ARMY OPERATIONS. 



body of East Florida cavalry, which was re- 

 pulsed. A reconnoissance was also made along 

 the Georgia State line by Col. Scammon, de- 

 stroying several small works of the enemy. 

 After arranging with Gen. Seymour for the 

 construction of certain defences at Jackson- 

 ville, Baldwin, and the south fork of the St. 

 Mary's, Gen. Gillmore departed to Hilton Head. 

 His understanding was that no advance would 

 be made by Gen. Seymour without further in- 

 structions, and not until the defences were well 

 advanced. It was the intention of Gen. Gil- 

 more to construct several works capable of re- 

 sisting a coup do main at Jacksonville, Baldwin, 

 Pilatka, and perhaps one or two other impor- 

 tant points, so strong that two or three hundred 

 men would be sufficient at each. His desire 

 was to see the lumber and turpentine trade on 

 the St. John's River revived, and to give assur- 

 ance that the occupation of the river was in- 

 tended to be permanent. 



On Thursday the 18th, the force of Gen. Sey- 

 mour at Jacksonville left camp with ten days 

 rations, and advanced on the line of the railroad 

 sixteen miles. On the next day it moved seven- 

 teen miles to Barber's Station, the roads having 

 been bad on the whole roiite. On the 20th 

 the troops were in motion at an early hour, the 

 light cavalry in advance. The line of march 

 was across the south fork of the St. Mary's, 

 and up the road to Sanderson, nine miles dis- 

 tant. The day was beautiful. The sky was clear 

 overhead, and the savannahs which stretched 

 out on each side of the sandy road winding 

 through the pine woods, were warm with the 

 sunshine. Sanderson was reached without a 

 halt. There the infantry made a short halt, but 

 the cavalry kept its position about two miles in 

 advance. The march was resumed at midday 

 toward Lake City. Gen. Seymour's force, con- 

 sisting of five thousand men, moved in three 

 columns, Col. Hawley's brigade on the left, Col. 

 Barton's in the centre, and Col. Scammou's 

 regiment on the extreme right. The cavalry 

 in advance were led by Col. Henry with Elder's 

 battery. In the rear was the colored brigade 

 led by Col. Montgomery. About six miles 

 from Sanderson the enemy's mounted pickets, 

 thirty or forty in number, were met and driven 

 in after exchanging shots. The main body hur- 

 ried forward a distance of two miles, when 

 three or four cannon shot of the enemy fell 

 among the head of the column. Skirmishing 

 commenced immediately. The artillery dashed 

 into position on the gallop, the infantry on the 

 double-quick step, and in a brief period of time 

 a severe battle was progressing. Elder's bat- 

 tery unlimbered at the head of the road, Ham- 

 ilton's to the left, and Langdon's on the ex- 

 treme left, opening at short range with canister 

 shot. The artillery of the enemy consisted of 

 four or five guns, and was badly served at first, 

 being fired too high to do injury. Gen. Sey- 

 mour's line of infantry was well formed for the 

 position. With the exception of a small field 

 of a few acres, it was in the woods, amid a 



heavy growth of pine timber, and with swampy 

 ground intervening between it and the enemy, 

 of whose position nothing was known. The 

 battle lasted for three hours. Two of the 

 Federal batteries were disabled early in tha 

 action. The 7th New Hampshire broke, bui 

 was rallied again. The 8th U. S. colored 

 fought well until the loss of their leader, when 

 they fled. The contest closed at dusk, and Gen. 

 Seymour finding his force repulsed with some 

 loss, and the colored reserve unequal to the 

 emergency, retired from the field leaving his 

 dead and wounded. The retreat for a short 

 distance was conducted in successive lines of 

 battle, but finding the enemy were not disposed 

 to follow the line Avas changed, and the force re- 

 tired in column, Barton's brigade bringing up 

 the rear covered by the cavalry and Elder's 

 battery. A halt was made at Sanderson, six or 

 seven miles, coffee cooked, and some attention 

 given to the wounded. From Sanderson to 

 Barber's Station, says a writer, " ten miles, we 

 wended or crawled along, the wounded filling 

 ' the night air with lamentations, the crippled 

 horses neighing in pain, and a full moon kiss- 

 ing the cold, clammy lips of the dying." On 

 the next morning the retreat was continued to 

 Baldwin, where the cavalry of the enemy made 

 their appearance. Many of the wounded were 

 here sent on cars drawn by mules to Jackson- 

 ville, and Gen. Seymour, knowing that the 

 enemy was following in force, ordered the com- 

 missary stores, worth about sixty thousand dol- 

 lars, to be destroyed, and resumed his march to 

 Jacksonville. His loss in killed, wounded, and 

 missing was about twelve hundred. 



The following despatch from the Governor 

 of Florida presents the enemy's account of the 

 battle : 



TALLAHASSEE, FLA., February 21. 



To PRESIDENT DAVIS : I have just received the fol- 

 lowing despatch from Gen. Finegan, dated yester- 

 day: 



" I met the enemy in full force to-day, under Gen. 

 Seymour, and defeated him with great loss. I cap- 

 tured five, pieces of artillery, hold possession of the 

 battle-field, and the killed and wounded of the en- 

 emy. My cavalry are in pursuit. I don't know pre- 

 cisely the number of prisoners, as they are being 

 brought in constantly. My whole loss, I think, will 

 not exceed two hundred and fifty killed and wound- 

 ed. Among them I mourn the loss of many brave 

 officers and men." 



I understand that Gen. Finegan also captured 

 many small arms. 



(Signed) JOHN MILTOX, Governor. 



Gen. Seymour now occupied Jacksonville 

 with his forces, and the enemy took up a posi- 

 tion at Camp Finegan, eight miles distant, 

 toward Baldwin. The following correspond- 

 ence passed, at this time, between Gen. Sey- 

 mour and Gen. Finegan commanding the en- 

 emy's force : . 



HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT or FLORIDA, D. S. I 

 JACKSONVILLE, FLA., Feb. 23, 1864. f 

 SIR: In view of the inconveniences to which the 

 wounded prisoners in your hands, since the action 

 of the 20th, near Olustee, Florida, may be unavoid- 

 ably subjected, I have the honor to propose that they 

 may be paroled, and delivered within my lines aa 



