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behind an old deserted mill, a little to the left of a bend, and behind this bend the rebels had taken the wood. A few shots were exchanged and then their position. In the woods at the rear were the rebels fled in the direction of their main force. their supporters and reserves. We had not a moCaptain Langdon's battery of regular artillery, ment to lose. Our men were within one hundred was with Henry's cavalry. At the mill, Colonel yards of the enemy, and the only thing that could Henry halted until Hawley's brigade of infantry be done was to fight. To retreat at that time and Hamilton's regular battery had come up. I was impossible, for the road was filled with troops will now attempt to give some idea of the order coming up, and the woods on either side would in which our troops came into line, and the char- not admit of passage on the flank. By dint of acter and progress of the battle. effort, Captain Langdon succeeded in getting his With the view of meeting the enemy's pickets, four guns in battery on the extreme left, but not three miles in advance of the mill, two compa- until he had lost five or six men and about the nies of the Seventh Connecticut regiment were de- same number of horses. It must be borne in ployed on the left of the railroad, while three mind, our batteries were within one hundred companies were left at the mill, for the purpose yards of the enemy's front. This short distance of supporting the artillery. A small force of cav-rendered it a very easy task for the rebels to pick alry was sent to skirmish on the right of the rail-off a man or horse at every discharge of their road. Our skirmishers had not advanced a hundred yards when they discovered those of the enemy directly in their front. The result was a brisk fire on both sides, which ended by the enemy's falling back on a second line of skirmishers. Our men continued to drive the rebels back, sometimes on the right and sometimes on the left of the railroad, but principally on the left. While this was going on, two companies of the Fortieth Massachusetts were ordered to the left, with a view of outflanking the enemy's skirmishers. In endeavoring to carry out that order, the Fortieth Massachusetts came upon a heavy line of skirmishers, and were compelled to withdraw to their original position.

Captain Elder, of the First artillery, in order to ascertain the enemy's force and position, brought one of his pieces into battery on the right and fired one shot, but it did not draw a reply. The Seventh New-Hampshire regiment, in connection with the Seventh Connecticut, was then sent forward to the right, and, if possible, to break through the enemy's line. This movement brought on hot firing, and it was evident that an engagement was near at hand. At this time our force on the field consisted of the Seventh NewHampshire, the Seventh Connecticut, the Independent battalion of Massachusetts cavalry, the Fortieth Massachusetts mounted infantry, the Eighth United States colored, Elder's battery of four, and Hamilton's of six pieces. The remainder of the column was halted on the road. While our men were at work on the right, Colonel Henry in person went over to the left to reconnoitre, and, much to his astonishment, discovered that the enemy's right lapped on our left. This was reported to General Seymour, who immediately gave orders for the advance troops and batteries to come into position. The enemy watched the movement with an eager eye, and the moment Hamilton commenced unlimbering his pieces, his battery was subjected to a galling fire of musketry. A number of men and several horses were shot before he could get ready to fire one round. The fact that the enemy had a force far superior in point of numbers to our own, was now beyond all dispute. The firing became heavier and more destructive as each moment advanced. The railroad as it nears Olustee, takes

rifles. At the commencement of the fight, the Eighth United States colored troops were supporting Hamilton's battery; but when their assistance was really indispensable, by some strange order they filed to the right in rear of the battery, for the purpose of joining their right on the left of the Seventh Connecticut. At that particular time the movement was decidedly an error, for, by carrying it out, it left Hamilton's battery unsupported. In an attempt to enfilade the enemy on his right, Hamilton moved forward four pieces; but before he got into position, the rebels on that portion of their line had concentrated all their fire upon him and the Eighth United States, who had again come up to his support. In twenty minutes' time, Hamilton lost forty-four men, killed and wounded, and forty horses. The Eighth also suffered severely. At no one juncture of the engagement has the fire of the enemy been more severe than at the time Hamilton attempted his enfilade movement. Hamilton knew very well his pieces were in great danger of being captured, and he also had sense enough to know that by taking them to the rear, it would instantly cause a panic among the infantry, and so inevitably lose the day for us. The behavior of Captain Hamilton at this critical period of the battle is worthy of special note, and I sincerely believe that it was owing mainly to his persistent efforts that the portion of our line at his battery was not broken and scattered in confusion. He had not only his pieces to command, but his infantry supports to keep from leaving the field. It was in the midst of this destructive fire of the enemy, and while Captain Hamilton was urging the infantry to maintain their line, and at the same time giving orders to his battery, he was struck in the arm by a musket-ball, and shortly after was again hit in the thigh. To add to the misfortune, all of his officers -four in number—were wounded. Colonel Charles W. Fribley, of the Eighth United States, was also mortally wounded on this portion of the field. He did not cease for a moment to encourage and rally his men, and by his gallant behavior proved himself to be an officer of no ordinary merit. Captain Hamilton kept his pieces at work until it was evident it would be sure loss to fire another round, and then gave orders to withdraw them. Horses

