eight hundred and sixty-three, and in pursuance By command of Major-General Q. A. GILLMORE. Assistant Adjutant-General. A NATIONAL ACCOUNT. ed a victory, it would have been as every body predicted, and his name would have been mentioned with praise. Now he has suffered a repulse, he will, of course, be looked upon by some as having too much rashness to prosecute a campaign, and for that reason must bear whole loads of censure. Although the result of the fight was not favorable for us, it does not alter the fact that we have a man in the department of the South who has pluck enough to meet the enemy, regardless of his strength, more than half-way; give him battle, and take the legitimate chances of success. The place at which the fight occurred, is on the line of the Florida Central Railroad, forty-five miles from Jacksonville, and within fifteen miles of Lake City. The nearest station to the ground is called Olustee, which is about three miles further up toward Lake City. The nearest station in the opposite direction is Sanderson, six miles distant from the battle-field. On the march from Barber's, our troops passed through Sanderson at JACKSONVILLE, FLA., Monday, Feb. 22, 1864. about noon. At this place they did not halt, but The entire column, numbering a little less than pushed forward toward Olustee, the point at five thousand men, left Barber's at seven o'clock which General Seymour believed he should meet Saturday morning, and proceeded on the main the enemy. But instead of coming in contact road toward Lake City. I am confident the force with the enemy at Olustee, the meeting took did not exceed the number stated, for I am as- place three miles this side, so our troops were sured by an aid-de-camp to General Seymour, not so well prepared for battle as they would have that rations were drawn that morning for not been if Olustee had been the battle-field. Our quite five thousand. The forward movement column moved forward in regular order, the cavwas made suddenly. On Friday it was not sup-alry in the advance, and the artillery distributed posed by the commanding officers-not includ-along the line of infantry. It may be offered as ing General Seymour-that an advance would be an objection that the column was without flank made for some days thence. With that convic-ers. The only source through which any intim tion, the officers and men had built themselves ation of the enemy's presence could be received, log huts, and provided such conveniences avail-was the advance cavalry-guard. It would cerable in that section as would insure a fair share tainly be called a military failing to move a colof comfort. Some time during the night General Seymour received information of the enemy's whereabouts and plans, which led him to believe that by pushing rapidly forward his column, he would be able to defeat the enemy's designs, and secure important military advantages. What-the railroad, crossing it at intervals on an average ever that information may have been, the events of five miles. It was at one of these crossingof Saturday would indicate that it was by no points that the fight was commenced. The head means reliable, or that General Seymour acted of the column reached this point at two P.M. The upon it with too much haste. We all know that men had not rested from the time they left BarGeneral Seymour is not a man to hesitate in his ber's, at seven A.M. The usual halt of a few minactions when an opportunity offers for a possible utes every hour was, of course, observed, but we success. He is one of the class that believes he cannot say the troops fairly rested. Neither had has a chance of winning and a chance of losing, they tasted of a mouthful of food. Thus, after and that success would never be obtained if he a tedious march of sixteen miles, over a road of rested quietly on the bend of the little South- loose sand, or boggy turf, or covered knee-deep Fork. He means it shall never be said of the with muddy water, the troops, weary, exhausted, army that he commands, that it is all quiet on faint, hungry, and ill-conditioned, were suddenly the line of some river. General Seymour de- attacked by a large force of the enemy, who had serves credit for his ambition and dash. If he concealed himself behind a thick wood, waiting had allowed himself to rest his command at Bar- with complacent satisfaction the entry of our ber's for a month or six weeks, without making men into his ambush, very much after the mana single effort to engage the enemy and gain ad- ner that the spider would have the fly walk into vantage, he would have been the butt for cen- his parlor. Before reaching the battle-ground, sure, not only from the army here, but the peo- Colonel Henry, with his cavalry of the Indeple at home. We take the ground that General pendent Massachusetts battalion, and the Fortieth Seymour did what nearly every one, before the Massachusetts mounted infantry, came upon a engagement, said he should do. If he had achiev-party of five mounted rebels who were stationed umn of troops without the proper flankers through any portion of the enemy's country, even if positive information had been obtained that the enemy himself was a long distance off. The road from Barber's to Lake City lies parallel with behind an old deserted mill, a little to the left of the wood. A few shots were exchanged and then the rebels fled in the direction of their main force. Captain Langdon's battery of regular artillery, was with Henry's cavalry. At the mill, Colonel Henry halted until Hawley's brigade of infantry and Hamilton's regular battery had come up. I will now attempt to give some idea of the order in which our troops came into line, and the character and progress of the battle. a bend, and behind this bend the rebels had taken their position. In the woods at the rear were their supporters and reserves. We had not a moment to lose. Our men were within one hundred yards of the enemy, and the only thing that could be done was to fight. To retreat at that time was impossible, for the road was filled with troops coming up, and the woods on either side would not admit of passage on the flank. By dint of 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 hun- rifles. At the commencement of the fight, the dred yards when they discovered those of the Eighth United States colored troops were supenemy directly in their front. The result was a porting Hamilton's battery; but when their asbrisk fire on both sides, which ended by the ene- sistance was really indispensable, by some strange my's falling back on a second line of skirmishers. order they filed to the right in rear of the battery, Our men continued to drive the rebels back, some- for the purpose of joining their right on the left times on the right and sometimes on the left of of the Seventh Connecticut. At that particular the railroad, but principally on the left. While time the movement was decidedly an error, for, this was going on, two companies of the Fortieth by carrying it out, it left Hamilton's battery unMassachusetts were ordered to the left, with a supported. In an attempt to enfilade the enemy view of outflanking the enemy's skirmishers. In on his right, Hamilton moved forward four pieces; endeavoring to carry out that order, the Fortieth but before he got into position, the rebels on that Massachusetts came upon a heavy line of skir- portion of their line had concentrated all their mishers, and were compelled to withdraw to their fire upon him and the Eighth United States, who original position. 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 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 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. "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 |