infantry on the Florida expedition did, without vor. Captain Webster complied with the redoubt. The men were constantly murmuring quest, and, sure enough, there was the rebel because the rebels would not come out and meet officer waiting to be conducted into our lines. them. The fact is, the rebels, having an approx- He was taken before Colonel Barton, and, havimate idea of our force, knew it would be useless ing taken the oath of allegiance, permitted to go for them to make a defence. We have every rea- at large. son to believe that the enemy, if he fights at all, will choose his ground on the bank of the Suwanee River. We have information that such is his design. Lake City is not fortified, and, as I remarked before, the government property has been sent to a point further back. The bridge over the Suwanee will, of course, be destroyed, should our troops advance, and the river is not fordable. To cross it, we must throw over a pontoon or construct a regular bridge. If we have a battle there, it will, in all probability, take place at Suwanee River, which is between Lake City and Tallahassee. On the march Monday night, we discerned a bright illumination of the sky at our left. I learned the next day it was occasioned by the burning of two hundred and seventy-five bales of cotton taken by the rebels from the steamer St. Mary, which lay in the river St. Mary, two miles from Camp Finnigan. The steamer herself was scuttled and sunk in deep water. The captain had been in for six weeks, waiting an opportunity to run the blockade. On the advance of our troops he gave up in despair, and to prevent the cargo and vessel from coming into our pos session, fired the one and sank the other. A gun which was planted to protect the stream was captured by us the next day. Most of the crew have given themselves up as deserters. Yesterday morning the gunboat John Adams The section of country through which we have passed offers superior advantages for guerrilla warfare. A number of this despicable class of people has been seen lurking in the woods. Two of them were captured last Friday while follow-came in from Fernandina with a locomotive and ing a negro soldier from Sanderson. A courier, going from Camp Finnigan to Jacksonville, was fired upon not far from the former place. We believe the guerrillas will soon tire of their hateful practice, as measures will be instituted showing them, if caught, no mercy whatever. I several cars to be used on the Florida Central Railroad. The rails on this road are in good condition, and have been little used. The track at the Jacksonville end, and that portion which Colonel Henry destroyed, also a half-mile which General Seymour ordered to be burned just above Sanderson, are the only breaks between Jacksonville and Lake City. In a day or two we shall have a train running to our front with supplies. The telegraph is in operation from Jacksonville to Sanderson. The President's amnesty proclamation will be extensively circulated through Florida. A large supply has just arrived from Washington, and packages have already been sent to the front. I doubt not we shall see a most favorable effect Perhaps it will be an enigma to many, how we managed to go through the country with such celerity and certainty. At the head of each column we have a guide, a man who is thoroughly versed with the country, and is acquainted with every road and by-path. The guides are, according to my best belief, loyal to the very end of their toes. It is said of one who was with our advance, that he had better military judgment than half of the generals in the field. The same guide did, in my presence, predict when the reb-produced by its distribution. els would be found, and about the force they On Thursday the steamer Nelly Baker prowould be likely to have, which in every instance ceeded up St. John's River, a distance of thirtyproved as he said. The guides are the most val- five miles from Jacksonville, to a place called uable auxiliaries we have in the command. Green Cove Spring. Two companies of infantry heard a woman tell one, at Sanderson, that he were on board. Medical Director Swift was in would be surely hung if the rebels ever got hold command of the force. After landing, the party of him. He took it all as a joke, and replied, in went to one of the principal hotels of the place, a quiet way, that the rebels would find it ex- and discovered therein eighteen barrels of sugar ceedingly difficult to be assured of his company. and three barrels of resin, which was brought On Friday afternoon, a party of the Fifty-fourth away in the vessel the same day. Three families Massachusetts, (colored,) under Captain Web- of refugees, with their furniture, were also taken ster, proceeded ten miles east of Barber's, and off. They had been expecting our forces would destroyed a bridge over the St. Mary's River. go there for some days. The location has been The bridge was about thirty feet in length, and famous in its day as a watering-place. A large by its destruction the rebels will not be able to sulphur-spring is in the vicinity, around which get on our right without going to considerable are bath-houses. The place also has three hotrouble either in the way of rebuilding the tels, each of which is capable of accommodating bridge or travelling a long roundabout road. two hundred guests. The principal hotel is On his march to the bridge, Captain Webster hardly finished, and has never been used. None stopped at a farm-house, and learned from a wo-of the enemy were seen. The rebel Major Philman that a rebel officer was in the habit of coming there frequently, and desired to get into our lines. He was expected at the house that night, and if Captain Webster would take the trouble to visit them after dark, he would confer a fa lips had a camp of men near by not long since. The property brought away was marked "Baldwin." The hospital transport Cosmopolitan on the following day went up the same