His horse

a most miraculous manner. Provost-Marshal General Hall had a horse shot from under him, and as for himself, no one would believe it would be possible for him to again pass through what he did on that day, and come out unscathed. Lieutenant Jackson, of General Seymour's staff, had two horses shot. If space would permit, I might fill a column of just such narrow escapes.

were attached to only four pieces; the horses to quence compelled to leave the field. the other two had been shot, consequently two was shot from under him. Colonel Moore, of guns fell into possession of the enemy. On the the Forty-seventh New-York, was also wounded, right of Hamilton, the Seventh Connecticut and a ball striking his hand and passing out at the the Seventh New-Hampshire were doing fearful elbow. Colonel Barton had his coat pierced in execution. The Seventh Connecticut especially several places and his horse shot. Colonel Henwere standing their ground with marked valor.ry had three horses shot, but himself escaped in Every volley from their guns told splendidly on the rebel line. But between the two forces a wide difference existed; the rebels outnumbered us five to one. This crushing superiority gave the two regiments little chance for victory. After losing one fourth of their number, they were compelled to retire to the rear. At the same moment Colonel Barton's brigade, the Forty-seventh, Forty-eighth, and One Hundred and Fifteenth New- General Seymour was not away from the York regiments, took the field, coming up in line ground for an instant. At first on the right and en echelon. On the right was Elder's battery, and then on the left, he seemed to be everywhere at on the left Langdon's and one section of the Third one and the same moment. His aim was apparRhode Island. The enemy had four pieces of ar-ently to be in the thickest of the fight, and at tillery. On a railroad car he had mounted a the front of his troops. heavy gun, supposed to be a thirty-two pounder, and with this he kept up a regular fire, but not destructive, as the shells passed over the heads of our men. There can be no doubt concerning the fighting qualities of Barton's brigade. On this occasion they fought like tigers; but the same difficulty which opposed Hawley's brigade, presented itself to them, namely, the mass of the enemy.

his cavalry, brought up the rear. At three o'clock Sunday morning, our troops were at Barber's. The enemy followed closely, but did not press.

