North Carolina—Battles in Bentonville, a Boondocking Bummer, and Fraternizing With Friends

We had a relaxed 3.5-hour drive along back roads to Pope Farms, our overnight Harvest Hosts in Knightdale, North Carolina.  This is a three-generation family farm that sells quality meats, dairy, syrup, and honey.  The Popes even raise their own corn to feed their cows and pigs!  I met their new baby donkey and their family dog. We were greeted warmly by Mr. Pope.  He assured us we could easily maneuver the long, winding road through a wooded area to get to the RV parking area, and I am happy to say we encountered no problems.  The parking area is lovely, with some shade along a fully-stocked fishing pond in which guests are welcome to toss their lines.  I will warn you that it can be a little noisy on the farm with dump trucks entering/exiting the property and the highway nearby, but we didn't mind.

We were a bit skeptical at first, but we had no problem maneuvering the tight spots to arrive at the RV parking area.

The RV parking area overlooks this fully-stocked pond (crappies/bass/trout) and Mr. Pope invites fishing enthusiasts to cast their lines.

 

The next morning we had an easy 1.5-hour drive to Hidden Haven in Smithfield, North Carolina.   Hidden Haven is a newer (2020) 160-site RV park with large sites and easy access.  There is no office for check-in, but management was responsive to our text inquiries.   The Park advertises extended stays, which is how most of its guests would be classified.  If you have an older rig or a pop-up camper, management excludes you from staying here.   At $50/night, it has showers, an outdoor ATM, and a playground for kids, though it is located near quite a bit of construction debris.  The Park has no laundry facility yet, but it does have free WI-FI.  Ironically, our Verizon cell service worked great here (one of the only places with excellent coverage among all our travels).  Truthfully, my family was not overly impressed, though I will admit, the Park is still a work-in-progress.  But it is conveniently located just 20 minutes outside our next Civil War destination:  Bentonville Battlefield. 

Hidden Haven does offer large sites with easy access.

Not sure this Rambling RV Rat would let my offspring play here with all the construction debris nearby.

The Battle of Bentonville has the distinction of being the largest Civil War battle within North Carolina.  It also represents the last major Confederate offensive of the Civil War.  Here’s a Rambling RV Rat abridged version of the rest of the story:

 

During November and December 1864, Union General William Sherman created a path of destruction from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia.  Known as his “March to the Sea”, his “scorched-earth” policy decimated city after city.  He depleted the South’s resources and demoralized the citizens of the Confederate State of Georgia.  Sherman then set sights on the Carolinas.   Success was his again, when Fort Fisher (the last Confederate fort), located in Wilmington, North Carolina, fell into Union hands in January 1865.

 

In a desperate attempt to stop further Union advancements, Confederate President Jefferson Davis called General Joseph Johnston out of “retirement”. (In reality, the “retirement” was forced upon Johnston.  You see, Davis canned him for not engaging the enemy before Sherman reached Atlanta). 

 

Confederate General Johnston learned of Union General Sherman’s goal to reach Goldsboro, North Carolina, to resupply his troops at this junction of 2 railroads.  But Sherman's plan was foiled when General Johnston attacked Sherman’s Union troops on March 19, 1865, at Morris Farm in Bentonville, North Carolina.  Things went well initially for the Confederates.  But, by day’s end the Confederates gained no ground, so it was considered a tactical draw.  March 20, 1865, brought much less warfare, but significant maneuvering with Union reinforcements arriving.  This changed the Confederate tactic from offense to defense.  On March 21, 1865, the focal point of battle was Mill Bridge.  The Confederates were successful in maintaining control over the bridge, which then became their retreat route to Smithfield, North Carolina.

Learning that General Robert E. Lee laid down arms at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, General Johnston followed suit on April 26, 1865, in Durham, North Carolina.  His action represented the largest troop surrender (90,000 soldiers) of the entire Civil War.

