JOHNSTON COUNTY - As the final state to join the Confederacy, North Carolina is home to its fair share of Civil War history. This weekend marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Bentonville where, in Johnston County, there will be a major reenactment.

Dean Harry, president of the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield,says this clash between the Union's Gen. William Sherman and the Confederate Gen. Joe Johnston was one of the last major battles of the war.

"Gen. Lee actually requested Johnston come out of retirement and what Johnston's going to try to do is isolate half of Sherman's army and get his entire army in front of him," Harry says. "Then it would be 30,000 to 20,000. If you've got surprise and position and you're only outnumbered 3-2, you have a good chance."

Harry says Bentonville was the site of the South's last stand against Gen. William Sherman.

"The ultimate goal is to get Sherman's army to Petersberg so they can beat Lee," Harry says. "Because Gen. Grant, who is in charge of everything, is of the opinion that the war is not going to be over until Lee says it is and he's got to beat Lee to end the war."

Not only was this battle significant in the larger scheme of the Civil War, but Harry says it was especially significant for the state.

"This is the largest land battle of the entire war in North Carolina," he says.

In addition to the battle's reenactment, Harry says the event will also have speakers to talk about the site's significance.

"There will be people like Wade Sokolosky, who's just written a book about the battle at Wyse Fork in Kinston; the first book ever written on that battle," he says. "Wade and his co-writer Mark Smith will be talking and Smith is going to talk about the battle of Averasboro. Mark Bradley is going to be there talking about the battle of Bentonville and we have Richard Melvin, who is an expert on the army of Tennessee."

The speakers are all free but tickets are needed to watch the reenactment. For more information, go to 150thbentonville.com.