At five P.M. the fire slackened on both sides; on ours, in consequence of the ammunition giving out, and on the enemy's, because we did not press him. A demonstration by the rebels to capture Langdon's battery, at about the middle stage of the fight, was prevented by Langdon, who poured into their line a quick and deadly fire. But in coming from the field he was obliged to leave to the enemy three of his pieces, The last regiments to enter the field, were the not because the enemy charged upon them, but First North-Carolina, and Fifty-fourth Massachu- for the reason that he did not have horses to setts, (colored,) of Montgomery's brigade. They draw them off. At half-past five o'clock the took a bold position at the front, and maintained heavy firing had ceased. The cessation was their ground with commendable pertinacity. For simultaneous on both sides. We held our three and a half successive hours did our brave ground till seven o'clock, and then the order regiments combat the enemy before them. The came from General Seymour to gradually retire. instances of personal daring that occurred in the The retreat was conducted leisurely and ormean time, are numerous. Never before did the derly. There was no confusion, no panic, nothtroops in this department have such an opportun-ing that indicated hurry. Colonel Henry, with ity for displaying their valor, and on no previous occasion have they exhibited such a high degree of bravery. If the enemy had presented an equal force with our own, or even if it had been only double, no doubt could have been felt as to the final result of the contest. As it was, the enemy resisted us with a force in point of numbers three times that of our own, which, taken together with the circumstances of the long and tedious march, and the ill condition of the men, it would be hardly reasonable to suppose that success would be on our side. The effect of our fire, both of musketry and artillery, was fearful. At every discharge, down went a body of rebels. The To estimate our loss is indeed an unpleasant gallant Elder on the right, and the dashing Lang-task, but, nevertheless, one which must be perdon on the left, made an impression on the rebel formed in giving the record of the day's events. lines that will go far to offset the misfortune that In killed, wounded, and missing I give the numultimately overtook us. The fight was by no ber one thousand two hundred. All our killed means a trivial encounter; it was a battle hotly and the severely wounded, that is, those who contested, fought at close range, face to face and were unable to walk from the field unassisted, foot to foot. The commanding officers of the va- fell into the hands of the enemy. Last night, at rious regiments are entitled to unlimited credit twelve o'clock, about five hundred of the woundfor the heroic manner in which they led their ed had been conveyed to Jacksonville. Their At the acme of the battle, Colonel Sam- names are embraced in the list of casualties mous, of the One Hundred and Fifteenth New-which I present in another portion of this letter. York, was struck in the foot, and was in conse- At that time about two hundred wounded were

men.

A few of their cavalry only kept well up to the rear of Henry's column. At Barber's, our men rested till nine A.M., and then again took up the line of retreat, reaching Baldwin at about three P.M. They halted here a short time, and then went on toward Jacksonville, arriving at the camping-ground, six miles out, Monday afternoon. On the way down many of the poor fellows could hardly drag one foot after the other.

on the way, but did not reach Jacksonville in season for me to get their names so as to send on by this mail. The surgeons estimate three hundred wounded to have been left on the field. The proportion of two hundred killed to one thousand wounded is that usually allowed. This would make the aggregate of one thousand two hundred.

We also left on the field five guns, and not a small number of small-arms. The road from Barber's to Baldwin was strewn with guns, knapsacks, and blankets.

At a station on the railroad between Barber's and Baldwin we burnt a building containing two thousand barrels of turpentine. This we might have got away several days previous had transportation been accessible. We also burnt a trestle-bridge on the railroad not far from Barber's. At Baldwin we burnt a large supply of commissary stores, knapsacks, and officers' baggage. The wagons used to transport these things to the army were filled on the retreat with the wounded.

It is customary to make the enemy's list of casualties equal to that of our own. In this instance I believe I can follow the rule, and be not very far from the truth. When we consider that the enemy had but four or five and we sixteen pieces of artillery, in position, it is not difficult to believe we inflicted upon him quite as much injury as he upon us. The fact that he did not follow rapidly is significant of the immense damage he sustained.

Our wounded, that is, those of them who were not left on the field, were all taken to Jacksonville Sunday and Monday morning. We had seven cars running on the railroad. During Sunday morning and afternoon, these cars were drawn by horses. At night, a locomotive that the engineers had been trying to get in order for some days was at last got in running condition, at just the time its use was no longer required. I do not consider the engineer at fault that the locomotive was not ready before, for it was an old concern, made up of half a dozen similar old refuse picked up at Fernandina when our troops arrived there two years ago. It was out of order, and the engineers did not have the requisite material to repair it. Monday morning two hundred and sixty-four of the wounded left on the steamer Cosmopolitan for Beaufort. Among the number was Lieutenant-Colonel Reed, of the First North-Carolina (colored) regiment, who was in a critical condition. In the absence of Colonel Beecher, who had gone North with despatches, Lieutenant-Colonel Reed took command of the regiment, and well and nobly did he act his part. The wounded at Jacksonville receive the best of attention from the surgeons in charge. Dr. William A. Smith, of the Forty-seventh New-York, is Post Director, assisted by Dr. Weeks. Some of the surgeons remained on the field of battle to treat our wounded there. Mr. Day, of the Sanitary Commission, and Rev. Mr. Taylor, of the Christian Commission, also remained behind on the field. These two gentlemen were at

Jacksonville when the news of the battle was telegraphed Saturday night. They immediately obtained a car, which they filled with medical and sanitary stores, and sent it forward to the front. At eleven at night they followed the car, walking, before they overtook it, a distance of ten miles.