 

We hiked the Morris Farm Trail and Cole Plantation Long Loop Trail to immerse ourselves into the Civil War battle scene of yesteryear.  But as we hiked to the intersection of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (a nearly 1,200-mile trail between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Outer Banks), we encountered a battle of our own—with mosquitoes!  We were able to repel their attacks initially, but then they outflanked us.  We fought fervently, but the trenches along the trail, filled with standing water from recent rain, harbored enemy reinforcements.  We had no choice but to retreat.

 

The site of Morris Farm, now cotton fields.

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A close-up of a cotton plant.

Scenes from...

...the hiking trails.

Harper House, built circa 1855, was used as a field hospital.  That huge tree in the center of the photo dates to the days of the Battle of Bentonville.  If only that tree could describe what it witnessed!

The interior of Harper House reflects its use as a field hospital.

No whiskey to chug and no bullet to bite among these hospital supplies for amputations.

You can still see blood stains on the original floors!

The graveyard of the Flowers family is near the Harper House.

You are looking at the State of North Carolina's newest Junior Historian!

The following morning, we hit the road.  We were back in territory where we could legally tow my Rambling RV Rat Pack Rubicon, so Mom and Dad shared Big Boomer driving duty.  Our destination was State Line Movie Time Drive-In Theater in Tabor City, North Carolina, a boondocking site (about 30 minutes from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) that we booked initially through Hip Camp.  However, due to a dispute between Hip Camp and State Line, their relationship was terminated.  Consequently, Hip Camp cancelled our reservation and refunded us our money.   State Line graciously proposed to host us anyway, and we accepted the hospitable offer.

Now the host is certainly friendly and accommodating, but she totally misrepresents her property.  Based on its name and her website/Facebook pages at the time, we expected this to be like the Skyview Drive-In we stayed at on Route 66 in Litchfield, Illinois.  But the only similarity is that she has a screen.  Though she charges to enter the outdoor theater, she offerd no first-run movies.  When Mom asked what was playing, the host said, “whatever you want to watch”—we could make a film selection from her DVD library.  (I don’t know how you feel, but this Rambling RV Rat ain’t wasting cheese money to watch something that I can get for free with my Amazon prime subscription, sitting in my comfy recliner, and with no mosquitoes swarming!)

 

We asked where to park the RV.  The host told us to come in through the gate and park anywhere in the field.  The problem was that we couldn’t fit through the width of the gate!  She then offered an alternate entrance, but we would need to go across a narrow wooden bridge flanked by two huge trees!  Again, there was no way we could fit, nor could the bridge handle the weight of our set-up!  Fortuitously, she has a side property that is a big open field, dry enough to handle our weight, and no gates or obstructions to entry.  Bingo, we had a winner!

 

Now, it was time to pay.  The host asked for $50/night in cash.  I nearly choked on my cheddar cheese!  The rate was $43.50/night when we booked through Hip Camp via a credit card!  Mom negotiated her down to $45/night in cash—which is still steep for boondocking/no amenities whatsoever.  But it was a steal compared to the $125/night it would cost for a back-in site at the North Myrtle Beach RV Park and Marina, at which we stayed on our previous visits (2019 cost $70 night; 2021 $85 night). Anyway, we were out of the rig most of the day, returning in the evening only to sleep.

Though not where State Line typically parks its RV guests, we were lucky the host owned this side property.

Our boondocking spot at State Line sure offered an awesome sunset.

We took a tour of the Myrtle Beach area, seeing what had changed since our prior visits (you now pay for beach access in addition to parking!).  But the real purpose of staying in this area was to visit with long-time friends Kevin/Ellen and Denise/Dean.  Both sets of friends relocated to this area from New Jersey.  What a blast we had reconnecting, reminiscing, and, of course, feasting at some wonderful local restaurants! 

