Statewide County FlArchives Military Records.....Florida In The War Between The States 
 
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Florida In The War Between The States
Florida in the War Between the States.

    With the causes that led up to the war and the convention that took Florida out
of the Union, this record has nothing to do, but it may with propriety mention some
facts precedent to the organization of the various companies and regiments that
served during the War Between the States.

    In January 1861, the United States occupied, on the Appalachicola river the
arsenal at Chattachoochee, where a small quantity of arms and munitions of war were
stored; on Pensacola Bay, the Navy Yard, Fort Barrancas with forty pieces of
artillery, the Fort Barrancas barracks, where there was a battery of field
artillery, Fort McRae with 125 pieces of artillery, Fort Pickens with 201 heavy
guns; on Amelia Island, the uncompleted work, Fort Clinch; at St. Augustine, Fort
Marion with 6 field batteries, and at the extreme south Fort Taylor and the barracks
at Key West and on Garden Key, one of the Dry Tortugas, the stupendous but
uncompleted work, Fort Jefferson, covering thirteen and one-half acres, and designed
to mount 300 guns, which it had been the special ambition of Jefferson Davis, as
Secretary of War and Senator, to make the commanding fortress of the Gulf.

    On January 5, 1861, Senator Yulee wrote from Washington to Joseph Finnegan, "The
immediate important thing to be done is the occupation of the forts and arsenals in
Florida . . . the "naval station and forts at Pensacola being first in importance."
This was the policy pursued in all the Southern States on the ground that the works
had been constructed by the public money of the United States for the defense of
each State, so that the State, when leaving the Union, had a better title to the
property than any one else. Self defense was a further justification. In every case
promises were offered to account for the property taken, in the final and general
settlement with the United States.

    Pensacola at once became the point in Florida upon which the attention of both
North and South were most anxiously concentrated. At the forts near this city was
apparently to be decided the question whether the National Government would or would
not submit peacefully to the secession of Florida. In this uncertain condition the
commanding officer, fearing a clash of arms, abandoned the main and the Navy Yard
and took refuge in Fort Pickens.

    Lieut. Adam J. Slemmer, in the absence of his captain, John H. Winder, who
afterward became a general in the Confederate army, had command of the company of
United States artillery stationed at Pensacola Bay. The Navy Yard and the vessels in
the bay, the war steamer Wyandotte and the store-ship Supply were under the orders
of Commodore Armstrong, Commander Ebenezer Farrand, afterward an officer in the
Confederate navy, being second in command. The 70 ordinary sailors and 48 marines at
the Navy Yard were under command of Capt. Joseph Watson. Old Fort Barrancas and Fort
McRae, each powerful works as against attacks from water, were not designed to
resist an assault from the rear, and any attempt to defend them or the Navy Yard
from such an assault would have been futile and inviting the immediate destruction
of the Navy Yard. On January 8, 1861, Lieutenant Slemmsr began the removal of powder
from the Spanish fort to Fort Barrancas; that night a party of citizens who were
reconnoitering were warned off by a shot from Fort Barrancas. On January 10 Slemmer
abandoned the mainland, spiked the guns at Fort Barrancas, destroyed over 20,000
pounds of powder at Fort McRae and transferred his men to Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa
Island, where he had a secure stronghold, though his force was inadequate to
properly garrison it.

    Military companies from Alabama were already arriving at Pensacola to assist
Florida in taking posssssion of the Navy Yard and defensive works. These Alabama
volunteers were under the command of Colonel Tennant C. Lomax, a Mexican War
veteran. Chief in command at Pensacola was the appointee of the Florida State
Convention, Major-General William H. Chase, a native of Massachusetts, and officer
of the United States army from 1819 to 1856, who during his official connection with
the United States army had superintended the construction of Fort Taylor and the
defenses of Pensacola Bay. After his resignation from the Army in 1856 he became a
resident of Pensacola and President of Alabama & Florida Railroad Company.