LIEUTENANT EDDY'S ACCOUNT.

The following is a letter from Lieutenant Eddy. of the Third Rhode Island battery, who participated in the late battle in Florida. It is dated on board the hospital steamer Cosmopolitan, in Port Royal harbor, February twenty-second:

"On Thursday morning, the eighteenth, we left our camps at Jacksonville in light-marching order, with ten days' rations. We marched all day, and, as the roads were bad, we made only sixteen miles, when we halted for the night. On Friday morning, the nineteenth, we started early, and marching all day, made seventeen miles, stopping over night at a small place called Barber's. On Saturday morning, the twentieth, at seven o'clock, we started once more for a place called Lake City, thirty-six miles distant, which, if we had succeeded in occupying, we should have stopped supplies being sent to the Western armies of the enemy. We marched eighteen miles, when we met the enemy, and skirmished with them for the next four miles, when we found that they were in force, and had formed their line of battle.

"The columns were at once deployed, and our advance was soon sharply engaged. Hamilton's battery was ordered forward. Four pieces of the battery, including my section, were placed in position within a hundred and fifty yards of the rebel lines, under a severe fire of musketry. We went in with four pieces, fifty horses, eightytwo men, and four officers, namely, Captain Hamilton, Lieutenant Myrick, Lieutenant Dodge, and myself. In twenty minutes we lost forty-five men, forty horses, two guns, and four officers, when we managed to get off with what little there was left. It was our misfortune to have for support a negro regiment, which, by running, caused us to lose our pieces. The fight lasted three hours, when, finding his small army so much cut up, the General ordered a retreat.

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We returned to Jacksonville, fifty-eight miles distant, and reached there last night at twelve o'clock. We had five thousand men engaged on our side, and lost one thousand two hundred, as near as I can learn. The enemy had fifteen thousand men opposed to us, and, of course, whipped us badly. Captain Hamilton is wounded in his left arm severely, and in the hip. Lieutenant Myrick is badly wounded in the left foot, and will probably lose some of his toes. Lieutenant Dodge is wounded in the left arm, but not badly. I am wounded in the right leg, about three inches above the ankle-joint, but not badly. All of us officers had our horses shot under us. We are now on board of this steamer, bound for Beaufort, where all the wounded will be landed except us four officers.

We return to Hilton Head to-morrow. The bat-near Olustee, and every thing put in a state of tery remained at Jacksonville, which I think our readiness to crush at the same time our army forces will find it difficult to hold, as the enemy and all our visionary hopes. Had no other were following us closely. Taking every thing thought been entertained than that we were in together, we have done pretty sharp work. In an enemy's country, and had our commanders ninety hours we have marched one hundred and taken and improved all the advantages which. ten miles, fought a battle of three hours' dura- the laws of war had put into their hands, the tion, got badly whipped, and what there is left issues of the Olustee struggle might have been of our little army is back again to where we reversed, our army safely intrenched in Lake started from." City, and Florida wrested from the hands of the rebels.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

