive out to view the marker.  The headquarters sign is located at the NE corner of Highway 70 South and Neuse Road.  Drive to the end of the building to read sign.  

The Lenoir County Civil War Trail is the work of the Lenoir County Battlefields Commission.  The markers are a significant asset to interpreting the history of the battles and developing the battlefield areas.  The Civil War Trails is another step in bringing tourism to Lenoir County. The newest marker has been made possible by another donation from the "CSS Ram Neuse Camp #1427, Sons of Confederate Veterans.

 
                                                               Junior Reserves
                                                                                Sponsored by CSS Ram Neuse SCV Camp

If you think you already know all about the Civil War history in Lenoir County, you just might learn something new if you visit the Lenoir County Civil War Trails sign erected recently. 

 The interpretive markers give interesting facts and stories of what happened in battle near the site where the sign is located. The markers are a significant asset to interpreting the history of the battles and developing the battlefield areas.   The newest marker has been made possible by a donation from the "CSS Ram Neuse Camp #1427, Sons of Confederate Veterans".   

The sign relates how the North Carolina Junior Reserves played a part in the Battle at Wyse Fork.  The Junior Reserves were men still in their teens and many had never experienced the horrors of war.   They defended the center and left line along Southwest Creek.  

After graduating from University of North Carolina Walter Clark, a young man, of 17 was made a Major in the 70^th Regiment’s Junior Reserves.  His first taste of battle was at Wyse Fork.   Walter Clark survived the battle and lived to become Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court.  He also married into the distinguished and illustrious Washington Family of Lenoir County. 

Another Junior Reservist at the Battle of Wyse Fork was a young man by the name of Jesse Grainger. By the 1880’s Grainger had grown into a successful business man who introduced tobacco farming to Lenoir County and built a warehouse where farmers could sell their crop.  His efforts revolutionized farming and made tobacco the biggest money crop for the next hundred years in Lenoir County. 

Turn left on Neuse Road and go about 1 mile.  The marker is located on the right under the Camp Southwest Sign. 

John Taylor Wood and the  USS Underwriter
Sponsored by Kinston Board of Realtors

CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTMENT

CIVIL WAR PRINTS
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WYSE FORK BATTLEFIELD MAP SETS

Interesting Sites on Why and How to Save Battlefields

Economics

Historic Preservation Easements is a Historic Preservation  Tool  with Federal Tax Benefit
 (See below under Preservation) 

Historically

Preservation

Flexible Tools For  Battlefield Preservation 

Produced by: The Military Heritage Project

Palmetto Conservation Foundation