Dr. Roy Stine (Geography) received new funding from the Bentonville Battlefield for the project “Geophysical Exploration of the Harper House Landscape.” The battle at Bentonville, North Carolina, was one of the last major battles of the Civil War. Sherman’s Union army defeated the Confederate forces led by Joseph Johnston on March 19-21, 1865. Some of the land, where approximately 80,000 troops fought, is now owned by the State of North Carolina. One of the historic features at the site is the Harper house. The house, which still stands, was used as a battlefield hospital. Both Union and Confederate wounded were brought there. Stine’s project will conduct geophysical surveys, primarily in the backyard of the Harper House. The geophysical instruments will consist of a GSSI 3000 Ground Penetrating Radar with a 400 MHz antenna and a Bartington Dual Gradiometer. These archaeological features may include the remains of structures such as barns, corn cribs and other outbuildings. They may also include features associated with the battle and hospital activities, including burials, exhumed burials and burials pits for amputated limbs. All grids and finds will be located and placed on a map so that the park officials can better manage the hidden landscape. This project will be undertaken in conjunction with the Staff at Bentonville Battlefield (Donnie Taylor; site manager) and the State Office of Archaeology (lead contact John Mintz).
Stine funded by Bentonville Battlefield
Posted on February 27, 2014
