Museum and Collections

These style of shoes known as brogans were worn by many people throughout the 1800’s. They were made primarily of leather and assembled by sewing the body together, and then using wooden pegs attaching the leather sole to the body of the shoe. James Bennett made numerous pairs of shoes as a side job to earn money for his family.

After the soldiers had stacked their weapons, turned in their equipment and furled their flags for the final time each Confederate soldier was issued one of these parole slips to note that he was no longer fighting and to insure his way home safely. Some 28,231 Confederate soldiers who surrendered with the Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House, Virginia were the first to receive them, then more than 35,000 soldiers in Greensboro, North Carolina, more than 10,000 in Citronelle, Alabama, 10,000 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and less than 1,000 in Doaksville, Oklahoma. Additional paroles were issued to soldiers as they returned home who were not present at these major surrenders.
This parole slip was issued May 1, 1865 in Greensboro to Private W.L. Allison, 1st North Carolina Junior Reserves.

This drop leaf table was owned by James and Nancy Bennett and stood in their parlor during the time of the surrender negotiations between Major General Sherman and General Johnston. The family notes in their family history that the table was used by one of the generals and their officers during the signing of the documents, but it is uncertain whether or not it is in fact the actual “Surrender Table.” (Artifact is currently on loan from the Bennett Family descendants.)

The pitcher was owned by James and Nancy Bennett and stood on the table where the surrender terms were signed. It has been documented by the family that Major General Sherman and General Johnston shared glasses of buttermilk during their meetings in the front parlor. (Artifact is currently on loan from the Bennett Family descendants.)

Major General Bryan Grimes (1828-1880) of Pitt County, North Carolina wore this cape throughout the American Civil War. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he was a plantation owner just outside of Washington. As Southern states left the Union, Grimes signed the Ordnance of Secession for his home county and North Carolina.

He entered Confederate military service as a major. During his heavily engaged military career he had several horses shot out from under him. At the end of the war prior to Appomattox Court House, General Grimes was promoted to Major General by General Robert E. Lee. He was the last Confederate officer to be promoted to this rank.

After the war Grimes returned to his plantation of Grimesland in eastern North Carolina where he was later bushwacked riding toward his home.

The cape is made of wool and decorated with small staff officer buttons. This piece along with other personal effects of the general were donated by the family to the state of North Carolina. Other objects can be viewed at the North Carolina Museum of History.

Born, March 22, 1832 Lorenzo was the oldest of the three children. In May 12, 1862 he enlisted in the 27th North Carolina Infantry, Company G. He died on October 21, 1862, of disease in a Confederate Army hospital in Winchester, Virginia. This portrait is one of the few existing pictures of a Bennett family member.

Civil War Era Prosthetic Leg, stamped:

G.W. WELLS
J.(indecipherable letter) WELLS
CHARLOTTESVILLE

G. W. Wells and Brothers, a Charlottesville, Virgina company made this artificial limb for J.T. Gregory of North Carolina in 1865.

Lt. General John Bell Hood (Confederate Army) is known to have worn a similar leg made by this manufacturer after his right leg was amputated due to his injuries he suffered at the Battle of Chickamauga.

Blacksmith forged S-guard camp knife with folk-art brass inlays, consisting of hearts and other shapes.

Inscribed:

James Bennitt Was Born
July the 11th 1806 ____
and Was married to Nancy his
Wife May the 23rd 1831 ____

Note that the Bennett's spelled their last name Bennitt before the meeting of Sherman and Johnston. The press misspelled the family name and the Bennett spelling was adopted by the Bennetts.

Officer's field desk with original papers. Note the base is missing.

This desk was used by Capt. Orange Sackett, Jr., quartermaster of the 136th New York State Volunteers of William Tecumseh Sherman's Army of the Cumberland.