We moved on to Cane Creek Park in Waxhaw, North Carolina.  We have stayed on Site 37 here 3 times previously, and always had a positive experience.  Operated by Union County, this lovely lake-side park is perfect for affordable family fun.  It offers full-hook-up sites for $37/night, hiking trails, camp store, playground, and beach.  And it is located right across the border from the residences of more cherished New Jersey friends, Jeffrey and Sandy/Donny, with whom we share the love of motorcycling.  Jeffrey hosted a wonderful get-together for us all at his tiki bar!

 

The lake at Cane Creek Park in Waxhaw, North Carolina.

My parents posing with Dad's trike, Maximus.

Well, I am tuckered out, so I'll sign off now.  But I’ll talk to you again soon!

 

The End of the Line for Lee (But Not For Me!)

We left Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield, Virginia, traversing on narrow, uneven, winding rural roads. I was white knuckled sitting next to Mom in the Rambling RV Rat Pack Rubicon. Ironically, it was not because of Mom’s driving skills, but instead from watching the rear tire of our 5^th wheel Suite Retreat get caught in the non-existent shoulder while Dad was driving through a series of S-turns with oncoming traffic. Dad was able to straighten out, but it looked like the RV was going to tip right over! Though we arrived safely at Paradise Lake Family Campground in Spout Spring, Virginia, I discovered we had quite a shake up inside the rig from the incident. Thankfully, we experienced no permanent damage.

 

Our theater seats, freezer, and TV all shifted, and contents of some cupboards spilled out.

Paradise Lake Family Campground is an older, but well-maintained gated facility. For $62/night, we had a full hook up pull-through site that was easy to access and large enough for Big Boomer (our medium duty truck) and the Jeep to fit with Suite Retreat on our assigned site. While my parents sat on the patio deck behind the office taking in the lovely views of Paradise Lake, I enjoyed the nearby game room/arcade. The Campground offers free WI-FI, laundry area, and seasonal pool, too. Plus, it is a convenient location to access our next Civil War site, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.

 

Me playing Ms. Pac-man.

 

Here is an abridged Civil War history lesson about Appomattox from your cotton-brained and simplistic stuffed Rambling RV Rat.

 

After Richmond (the Capital of the Confederacy) was abandoned, Confederate General Lee was in retreat, trying to join General Joseph Johnston’s forces in North Carolina. However, the Union was hot on his heels. On April 6, 1865, Lee’s calvary, to their credit, kept Union forces at bay near Farmville by burning the High Bridge behind them. However, on April 7, the Union successfully cut off 3 Corps of Lee’s forces at the Battle of Saylor’s (also known as Sailor’s) Creek. Nearly 1/4 of Lee’s army (7,700 men) were taken as prisoners. The situation was bleak for the Confederacy. On April 8, Union General George Custer captured and burned several Confederate supply trains at Appomattox Station, striking the final blow to Confederate forces.

 

On April 9, 1865, General Lee and his Confederate troops surrendered at Appomattox Court House, a small rural town with a population of 100. Lee’s aide, Lt. Colonel Charles Marshall, chose the parlor of the McLean House as the surrender site. It took more than 2 days thereafter for the Confederate soldiers to relinquish all their arms.

 

The McClean House, site of Lee's surrender.

The parlor of the McClean House, where the terms of surrender were signed.  Robert T. Lincoln, brother of Abe, was among those present. So, he gave the President a first-hand account of the proceedings.

One of the bedrooms within the McLean House.

Slave quarters on the McLean property...

...offered slave families stark accommodations.

President Lincoln wanted no more bloodshed. He did not want the South humiliated, but instead treated with respect and courtesy. Therefore, after pledging not to take up arms, all Confederate soldiers were paroled and sent home to their families.  They were allowed to keep their horses, and they even were given rations from the Union to facilitate their travels.  (Sadly, after Lincoln's assassination, his successor Andrew Johnson tried to renege on the surrender terms.  He wanted Confederate soldiers tried for treason.  It was General Grant who intervened and insisted the government honor the surrender agreement).

 

Presses were set up in Clover Hill Tavern to print the parole forms for the Confederates.