The battle of Olustee will take rank among HEADQUARTERS, DISTRICT FLORIDA, JACKSONVILLE, March 12, 1864. the bloodiest and most fruitless slaughters of the Our landing in Jacksonville was a complete war. When General Seymour left Jacksonville, surprise to the rebels, and they were in no con- the eighteenth February, he expected to fight a dition to receive us. Our march was, conse- battle near Lake City, the twenty-first, and not quently, one continual triumph, with small loss, before. This impression seems to have seized until our cavalry had advanced within two miles his mind, and clung to it with the force of fatalof Lake City, the first objective point of the cam-ity. When he left Barber's early on the ninepaign. It was at this time our first great mis- teenth, he was told that he would meet a large take occurred. Major-General Gillmore supposed force which would drive him back again. Nathe rebels had really no force of any importance tive Floridians insisted that, near Olustee, Finin the State, and that they were quite indifferent nigan and Gardner had collected an army much to its fate. Reconciliation and reconstruction larger than our own. All these statements seemnwere the leading ideas that occupied the atten- ed to make no impression whatever upon his tion of our commanders. Their talk and man-mind. And when, about six miles beyond Sanners indicated the presence of civil magistrates derson, the rebel pickets were driven in, no premore than of army officers. "We came here," paration was made to ascertain the position of said General Gillmore, "not so much to fight as the enemy, or for a general engagement. Onto conciliate the inhabitants, and accept their ward, with all possible speed, onward was the homages of loyalty." No raiding was to be spirit which ruled the hour. Much of the artilallowed in the State. The new converts to the lery, and the guns of whole companies were empty, Federal Government were permitted to go and but, as if this were a matter of little or no imcome as suited their convenience. Privileges portance, onward was the order. It is the were guaranteed to them which were denied to strangest thing in the world that this was so. our ever-loyal Northern people. Whilst we The enemy's advanced-guard, retreating precipiwere thus resting upon a bed of roses, enjoying tately on the approach of our force, was but a sweet dreams of peaceful and easy conquests, repetition of what we had witnessed all the way the vipers we had warmed to life in our bosoms from Jacksonville to near Lake City. This had were in alliance with our deadly foes, and aiding been done so frequently that it appeared to be them in their preparations to sting us to death. the established order of things with the Florida But this was not our worst mistake. The soldiers. Our policy had been to dash after policy of conciliation, adopted here, did not them, and capture and scatter as many as possiallow our officers to levy any contributions upon ble. We had met with no repulse and few casuthe country for the support of the army. The alties. Our successes had unfortunately inspired most stringent orders were issued in regard to us with a contempt for our foes. A battle comtouching, under any circumstance, private prop-menced unexpectedly and without preparation, erty. A captain was put in arrest for permitting | must be fought to great disadvantage. his men, who were doing duty on an extreme out- Just as we encounter the rebel pickets, let post, to kill a pig for their supper. Thousands of the reader fancy our army moving along to the these animals are running half-wild in the woods, west in three columns, in close order, on the and no one in particular pretends to own them. south side of a railroad, then turning squarely to I learn that this officer's name has been sent to the right, crossing to the other side, and making a the President with a recommendation that he be north-westerly direction. The dirt road makes this summarily dismissed from the service. As liv-detour to the right to avoid a long cypress swamp ing off from the country was out of the question, and as it was impossible to transport supplies to meet the wants of an advancing army over sand roads, nothing was left for us to do but call in our advance, and stand still till an engine could be procured, put in repair, and transportation by rail effected. This delay afforded precious time to the enemy, and was fatal to us. Finnigan calls in his outposts; generals and armies are sent from Georgia and South-Carolina; a point of great strategic importance is selected

through which the said road passes. Leaving the army behind for a few moments, let us pass on and examine the ground on which the bloody engagement is about to take place. Soon after crossing the railroad, we come to a series of swamps, which, with ocean pond, stretches from the railroad track in a direction a little west of north-west, on which the enemy's left wing rests, and by which it is amply protected. From this point the rebel line extends south to the railroad. A right-angled triangle, with the rebel line as the

base, only covered, the railroad embankment as the perpendicular line, and the series of swamps as the hypothenuse, will give a clear and remarkably correct outline of the field. The rebel right and left flanks were amply protected by the swamps. There was also a strip of low marsh land in the enemy's front, and perhaps creation affords but few positions that an enemy could occupy to greater advantage. Our army passed into this triangle through the upper part of the hypothenuse, and occupied a position a little below the apex. This dirt road, which was our line of march, passed between two swamps, and was so narrow that many of our men had to wade the swamps knee-deep in mud and water to get into action.

haved remarkably well. The reports that it got into confusion and ran from the field are certainly false. I cannot account for its good conduct, considering that the men were raw recruits, only on the ground that they were under the command of superior officers. As the Eighth fell back, having been under fire an hour and a half, Colonel Barton brought his brigade into action. The Forty-seventh New-York was posted on the left, a part of the Forty-eighth New-York to the left of Hamilton's battery, the other part on the right, and the One Hundred and Fifteenth NewYork formed the right of our line. This brigade did nobly. The enemy's left pressed hard upon the One Hundred and Fifteenth, but every man stood his ground like a veteran. The Fortyseventh and Forty-eighth held the centre firmly. The battle has now raged furiously for two hours, and our losses in officers and men have been terrible.