    Among the Florida troops on duty at that time were the Pensacola Rifle Rangers,
commanded by Capt. E. A. Perry, an officer destined to serve with distinction both
in the military and civil history of Florida, and the Santa Rosa Guards, organized
at Milton, Fla., under command of Capt. William Harrison. The Rifle Rangers became
Company A of the 2nd Florida Infantry, and served in the Army of Northern Virginia.
The Santa Rosa Guards were disbanded after about three months' service and its
members joined other commands. On January 12, 1861, Colonel Lomax, with the Florida
and Alabama troops, seven companies, numbering 700 men, marched to the Navy Yard,
and halted at the East Gate. Leaving his men he, with General Chase's aides, Col. R.
L. Campbell, Captain Randolph, late of the United States army, Captain Farrand, late
of the United States Navy, and two Alabama officers, Marks and Burroughs, proceeded
to the office of Commodore Armstrong, where in the name of Governor M. S. Perry he
demanded the surrender of the Navy Yard and stores. To this demand Armstrong
announced that he would relinquish his authority to the representative of the
sovereignty of Florida.

    The flag of the United States was immediately hauled down and the flag of the
State raised in its place. The marines remaining in the barracks were at once
paroled and allowed to go North on the store-ship Supply.

    Lieutenant Slemmer determined to hold Fort Pickens and declined to admit that
the Governors of Florida and Alabama had any authority to demand his surrender.
General Chase made the second demand, which was refused; later on a third attempt
was made to induce the Lieutenant to abandon his position, but without success. On
the mainland was assembled a force of volunteers ample to make the assault, and had
not the Florida Senators and other leaders in Washington, including Senator
Jefferson Davis, telegraphed advice that no blood be shed, the first battle of the
war would have been fought on Santa Rosa Island in January 1861.

  While these events were transpiring at Pensacola two companies of volunteer
infantry, one under A. Perry Amaker of Leon county, and the other under James Patton
Anderson of Jefferson county, had marched from Tallahassee to St. Marks, to take
passage for Pensacola to engage in the proposed attack on Fort Pickens. When that
attack was abandoned these troops returned to their respective stations to be called
within three months to the arsenal at Chattahoochee, where they became a part of the
1st Florida Regiment.

    At the same time that the Navy Yard was occupied the Florida militia, under
orders of Governor Perry, occupied Fort Clinch on Amelia Island, and on January 7,
1861, Old Fort Marion and the arsenal at St. Augustine were seized by the same
authority, and Fort Marion soon put in condition for defense by an artillery company
under Captain Gibbs, another volunteer organization. At the time these seizures of
the United States fortifications and arsenals were made, it was not known that war
would result from the act of secession. In all the posts surrendered, there was only
a nominal guard and no attempts at resistance were made. On the St. Johns river
defensive works were begun, and batteries erected to command and protect the bar;
this work was done by the Jacksonville Light Infantry, under command of Capt. Holmes
Steele and by the citizens of the section.

    About January 20, Fort Jefferson on Garden Key was re-enforced by the United
States authority. While their troops were disembarking, the steamer Galveston, of
New Orleans, approached with a Confederate force on board, evidently intending to
take possession, but seeing it was too late put about and disappeared.

    Forts Taylor, Jefferson and Pickens with the islands commanded by them, and
Fortress Monroe in Virginia, were the only places in the South that continued under
the stars and stripes during the entire period of the war. From Key West
re-enforcements were sent to Fort Pickens in the later part of January, but through
the interposition of Senator Mallory, and upon the pledge of General Chase that
hostilities would be commenced, the artillery-men were not landed. Mallory yet hoped
that amicable adjustment might be made by which the South would be permitted to
leave the Union peacefully. A cannon shot would rouse the people to arms from the
Lakes to the Gulf and defeat the efforts to compromise the differences between the
sections.

  A state of war actually existed in Florida three months before the fall of Fort
Sumter; the truce of Pensacola Bay was an armed and watchful one. On March 11, 1861,
General Braxton Bragg arrived in Pensacola and assumed command of all the
Confederate forces; by his direction the construction of land batteries was
immediately resumed.

    It is unfortunate that so little remains in the custody of the State of the
records of the early organization of troops by the State authority. It is supposed
that most of these records were destroyed by some one at the Capitol before it was
occupied by the Federals in 1865 to prevent any incriminating 
evidence falling into their hands that might be used in case of prosecution for
"treason," of which there was much talk; this however is merely supposition. From
what was left it would appear that these records were lost or destroyed during the
re-construction period.