river to a place called Picolata. The troops did not land. They heard of a large quantity of cotton and turpentine that was in the interior. The vessel was piloted by a negro. GENERAL SEYMOUR'S ORDERS. HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT FLORIDA, GENERAL ORDERS, No. 5. The Brigadier-General Commanding heartily congratulates his command on the brilliant success which has attended all their movements thus far into Florida. Three flags, eight guns, with caissons, battery-wagons, and forge; many wag; ons and horses, and much subsistence, stores, and clothing have fallen into our hands, besides large amounts of cotton, turpentine, and resin. Property valued at over one and a half millions of dollars is the fruit of the success. To Colonel Guy V. Henry and his command, the battalion of Massachusetts cavalry, under Major Stevens, the Fortieth Massachusetts mounted volunteers, and to Captain Elder, First artillery, and his battery, this achievement is principally due; and the Brigadier-General Commanding especially desires to praise Captain George E. Marshall, company E, Fortieth Massachusetts mounted volunteers, and his small command of forty-nine men, who captured and held Gainesville for fifty-six hours, receiving and repulsing an attack from more than double his force, and, after fulfilling his mission successfully, returning to the designated place of rendezvous. These deeds will be among those remembered by us with the greatest pleasure and honor, and the command may emulate but can hardly expect to surpass them. By order of Brigadier-General T. SEYMOUR. Official: R. M. HALL, First Lieutenant First Artillery, U. S. A., Asst. Adjt.-General. BATTLE OF OLUSTEE. Major-General Halleck, General-in-Chief U.S.A., I have the honor to submit herewith copies of certain letters and telegraphic despatches which comprise the instructions given to Brigadier-General T. Seymour, relative to operations in Florida prior to the fight at Olustee on the twentieth ultimo. A brief narrative of events connected with the recent occupation of Florida, west of the St. John's River, will not be out of place. Under date of the twenty-second December, 1863, I was authorized by you to undertake such operations in my department as I might deem best, suggesting conference with Admiral Dahlgren, etc. On January fourteenth, 1864, I wrote you that, unless it would interfere with the views of the War Department, I should occupy the west bank of the St. John's River in Florida very soon, and establish small dépôts there, preparatory to an advance west at an early day. On January fifteenth, I wrote to the Secretary VOL. VIII-Doc. 26 | of War that I had in contemplation the occupation of Florida on the west bank of the St. John's River at a very early day. Under date of January twenty-second, you informed that in regard to my proposed operations in Florida, the Secretary replied that the matter had been left entirely to my judgment and disthat as the object of the proposed expedition had cretion, with the means at my command, and not been explained, it was impossible for you to judge of its advantages or practicability. On January thirty-first, I wrote informing you that the objects to be attained by the operations were: 1. To procure an outlet for cotton, lumber, timber, etc. 2. To cut off one of the enemy's sources of commissary supplies, etc. 3. To obtain recruits for any colored regi ments. storation of Florida to her allegiance, in accord4. To inaugurate measures for the speedy reance with instructions which I had received from the President by the hands of Major John Hay, Assistant Adjutant-General. whose command was already embarked, to go to On February fifth, I directed General Seymour, Jacksonville, Florida, effect a landing there, and push forward his mounted force to Baldwin, twenty miles from Jacksonville, the junction of the two railroads from Jacksonville and Fernandina. A portion of the command reached Baldwin on the ninth, at which point I joined it on the evening of the same day. At that time the enemy had no force in East-Florida, except the scattered fragments of General Finnigan's command; we had taken all his artillery. On the tenth, a portion of our forces were sent toward Sanderson, and I returned to Jacksonville. Telegraphic communication was established between Baldwin and Jacksonville on the eleventh. that day I telegraphed to General Seymour not to risk a repulse, on advancing on Lake City, but to hold Sanderson, unless there were reasons for falling back which I did not know, and also, in case his advance met with any serious opposition, to concentrate at Sanderson and the south fork of the St. Mary's, and, if necessary, to bring back Colonel Henry to the latter place. On On the twelfth, General Seymour informed me from Sanderson that he should fall back to the south fork of the St. Mary's as soon as Colonel Henry, whom he had ordered back from the front, had returned. On the same day I telegraphed to General Seymour that I wanted his command at and beyond Baldwin concentrated at Baldwin without delay, for reasons which I gave him. General Seymour joined me at Jacksonville on the fourteenth, the main body of his command being at that time at Baldwin as directed. He had, however, sent Colonel Henry toward the left to capture some railroad trains at Gainesville on the Fernandina and Cedar Keys Railroad. After arranging with General Seymour for the construction of certain defences at Jacksonville. Baldwin, and the south fork of the St. Mary's, I started for Hilton Head on the fifteenth, leaving behind me Captain Reese of the Engineers, to give the necessary instructions for the defences referred to. I considered it well understood at that time between General Seymour and myself that no advance should be made without further instructions from me, nor until the defences were well advanced. On the eighteenth I was greatly surprised at receiving a letter from General