As stated above, the skirmishing commenced at the time our advance-guard crossed the railroad. The Fortieth Massachusetts cavalry, Colonel Henry, the Independent battalion, Major Stevens, and the Seventh Connecticut infantry Colonel Montgomery, with the Fifty-fourth participated in this preliminary action. Our Massachusetts and the First North-Carolina skirmishers were halted till Captains Hamilton | (colored) regiments, was left back at the crossing and Elder, with their batteries, came up. As of the railroad with the train. Hearing the conthey move on together, two guns are brought stant roar of artillery and musketry in front, he into battery and throw a few shells into the sent forward his aid for orders, but, without woods (pine barrens) in our front, but no re- waiting for him to return, he moved forward with sponse is elicited. The skirmishers we have the Fifty-fourth, and, as he passed the swamps, driven in have disappeared, and they were, in received orders to take position on our left, as fact, nothing but decoy ducks to lure us on and the enemy was pressing us hard in that quarter. show the way to the ambuscade. This was done, and, as General Seymour said Occasionally a squad of a dozen or so are to afterward, to his entire satisfaction. The Fortybe seen in the roads and other exposed points seventh and Forty-eighth New-York are nearly to encourage us in the pursuit of our prey, and out of ammunition, and have been in action about on we go, cavalry, infantry, and artillery as near two hours and a half. The colonel of each regitogether as possible. No enemy of any import- ment and many other officers are badly woundance, nor signs of a camp are to be seen any- ed. Some are killed. Colonel Montgomery brings where. No sound is to be heard but the solemn the First North-Carolina, Lieutenant Reed comtramp of our army, and the trembling murmur manding, into action. It passes between the of the winds among the huge and lofty pines. Forty-seventh and Forty-eighth on the doubleWe move on, the Seventh Connecticut in the ad- quick, and is cheered by those retiring regiments vance; we pass the swamps, and emerge into the as it goes into battle. The coming of these fresh open space beyond, when suddenly a concentric troops upon the field, and the manner in which fire from the enemy's curved line is poured upon it was done, rather staggered the enemy for a mous. Colonel Hawley, seeing the hot work in ment. But the cars came thundering in, bringwhich his advance is engaged, orders up the ing him reënforcements. These North-Carolina Seventh New-Hampshire; by the way, one of the colored soldiers and the Fifty-fourth Massachubest regiments in the service. On this occasion, setts now held our left, aided by the artillery, however, it was not possible for it to appear to and even pressed the enemy back. The battle the best advantage. Arms had been taken away rages furiously all along the line, and the slaughand bad ones given to the men. In the terrible ter is terrible. Every man seems determined to roar of battle, orders were not understood, and do his whole duty. No regiment went into acin deploying it got into inextricable confusion. tion more gallantly, fought more desperately, or It did but little execution, lost heavily, and did did better execution than the First North-Carowell to get out of the way as soon as possible. lina (colored) troops. Their white comrades Hamilton's battery was posted in the centre, generally take pleasure in awarding to them this Elder's upon our right, and Langdon's on the honor. Men were dropping constantly all along left. When the Seventh New-Hampshire regi- the line, but the living fought all the more bravement became confused, Colonel Hawley brought ly. These freedmen evidently preferred falling forward the Eighth U. S. colored, Colonel Charles W. Fribley. A part of this regiment came into action with empty guns, and being under a terrible fire, and cramped for room, it was found impossible to form a line of battle to the best advantage. Considering that this was the first time the regiment had been under fire, it be

on the field of battle to falling into the hands of their barbarous foes. This regiment was not in action over two hours and a half, and yet its loss in officers and enlisted men was very nearly as heavy as that of any other regiment.

The battle having now raged for four hours, from two to six P.M., it appears the god of war

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