    It is known that the militia organization of the State was soon broken up, the
men belonging to it volunteering for Confederate State service and the message of
Governor Milton, after he went into office in the year 1861, shows that he viewed
this proceeding with sincere regret. It was his ambition to create an army for "the
independent nation of Florida/' and while assisting the Confederacy to the limit of
his ability, reserved the right of Florida to maintain an army of her own. Said the
Governor in his special message in November 1861, "volunteering has broken up the
militia/' and "the service was disorganized by individuals organizing volunteers
under the authority of the Secretary of War, a power inconsistent with the rights of
a free, sovereign and independent State." The men who enlisted, however, were
anxious only about the probability of receiving orders to go to the front, and
whenever this appeared unlikely they resigned or broke up their companies and
enlisted in those most likely to receive orders to go immediately to the front.

    The first regiment organized was known as the 1st Florida Infantry. It was
composed of two companies from Leon, two companies from Alachua and one each from
Franklin, Jackson, Madison, Gadsden, Jefferson and Escambia counties. These
companies, with the exception of Company K (Pensacola Guards),which was from
Escambia county, rendezvoused at Chattahoochee arsenal where they went into Camp of
Instruction. There, on April 5, 1861, the regiment was mustered into the military
service of the Confederate States for twelve months, and was organized by the
election of Capt. James Patton Anderson, of Jefferson county, Colonel; William K.
Beard, of Leon county, as Lieutenant-Colonel, and Thadeus MacDonell, of Alachua
county, as Major. Upon the completion of the organization of the regiment it was
ordered to Pensacola where it arrived April 12, 1861, and was there joined by
Company K. Like all regiments mustered in in the early days of 1861, it enlisted for
twelve months and served almost its entire term in Pensacola and in that vicinity.

    On October 8, 1861, General Bragg planned an attack on the Federal camps on
Santa Rosa Island. The immediate command of this expedition was entrusted to Gen.
Richard Henry Anderson, of South Carolina, an old army officer. Anderson's
subordinate commanders were: James R. Chalmers with 350 Mississipians and
Alabamians; Col. James Patton Anderson, with 400 men, and John K. Jackson with 250
Georgians. In addition to these there was one independent company from Georgia and
one artilery company. The troops landed on Santa Rosa Island at 2 o'clock on the
morning of October 9, 1861; surprised the camp of New York Zouaves, who were quickly
driven out at the point of the bayonet and their camp and buildings adjacent thereto
set on fire. Finding it impossible to inflict further damage on the Federals General
Anderson ordered a retreat. Twenty prisoners were taken by the Confederates, among
them was Maj. Israel Bodges. The Federal loss was 14 killed and 36 wounded.
Confederate loss 28 killed, 39 wounded and 30 captured. Of this number the 1st
Regiment lost 6 killed, 8 wounded and 12 captured. Killed, Capt. Richard Bradford,
of Company F; Sergt. W. R. Routh; Privates Henry A. Tillinghast and John Hale, of
Company A; Privates Lewis F. Thompson and Smith, of Company B; wounded, Corporal
Lanier and Privates James Ecles, of Company B; William McCorckle, Philip L. Simms
and William Denham, of Company A; James Hicks and Amos Sharitt, of Company B; Peter
O'Neal, of Company C. Captured, Lieuts. F. M. Farley, of Company E; S. Y. Finley, of
Company C, and Parker.

