474 



FLOKIDA. 



For finances of the Confederate States see COX- 

 FEDERATE STATES. 



FLORIDA, which forms the South East 

 Peninsula of the United States, contained in 

 1860 a population of 140,425, of whom 77,748 

 were white, 932 free colored, and 61,745 slaves. 

 The ratio of increase for the previous ten years 

 had been white 64.70, slave 57.07 ; total 60.59. 

 The white male population of the State by the 

 census of 1860 was 41,128 ; female 36,619. The 

 decrease of the slave population during the ten 

 previous years by manumission was 17 ; by es- 

 capes 11. The mortality in the State for the year 

 ending May 31st, 1860, was 1,769, of whom 979 

 were males, 790 females, and 329 under the age 

 of one year. The most fatal diseases are con- 

 sumption, diarrhoea, dropsy, fever, remittent and 

 typhoid, and pneumonia. Deaf and dumb 18, 

 of whom 9 are slaves. The product of iron 

 foundries for the year ending June 30th, 1860, 

 was valued at $63,000; value of sawed and 

 planed lumber $1,475,240 ; flour and meal 

 $355,006 ; cotton goods manufactured $40,000; 

 value of shad fishing $68,952 ; value of real es- 

 tate and personal property $73,101,500. Lands 

 improved 676,464 acres, ditto unimproved 

 2,273,008; horses 16,562, mules, &c., 2,294, 

 cattle, exclusive of working oxen and cows, 

 284,736, sheep 29,958, swine 274,314; wheat 

 2,808 bushels, rye 21,314 bush., corn 2,824,538, 

 oats 46,779 bush. ; rice 223,209 pounds ; tobacco 

 758,015 pounds; cotton 63,322 bales of 400 

 pounds each ; wool 58,594 pounds ; pens and 

 beans 364,738 ; sweet potatoes 1,213, 493 bush. ; 

 sugar 1,761 hhds., molasses 435,890 gallons. 

 Value of home manufactures $62,243 : miles of 

 railroads 401. The area of the State is 59,268 

 square miles, or 37,931,520 acres. It is divided 

 into 33 counties. Key "West is the most im- 



portant commercial and military point in the 

 State, Tallahassee is the seat of the State Gov- 

 ernment, Jacksonville has been a thriving com- 

 mercial town on the St. John's river, from 

 whence vast quantities of lumber were exported. 

 The number of cotton plantations in 1850 was 

 990, and of sugar plantations 958. The Governor 

 of the State is John Milton, whose term expires 

 in November, 1863. The State election is on 

 the first Monday in October, and the Legisla- 

 ture meets on the first Monday in November. 



The State of Florida quietly reposed under 

 the flag of the Confederate States until the mili- 

 tary and naval expeditions were sent from Port 

 Royal by Com. Dupontto capture her towns on 

 the eastern coast. (See ARMY OPERATIONS.) 

 These expeditions met with very little resist- 

 ance. Fernandina and New Fernandina were 

 taken on the 3d of March, Jacksonville on the 

 12th, next St. Augustine and Musquito Inlet. 

 The occupation of these points and the block- 

 ade outside gave to the Federal Government 

 the control of the whole coast of east Florida. 

 Situated as the State was, at a distance from 

 the seat of the Confederate Government, which 

 required all its available force to defend the 

 northern border of the seceded States, the 

 Confederate Government determined to relin- 

 quish the possession of the eastern portion of 

 the State when the attack was made on Fernan- 

 dina. An order was accordingly issued by the 

 Secretary of "War at Richmond, directing the 

 Confederate forces to withdraw from the State. 

 All the cannon, arms, ammunition, and stores 

 were removed at the same time. These troops 

 were sent into Tennessee to aid in resisting the 

 Federal forces there. The effect of these mea- 

 sures was to discourage the efforts of the people 

 for the Confederate cause and to prevent sol- 



