Florida was rarely the scene of large-scale fighting during the American Civil War.  While numerous battles and skirmishes occurred around the state, these seldom reached the size of engagements in other parts of the country.  However, in February of 1864, the United States made a major military campaign into Florida that would result in the largest Civil War battle fought in the state.

     Florida seceded from the United States on January 10, 1861, and soon joined the Confederate States of America.  Florida would be of great value to the Confederacy.  The state would provide much-needed supplies for the Southern armies, including beef and salt for preserving meat.  When the Union forces gained control of the Mississippi River in 1863 and cut off the supply lines to Texas,  Florida would become the main supplier of beef for the Confederacy.  The Union navy blockaded the Southern coastline early in the war to prevent  supplies from other nations reaching the Confederate states.  The numerous ports and harbors along Florida’s long coastline were havens for Southern blockade-runner ships.

     In February of 1864, the largest Union military effort in Florida began.  A Union force from Hilton Head, South Carolina would travel by ship and land at Jacksonville, a city that had already been occupied by Federal troops three times during the war.  This campaign had both political and military objectives.  As the presidential election would be held in 1864, the United States hoped to establish a loyal government and return Florida to the Union before the election.  President Abraham Lincoln’s secretary, John Hay, accompanied the Union force, bringing some blank books to assist in setting up a new government and accept oaths of allegiance to the United States from loyal Florida residents.  Among the military goals were securing cotton, lumber, and turpentine for Union forces, cutting off  the supply lines in Florida, and finding recruits for Union colored troops.

     On February 7, 1864, the Union force of some 7,000 to 8,000 men landed at Jacksonville, Florida.  Commanded by Brigadier General Truman Seymour, the Federal force included infantry, artillery, and cavalry units.  On February 8, Union troops began moving out from Jacksonville.

     The Confederate forces in Florida were scattered around the state and were in little position to oppose a large Union effort.  Brigadier General Joseph Finegan, commanding the 1,500 Southern troops in east  Florida, was well outnumbered and quickly requested re-enforcements.  General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, commanding the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, began sending Confederates from South Carolina and Georgia to Florida.  The movement of these troops was slowed by the lack of direct railroad lines to Florida.  The Confederate troops could only go by train as far as southern Georgia, then would march to Florida.

     Awaiting the re-enforcements, the Confederates in Florida made efforts to block the Union troops advancing from Jacksonville.  Some 350 Southern soldiers were at Camp Finegan, west of Jacksonville.  In the evening hours of February 8, Union forces attacked this camp, capturing a large number of prisoners and driving off the remaining Confederates.  Many of those who escaped Camp Finegan were captured the same night at Ten Mile Run.  Union cavalry and artillery pushed on toward Lake City, some 50 miles west of Jacksonville, encountering small forces of Confederates along the way.

     The Union mounted column reached Barber’s Plantation, near the St. Mary’s River, on February 10.  While attempting to cross the river, they were engaged in a skirmish with a Confederate force numbering around 200 to 300 troops.  Driving off their opponents, the Union forces reached Lake City.  Here General Finegan gathered a force of 490 infantry, 110 cavalry, and two cannons which drove back the Federals.

     While these actions were taking place, the Union forces were considering their next move.  General Seymour seemed hesitant to advance on Lake City.  His senior officer, General Gillmore, was at Jacksonville briefly, and before returning to Hilton Head instructed Seymour not to move without orders.  However, Seymour decided to go through with the advance toward Lake City.  Some of the Federal force would remain as a garrison in Jacksonville.  On February 19, 5,500 Union soldiers were at Barber’s Plantation.

     The Confederates had already received their re-enforcements.  With some 4,600 infantry, 600 cavalry, and 12 artillery pieces, the Confederate army was now nearly the same size as the opposing Union army.  General Finegan moved his force to the small town of Olustee, around ten miles east of Lake City.  Here the railroad passed over a narrow stretch of dry terrain.  With swamps and bays to the south and a large lake called Ocean Pond to the north, the Confederates built earthwork fortifications.  Here they would wait for the Federals.  The stage was now set for the battle.

     On the morning of February 20, 1864, the Union army set out from Barber’s Plantation.  The army was organized into three infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade, and the artillery, which had 16 cannons.  With the cavalry force in advance,  the Union troops moved in three columns on the Lake City and Jacksonville Road, which ran along the Florida Atlantic and Gulf Coast Railroad.