We toured the Historical Park and its structures, hiking trails, and Confederate Cemetery, which contains the gravesites of 18 Confederates (10 of which are not identified) and one unknown Union soldier.

Confederate cannons fired their final shots at Appomattox from outside this home of the Peers family.

The restored Court House now serves as the Visitor Center for the Historical Park.

Meeks General Store sold everything from gunpowder to cheese!  Next door was the Law office of John Woodson, who practiced from this location from 1856 to his death in 1864.

We viewed the Raine family gravesite as we hiked along Grant's Approach Trail. The Raines were the builders and original occupants of the McLean House where Lee surrendered.

Interestingly, the only battlefield monument within the Historical Park commemorates the efforts of the North Carolinians, who fired the last organized volley of the Confederates during the Appomattox Campaign.

A picturesque vista from the Stage Road Trail.

The Confederate Cemetery contains the grave of one unidentified Union soldier.

Since my Mom’s ancestor made and sold stringed musical instruments (banjos, mandolins, guitars), I was fascinated to learn that the banjo originated in West Africa as a crude, gourd instrument. When slaves came to America, they made banjos out of wood and hides in addition to gourds. Local musician Joel Sweeney was taught by slaves to play the banjo, and he further refined the instrument to today’s 5-string version.

The Cabin of Sam Sweeney, Joel's brother and fellow banjo player.

I expanded my Civil War knowledge and earned myself a Junior Ranger badge at Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park.

Me showing my parole form and latest Junior Ranger badge to my gal pal Mademoiselle Rochelle.  

We also explored today’s small town of Appomattox, which encompasses 2 square miles and is comprised of approximately 1,800 residents. Its Visitor Information Center now stands at the Southside Railroad depot where the Battle of Appomattox Station occurred.

 

On another day we took a ride to Bedford, Virginia, to visit the National D-Day Memorial. The Memorial commemorates June 6, 1944, when Allied Forces landed on the beachfronts of Normandy, France during World War II to end the occupation of France by Nazi Germany.

 

Using the code name “Operation Overlord" and with Dwight Eisenhower as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, D-Day was the largest air, land, and sea invasion in history. It involved 5,000+ ships, 11,000+ aircraft, and 150,000 troops from the United States and its Allies.

 

I learned D-Day was planned for December 5 based on tides, moon, etc. However, the worst storm in 50 years delayed it until the following day. To keep logistics secret, a map was produced as a jigsaw puzzle, with pieces assembled by Chad Toy Company.

 

Though the mission was successful in liberating France, 2,500+ Americans along with almost 2,000 members of our Allies’ forces were killed that day.

 

Among those fatalities were "The Bedford Boys", 20 young soldiers from the town of Bedford, Virginia. As a means of earning $1 during the Great Depression, these young men joined the National Guard. All served together in the same Company A, and for most, D-Day represented their first combat experience. The town of Bedford holds the sad distinction of having the highest per capita D-Day loss.

 

Our guided tour was terrific ($15/person), and the Memorial is truly spectacular. Situated on 55 acres with the Peaks of Otter (within the Blue Ridge Mountains) in the backdrop, the Memorial is meticulously detailed, rich in symbolism, and poignant.

The back of the monument with the Peaks of Otter in the background.

The figures within the sculpture depict fidelity, valor, and sacrifice.

The realism conveyed at the Memorial evokes many emotions.

 The busts represent the leaders of the Allies, while Dwight D. Eisenhower is in the center pavilion as Supreme Commander. 

The pavilion roof contains a mosaic map detailing the invasion plan. 

Gold Star Families' Monument.

We popped into the nearby Bedford Visitor Center, which offers full hook-up sites for $25 on a first-come-first-served basis. RVs must arrive before 4:30 p.m. when the Visitor Center closes, but it is a good option to facilitate a visit to this wonderful National D-Day Memorial.

 

Well, Appomattox Court House may have been the end of the line for Lee, but it certainly isn’t for me!  We are taking off tomorrow for more adventures!   Talk to you again soon!