    In March 1862, the 1st Regiment was ordered to Corinth, Miss., to join General
Bragg's army. The regiment got as far as Montgomery when their term of enlistment
expired and they were mustered out April 6, 1862. But four companies were formed
immediately from the ranks of the 1st as follows: Company A, Capt. W. G. Poole
(Poole was 2nd Lieutenant in Company D, 1st Florida); Company D, Capt. A. Denham
(Denham was 1st Lieutenant in Company I); Company E, 1st Lieut. John E. Miller,
commanding (formerly a 3rd Lieutenant in Company K, 1st Florida). These four
companies were formed into a battalion, of which Maj. T. A. MacDonnell took command.
The battalion did gallant service at Shiloh, receiving complimentary mention in
general orders and were accorded the right to inscribe thi name of the battle on
their flag. An old battle flag of the Western Army, now preserved at the Capitol at
Tallahassee, bears the inscription, "First and Third Florida, Shiloh and
Perryville." Major MacDonnell was wounded and disabled in the opening of the battle.
Capt. T. Sumter Means was wounded, captured and later resigned. Capt. W. C. Bird was
also wounded in this battle, and Laurie Anderson, battalion adjutant, was killed.
Lieut.-Col. W. K. Beard, on General Bragg's staff, was wounded in the arm. After the
battle of Shiloh, in which the Floridians lost 2 officers and 14 men killed, 7
officers and 51 men wounded, two companies from Louisiana, known as B and C, were
added to the battalion making a battalion of six companies and Maj. Franklin H.
Clarke assigned to the command with the following Field and Staff: 2nd Lieut. A.
Robert Pollard, Adjutant;
 —. —. Frome, Assistant Surgeon; 1st Lieut. Monheimer, Assistant Quartermaster; J.
P. Butler, Sergeant Major; F. M. Rowe, Quartermaster-Sergeant; Louis Hyer,
Commissary Sergeant; —. —. Austin, Ordinance Sergeant, and Daniel R. Monroe,
Hospital Steward. In May 1862, Clarke was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel; W. G. *Poole,
promoted Major; Pollard, 1st Lieutenant and Adjutant; Forme, Surgeon; Monheimer,
Assistant Quartermaster, was dropped from the roll by order of the War Department;
Thomas D. Wolfe, appointed Sergeant-Major (John P. Butler, Sergeant-Major, appointed
April 2^, 1S62, returned to his company (C) May 31, 1862); F. M. Rowe,
Quartermaster-Sergeant; Daniel R. Monroe, Hospital Steward; Louis M. Brisbin and
John Snider, Company C; Felix Segiane and Samuel McGill, Company B, and John Callen,
Company A, Musicians. On July 5th Major MacDonnell returned to his command, reported
for duty and by order of General Bragg relieved Lieutenant Clarke. In July 1862,
Major Miller reached Chattanooga with six companies from Florida, and the Florida
and Confederate Guards Response Battalion was dissolved, the two companies from
Louisiana going to the Crescent Regiment and the 5th Company of Washington
Artillery. The four Florida companies were joined by the six companies under Major
Miller and the 1st Florida was re-formed under command of William Miller, who was
promoted Colonel; T. A. MacDonnell promoted Lieutenant-Colonel, and G. A. Ball,
Major. In August, 1862, the 3rd Florida Regiment reached Chattanooga and with the
1st Florida, 3rd Louisiana, and the 41st Mississippi were formed into a brigade and
placed under command of Brig.-Gen. John C. Brown, Maj.-Gen. Patton Anderson's
Division. In this brigade the 1st took part in the Kentucky campaign. On their
return to Chattanooga on December 13, 1862, the 1st and 3rd was so decimated that
they were united, and were afterward known as the 1st and 3rd Regiments
consolidated. The 3rd, forming the right wing, and the 1st, the left wing of the
regiment. The consolidated regiment was under the command of Col. William Miller,
who was shortly promoted to Brigadier-General and ordered to Florida. The 1st and
3rd Regiment consolidated participated in all the great battles of the Western Army
and in every engagement won honors for the State whose colors it carried.

    It is seriously to be regretted that a more detailed account of the career of
this Regiment cannot be given at this time. In the revised addition which it is
hoped will follow this work an effort will be made to tell the whole story of the
gallant men who fought under the flags of the 1st and 3rd Florida Regiments.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

Soldiers of Florida in the Seminole Indian - Civil and Spanish-American Wars.

Fred L. Robertson, Compiler. 
Prepared and published under the supervision of the Board of State Institutions,
As authorized 6y Chapter 2203 Laws of Florida, approved May 14, 1903.

DEMOCRAT BOOK AND JOB PRINT
SHERWOOD & POUND, PROPRIETORS,
LIVE OAK, FLORIDA.


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