A free, family-friendly living-history event at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site will bring the Civil War era to life.
Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Bentonville Battlefield’s 'Heavy Thunder' Event to Feature Cannon and Musket Demonstrations

FOUR OAKS
Jun 3, 2025

A free, family-friendly living-history event at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site will bring the Civil War era to life.

On Saturday. June 7, Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site, a part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, will host its “Heavy Thunder: Summer Artillery and Infantry” program. The event runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Food vendors will be on site.

Historic weapons demonstrations will occur at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. Costumed interpreters will perform infantry and artillery drills, while living-history displays offer a deeper understanding of 19th-century battlefield medicine and civilian life

The Harper House, which served as a Union field hospital during the battle, will be open for tours throughout the day. An interpretive talk at noon in the visitor center will provide additional historical context.

The Battle of Bentonville, fought March 19-21, 1865, was the largest battle fought in North Carolina and one of the last major battles in the Civil War. The sound of cannonfire during the battle, it was said, boomed with a distinct echo.

“The din of battle roared like one continuous peel of heavy thunder,” wrote one eyewitness to the 1865 battle of Bentonville.

About Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site
Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site interprets the battle and the Harper House, a farmhouse used as a field hospital where surgeons treated nearly 600 men wounded in the battle. The site is located at 5466 Harper House Rd., Four Oaks, NC 27524, 3 miles north of Newton Grove on S.R. 1008, about one hour from Raleigh and about 45 minutes from Fayetteville. For more information, visit https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/bentonville-battlefield or call (910) 594-0789.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

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