Plus, there were very few large cleared areas (as also shown incorrectly in the lithograph). It depicts soldiers of the 8th U.S. He was a member of the … The Battle of Olustee Credit The Florida State Archives The soldiers of the 54th had enthusiastically joined the regiment to prove that African-Americans deserved citizenship rights. The Battle of Olustee and the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park: a Brief History; Men and Arms: Sketches of the Commanders and Units of the Olustee Campaign; The Confederate Roll of Honor: Southern Casualties at the Battle of Olustee; The Union Roll of Honor: Union Casualties at the Battle of Olustee ; However, much additional information was generously supplied by … However, the Confederates did make a final attempt to engage the rear element of Seymour's forces just before nightfall, but they were repulsed by elements of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the 35th United States Colored Troops, both composed of Black soldiers. But as I am webmaster for the Battle of Olustee Citizen's Support Organization (CSO), this is a real "pain in the butt." Paper Masters has many writers that are well versed in writing on the major battles of any military conflict. Commissioner Ronald … 90. [3] The ratio of Union casualties to the number of troops involved made this the second bloodiest battle of the War for the Union, with 265 casualties per 1,000 troops. Brig. Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the U.S. Confederate States presidential election of 1861, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Olustee&oldid=1008603181, Battles of the Lower Seaboard Theater and Gulf Approach of the American Civil War, Confederate victories of the American Civil War, Battles of the American Civil War in Florida, African Americans in the American Civil War, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from October 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2013, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 February 2021, at 03:55. Finegan sent out an infantry brigade to meet Seymour's advance units and lure them into the Confederate entrenchments, but this plan went awry. Contact Webmaster about errors or additions at   trfasulo @ gmail.com. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war. It was the only major battle of the Civil War to take place in the state, and was a rather bloody battle, with 34 percent of Union troops and 19 percent of Confederates killed, wounded, or captured. The Battle of Olustee The Battle of Olustee In February 1864, Union forces landed in Jacksonville and launched a major expedition westward into the interior of the state. Media in category "Battle of Olustee" The following 25 files are in this category, out of 25 total. [2][3], The battle raged throughout the afternoon until, as Finegan committed the last of his reserves, the Union line broke and began to retreat. [4] One member of the Confederate forces noted that wounded and captured black Union soldiers were executed by the pursuing Confederates. A tradition started in 1984 by Gainesville legend John Harlon and evolved into signifying the start of the Florida Racing Calendar typically held i... - 113.5 mi, +1831 ft. Bike ride in Gainesville, FL Gen. Truman Seymour moved deep into the state, occupying, destroying, and liberating, meeting little resistance on February … Florida in the Civil War: Olustee, Florida's Bloodiest Battle Campaign: Florida Expedition . Outcome: Confederate Victory. [4] The Union forces attacked but were savagely repulsed by withering barrages of rifle and cannon fire. This park is located within the Osceola National Forest, on U.S. 90. [5][4], Union casualties were 203 killed, 1,152 wounded, and 506 missing, a total of 1,861 men—about 34 percent. Union General Truman Seymour had landed troops at Jacksonville, aiming chiefly to disrupt Confederate food supply. Reenactors begin arriving as early as Thursday to set up. However, Seymour was under orders from Gillmore not to advance deep into the state. The locomotive of a train carrying wounded Union soldiers had broken down and the wounded were in danger of capture. Meeting little resistance, he proceeded towards the state capital of … The Battle of Olustee or Battle of Ocean Pond was fought in Baker County, Florida on February 20, 1864, during the American Civil War. Union objectives included cutting off Confederate supply lines, locating recruits for black Union regiments, and establishing a pro-Union government in east Florida. From the Battle of Olustee Program: “The 39th Reenactment of the Battle of Olustee is a living history commemoration of Florida’s largest Civil War battle. Although the general public’s knowledge of … Friday is "School Day" as hundreds of students arrive to spend the day watching demonstrations and listening to living historians discuss various aspects of the war and life in the United States during the 1860s. Following the end of the Battle of Olustee, roaming bands of Southern troops may have murdered many of the injured African Americans that were left on the battlefield. But while their heroism at Fort Wagner helped end doubts about the effectiveness of black troops, the pay disparity revealed that the nation still seemed intent on denying their equality. Start Year: 1864. At approximately 2:30 in the afternoon of February 20, the Union force approached General Finegan's 5,000 Confederates entrenched near Olustee Station. The Olustee Battle Obelisk was dedicated on County land in 1918. The 54th Massachusetts was among the African American troops that fought at Olustee. There, they picked … One Georgia newspaper referred to Union forces as walking "forty miles over the most barren land of the South, frightening the salamanders and the gophers, and getting a terrible thrashing". When the 54th Massachusetts arrived, the men attached ropes to the engine and cars and manually pulled the train approximately three miles to Camp Finegan, where horses were secured to help pull the train. Finegan did not exploit the retreat, allowing most of the fleeing Union forces to reach Jacksonville. [citation needed] This site was originally based on four booklets developed by the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park Citizens Support Organization: However, much additional information was generously supplied by numerous individuals and organizations with a special interest in the Battle of Olustee. 84 talking about this. It took 42 hours to pull the train that distance. [3][4], Following the Florida, Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad, Seymour led his 5,500 men in the direction of Lake City. Admission . The opposing forces met at Ocean Pond and the battle began. Largest Land Battle Fought in Florida During the American Civil War. The Battle of Olustee Early in the morning of February 20, 1864, General Seymour's armyleft Barbers' Plantationand moved westward towards Lake City. [2][3][4], Seymour's preparations at Hilton Head had concerned the Confederate command in the key port city of Charleston, South Carolina. Union losses were made worse by Confederate forces killing wounded and captured African-American soldiers after the fighting had concluded. The Battle of Olustee Ocean Pond. As Colquitt's troops began arriving, Seymour, without Gillmore's knowledge, began a new drive across north Florida with the capture of Tallahassee as a possible objective. Full-scale artillery, mounted cavalry and three African American regiments, took part in the battle that ended with 2,807 casualties and a Confederate victory. Several Civil War-related Florida state parks are linked to on our Battle of Olustee Web site. II: The Battle of Olustee. (Please note that this is … When the 54th arrived, the men attached ropes to the train pulled the train by hand about three miles (4.8 km) to Camp Finnegan. The public is invited to attend the event on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, visit the camps, view demonstrations, interact with living historians, shop at numerous sutler tents for Civil War merchandise, and attend the battles on Saturday and Sunday. Meeting little resistance, he proceeded towards the state capital of … After that, the train was pulled by both men and horses to Jacksonville for a total distance of 10 miles (16 km). General P. G. T. Beauregard, correctly guessing Seymour's objective was Florida, felt these Union actions posed enough of a threat for him to detach reinforcements under Georgian Alfred H. Colquitt to bolster Florida's defenses and stop Seymour. Throughout the Mexican War he served as a staff officer with distinction. Educational programs and demonstrations designed specifically for school groups are offered on the Friday of the reenactment weekend where kids can see what life was like in 1860s Florida. For more than 100 years, Olustee has welcomed visitors to walk its grounds and remember one of our nation’s bloodiest conflicts. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war. The Battle of Olustee, Florida - Confederate Reports. In 1863, the Confederate Congress had proclaimed that ex-slaves caught fighting against the South would be executed. What nobody is mentioning is that should some group of individuals, ancestors of the fallen, or others that could establish standing decide to sue the City/County, this issue could end up in the courts for years and could become Columbia County's Stone Mountain.