Among the Last to Die

Col. William C. Bartlett 2nd N.C. Mounted Infantry (U.S.) occupied Waynesville early in May 1865. The Federals raided the surrounding countryside, relieving civilians of their horses and provisions.



On May 6, a company of Confederate Col. William H. Thomas Legion under Lt. Robert T. Conley defeated a company of Bartlett mounted infantry at White Sulphur Springs. Conley led his men up the west side of Richland Creek and the Confederates, outnumbered four to one, surprised and routed about 200 of Bartlett men near here. The Confederates formed a battle line and fired a volley followed by a vigorous bayonet charge that scattered the Union soldiers. During the engagement, a Federal soldier variously identified as David or James Arwood (or Arrowood) was killed, one of the last men killed in battle east of the Mississippi River during the war. Conley picked up Arwood weapon and kept it, later stating, "I still have James Arwood gun as a relic."



The rest of the Federals retired to Waynesville. After a night surrounded by Confederate forces, Bartlett met with their commander, Gen. James Martin, on May 7 at the Battle House to negotiate the surrender of the Union forces. It was this meeting that Martin learned that the Civil War was over—the two largest Confederate armies under Gens. Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston had already capitulated—and surrendered his command, including Thomas Legion, to Bartlett instead.



(captions)

(lower left) Bayonet charges, such as the one depicted here, usually ended most Civil War battles after the combatants exchanged a few rifle volleys. Courtesy Library of Congress

(upper center) Lt. Robert T. Conley; Gen. James G. Martin Courtesy North Carolina Office of Archives and History

(lower right) Last Shot Monument. In 1923, the United Daughters of the Confederacy erected a monument to Conley and the "last shot" fired during the Civil War, about a quarter of a mile east of here on Sulphur Springs Road. There are other sites that make similar claims.

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Show me all markers in:  Waynesville, NC  |  Haywood County  |  28786  |  North Carolina  |  United States of America

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