Bennett Place State Historic Site announced on Apr. 8 that it will hold its annual anniversary program, titled “Uneasy Peace,” on Saturday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event marks the surrender of over 89,000 Confederate troops in April 1865 at the Bennett family farmhouse, recognized as the largest troop surrender of the American Civil War.
The program is intended to help visitors understand the historical significance of this moment and its aftermath. It includes scheduled talks, vignettes, and interactive stations that explore different aspects of life during and after the war.
The day’s events will begin with a talk by Patrick Schroeder, Park Historian at Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park. Throughout the day there will be several short reenactments called “Bennett Place Surrender Vignettes,” which last about twelve minutes each and require advance registration due to limited space inside the historic home. Other activities include an environmental history walking tour led by Kalei Porter from UNC-Chapel Hill, as well as sessions focused on stories of surrender and freedom and discussions about what followed after the war ended.
Visitors can also explore free-flowing stations covering topics such as Civil War engineering (including pontoon bridges), signal flag codes used during wartime communication, demonstrations of Morse code telegraphy, civilian experiences during wartime through living history discussions, and interactions with historians portraying both Union and Confederate soldiers at war’s end in North Carolina.
Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for seniors, military personnel or veterans, and children ages three to seventeen. The Bennett Place State Historic Site preserves a reconstructed farmhouse once owned by James and Nancy Bennett in Durham County where Generals Sherman and Johnston negotiated peace terms over three days in April 1865.
