ARMY OPERATIONS. 



51 



nandina, is the eastern termination of the rail- 

 road across the peninsula. The western termi- 

 nation is Cedar Keys, a small town located on 

 one of a group of small islands close to the west 

 coast of Florida. It was captured by a Union 

 force on the 16th of January. On the same 

 night that Fernandina was taken Commander 

 E. R. P. Rodgers in the Ottawa ascended the 

 St. Mary's river, and took possession of the 

 town of that name, driving out a picket of the 

 enemy's cavalry. This town and Fernandina 

 were "uninjured*. Preparations for a most vig- 

 orous defence were found to have been made 

 at both places, but the State troops were 

 probably required for the Confederate army. 

 The difficulties arising from the indirect] 

 the channel and from the shoalness of the bar 

 would have added to the defences by keeping 

 approaching vessels a long time exposed to fire 

 under great disadvantages. Having turned the 

 property over to the military power the expe- 

 dition was ready for further movements. 



A principal and ultimate object of this entire 

 expedition was, in its first conception, to take 

 and keep under control the whole line of sea- 

 coast, especially of the State of Georgia. Hav- 

 ing heard at Fernandina that the works at 

 Brunswick in Georgia had been abandoned, 

 Com. Dupont on the 7th of March despatched 

 a force, consisting of the Mohican, Pocahontas, 

 and Potomska, under Commander Gordon, to 

 hold the place. It is a port of entry in the ex- 

 treme southeastern part of the State of Georgia, 

 pleasantly situated on Turtle river, and has a 

 spacious harbor. It is the eastern terminus of 

 the Brunswick and Florida railroad. Com- 

 mander Gordon with his vessels crossed the bar 

 on the 8th. and anchored at sundown within 

 two miles of the forts commanding the channel. 

 The next day he took possession of the batteries 

 on St. Simon's Island and on Jekyl Island. 

 "When abandoned, all their guns and" ammuni- 

 tion had been removed. The town also was 

 entirely deserted, and nearly all the property 

 which could be removed had been taken away. 

 Proclamations were posted by Commander Gor- 

 don on several public buildings, urging the in- 

 habitants to return to their homes and promis- 

 ing protection to the property of all good citi- 

 zens. The force then retired to the vessels. 



On the 13th with the Potomska and Poca- 

 hontas Commander Gordon proceeded from St. 

 Simon's Sound through the inland passage to 

 Darien on the Altamaha river. Piles had been 

 driven in two places across the passage, which 

 were removed. Darien like Brunswick was 

 entirely deserted, and also all the plantations 

 on St. Simon's Island. But one white man 

 was found on the island, and one old negro, 

 although about fifteen hundred troops had been 

 quartered there a few months previous. The 

 former appeared to be in great dread of the 

 coming of the Union force, and had been told 

 that they would destroy even women and 

 children. 



At the same tune when this force was order- 



ed to Brunswick on the 7th of March, Com. 

 Dnpont sent the gunboats Ottawa, Seneca, Pern- 

 bin a, and Huron, with the Isaac Smith and El- 

 len under Lieut. Stevens to St. John's river with 

 instructions to cross its difficult and shallow 

 bar, feel the forts if still held, and push on to 

 Jacksonville and even Pilatka and capture 

 river steamers. St. John's river empties into 

 the Atlantic some twenty-five miles south of 

 Fernandina. On the llth Lieut. Stevens suc- 

 ceeded in crossing the bar and anchored for 

 the night. During the evening large fires were 

 seen in the direction of Jacksonville, which 

 proved to have been made under the order of 

 the Confederate commander, Gen. Trapier, by 

 the burning of mills, houses, and property be- 

 longing to Northern men suspected of enter- 

 taining Union sympathies. On arriving at 

 Jacksonville during the next day. the corporate 

 authorities came off to Lieut. Stevens and gave 

 up the town. The 4th New Hampshire. Col. 

 Whipple, was landed and took possession. The 

 location of the town is on the northern bank 

 of the St. John's, abotit twenty-five miles from 

 its mouth. It contains about three thousand 

 inhabitants. From almost all the houses a 

 white flag was displayed on the approach of 

 the force, and men. women, and children of all 

 colors turned out to see the display. A Union 

 feeling was aroused and encouraged. A public 

 meeting was called and resolutions adopted in 

 favor of organizing a Union State Government 

 and calling a convention to meet at Jackson- 

 ville for that purpose on the 10th of April, 

 then approaching. On the 8th of April the 

 Union commander, Gen. Wrijrht, evacuated the 

 town, and then sent information of his move- 

 ment to the Confederate commander, Gen. 

 Trapier, inviting him to come and re-occupy the 

 town, and requesting him to take care of the 

 women and children remaining. On the 9th 

 the Confederate officers stood on the dock and 

 watched the vessels sailing away. On the 10th, 

 the Union convention, which had been warmly 

 encouraged by these retiring officers with their 

 force, was called to assemble. Of course it 

 was not held. The more active Unionists had 

 through fear left with the fleet. 



Com. Dupont, immediately after having de- 

 spatched Commander Gordon to Brunswick and 

 Lieut. Stevens to Jacksonville, as above stated, 

 proceeded himself toward St. Augustine. Ar- 

 riving off the harbor he ordered Commander 

 Rodgers to approach the city with a flag of truce, 

 presuming that if there were any people along 

 the coast likely to remain in their houses, they 

 would be found at St. Augustine. As Com- 

 mander Rodgers approached the city, a white 

 flag was hoisted upon one of the bastions of 

 Fort Marion. As he landed upon the wharf 

 and inquired for the chief authority, he was 

 soon joined by the mayor and conducted to 

 the city hall, where the municipal authorities 

 were assembled. His report to Com. Dupont 

 proceeds as follows : 

 I informed them that, having come to restore the 