     Early in the afternoon, the Union mounted troops began skirmishing with small forces of Confederate cavalry.  General Finegan had sent his cavalry forward to draw the Federals toward the Confederate defenses.  However, the skirmishing grew more intense.  More Confederate troops were sent forward, and the battle beginning in earnest some two miles from the Confederate works.

     The two forces clashed in an open pine forest free of underbrush.  Skirmishers of the 7th Connecticut Infantry advanced against the Southern cavalry.  The 64th Georgia Infantry and the 32nd Georgia Infantry soon came to support their Confederate comrades.  Thinking the opposing troops were only a cavalry force, the Georgia infantry formed a square, an infantry tactic used to defend against cavalry.  However, the Southern horsemen reported Union infantry and artillery was also approaching; the troops in the square would be easy targets.  The Georgians broke the square and fell back.  More Confederate infantry and the artillery was advancing at this point, and the troops from the square took up positions flanking the cannons.

     The 7th Connecticut put up a sharp fight, armed with 7-shot Spencer repeating rifles.  As they pulled back, General Seymour advanced a Union brigade consisting of the 7th Connecticut Infantry, the 7th New Hampshire Infantry, and the 8th U.S. Colored Troops.  These regiments came onto the field and formed into a line of battle.

     The 7th New Hampshire moved up onto the Union right but was soon in trouble.  The Confederates were directing heavy fire at the regiment.  The situation was complicated when the regiment received a wrong order and was soon thrown into confusion.  The 7th New Hampshire broke and ran to the rear.  The Confederates now swung their fire to the 8th U.S. Colored Troops on the left of the Union line.  Though they had never been in battle before, the 8th U.S. held their position for some time as the fighting intensified.  The Confederate artillery took heavy fire and was out of action briefly, but the 8th U.S. broke and ran with heavy casualties.

     Additional Confederate troops came forward and the Southern forces began to advance in a line that reached a mile in length, north to south.  Another Union brigade also entered the battle, but the Confederates began pushing back the Federal line and captured several of the Union cannons.  However, the Confederate advance soon faced a serious threat: ammunition was running short. Confederates searched through cartridge boxes of fallen soldiers for more cartridges.

     The Confederates began to fall back, but Colonel A. H. Colquitt, commanding the Confederate right, managed to rally his troops. Some of the regiments held their positions in spite of the fact that their cartridge boxes were empty.    Ammunition was brought to the battlefield from Olustee, along with more  troops who supported the Confederate left.

     With re-enforcements and a new supply of ammunition, the Southern line began to advance again.  The Confederate left soon flanked the Union right and inflicted enormous casualties on their blue-clad opponents.

     With nearly one-third of the Union force casualties and the Confederates advancing, General Seymour gave the order to retreat.  The 35th U.S. Colored Troops and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, also a colored regiment, came forward and held back the Confederates briefly as the Federal regiments withdrew from the field.  The 54th Massachusetts, 7th Connecticut, and the Union cavalry covered the retreat.  The Confederates made only a modest pursuit of the Federals until night fell and the fighting ceased.

     The Battle of Olustee, called the Battle of Ocean Pond by the Federals, lasted some four to five hours. Union casualties were 203 killed, 1,152 wounded, and 506 missing, a total of 1,861.  Confederate losses were 93 killed, 847 wounded, and 6 missing, a total of 946.  The Union troops also lost five cannons, 1600 rifles, 400 sets of accoutrements, and 130,000 rounds of ammunition.  The battle ended Union efforts to restore Florida to the Union.  Jacksonville was occupied for the rest of the war by Union troops.

     Today the battlefield is preserved at Olustee Battlefield State Historic Site, nestled among the pine trees of the Osceola National Forest.  An interpretive center relates the history of the battle.  There are monuments to both Union and Confederate soldiers who fought in the battle.  Trails wander through the woods where the battle took place.  Markers are located  along the trails showing battle positions where  some of the regiments fought, as well as other historical markers detailing some of the battle.  The Battle of Olustee is re-enacted annually in February at the site of the original battle.  Olustee Battlefield State Historic Site is located on Highway 90, fifteen miles east of Lake City.