Seymour, dated the seventeenth, stating that he intended to advance without supplies, in order to destroy the railroad near the Savannah River, one hundred miles from Jacksonville. as, if possible, to get the bulk of it at sea before daybreak. Steamers that have tows should be started as soon as they are ready. The whole are to rendezvous at the mouth of St. John's River by daybreak day after to-morrow morning, the seventh instant. I expect to be there in person at that time, but should I fail from any cause, you are expected to pass the bar on the Sunday morning's high-tide, ascend the river to Jacksonville, effect a landing with your command, and push forward a mounted force as far as Baldwin at the junction of the two railroads. The armed transport Harriet A. Weed has been ordered forward to buoy out the St. John's chanthat the enemy has any strong force to oppose your landing. I have sent instructions to Colonel Goss, commanding at Fernandina, to have the railroad tracks on both roads torn up in several places after the train comes into Jacksonville to-morrow, and to keep the track obstructed throughout Saturday night. I at once despatched General Turner to Jack-nel, and then await orders. It is not expected sonville to stop the movement. He was the bearer of a letter to General Seymour. Upon arriving at Jacksonville, after considerable delay, due to the inclemency of the weather, he learned that General Seymour was engaged with the enemy in front, near Olustee, forty-eight miles from Jacksonville by railroad. When I left Jacksonville on the fifteenth ult., I was entirely satisfied with the success of our operations up to that time. I briefly communicated to you my plans with regard to Florida in my letter of February fifteenth, from which I extract as follows: "General Seymour's advance has been within four miles of Lake City, but as his instructions were not to risk a repulse or make an attack when there was a prospect of incurring much loss, he has taken up a position at Baldwin, the junction of the railroad from Jacksonville with the one from Fernandina. He holds also the crossing of the St. Mary's South-Fork, about twelve miles west of Baldwin. JACKSONVILLE, Feb. 11, 1864 "I intend to construct small works capable of resisting a coup-de-main at Jacksonville, Baldwin, General Seymour, beyond Baldwin: Pilatka, and perhaps one or two other important Eight companies of the Fifty-fourth MassaDon't points, so strong that two hundred or three hun-chusetts have been ordered to Baldwin. dred men will be sufficient at each point. risk a repulse in advancing on Lake City, but "Twenty-five hundred men in addition to the hold Sanderson unless there are reasons for falltwo regiments that have been permanently staing back which I don't know. Please inform me tioned in this State (one at St. Augustine and how your command is distributed between here one at Fernandina) ought to be ample in Florida." and the South-Fork of the St. Mary's. Please The artillery captured here will suffice for such report by telegraph from Baldwin frequently. defensive works as may be deemed necessary. GENERAL GILLMORE. I desire to see the lumber and turpentine trade on the St. John's River revived by loyal men, and for that purpose, and to give assurance that our occupation of this river is intended to be per- General Seymour: manent, have written to the Secretary of the Treasury, recommending that the port of Jacksonville be declared open. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Q. A. GILLMORE, OFFICIAL DESPATCHES. [A.] HILTON HEAD, S. C., Feb. 5, 1861, 9 P.M. Brigadier-General T. Seymour: [C.] JACKSONVILLE, 10 P.M., Feb. 11, 1864. [By Courier from Baldwin.] If your advance meets serious opposition, concentrate at Sanderson and the South-Fork of the St. Mary's, and if necessary, bring back Henry to the latter place. GENERAL GILLMORE. [D.] BALDWIN, Feb. 11, 1864, 2.30 P.M. Major-General Gillmore, St. Mary's: Your telegram just received. Command left for Sanderson. No news yet from Henry. Tilgh GENERAL: You will start your command so man is at Baldwin. Two of his companies here. Tribley is at pickets. No negroes come in, nor General Gillmore: [E.] SANDERSON, 7 A.M., Feb. 12, 1864. Barber's, and probably by the time you receive this, I shall be in motion in advance of that point. That a force may not be brought from Georgia (Savannah) to interfere with my movements, it is desirable that a display be made in the Savannah River; and I therefore urge that upon the reI last night ordered Colonel Henry to fall back ception of this, such naval force, transports, sailto this point. I am destroying all public prop-ing vessels, etc., as can be so devoted, may renerty here, and shall go back to South-Fork St. dezvous near Pulaski, and that the iron-clads in Mary's as soon as Henry returns. I have not Warsaw push up with as much activity as they heard from him since last night, when he was can exert. seven miles this side Lake City. I hope he will be in this morning. I am sending a regiment out to meet him. Sanderson cannot be fortified to advantage. I would advise sending Tribley's regiment to Pilatka, and to make it a point to be held permanently. T. SEYMOUR. I want your command at and beyond Baldwin, concentrated at Baldwin without delay. I have information of a mounted force that may trouble your right flank by fording the St. Mary's River. When we landed here, they were eighty miles from Baldwin, on the Albany and Gulf Railroad. You should have scouts well out on your front and right flank. I have sent word to Colonel Tilghman to be on the alert. I think Tribley had better move forward and join you, but you must judge. The locomotive has not yet arrived. GENERAL GILLMORE. [G.] SANDERSON, February 18, 1864. GENERAL: To leave the South-Fork of the St. Mary's will make it impossible for us to advance again. I have no apprehension of the force you mention. If you can push a part of Goss's force to Dug's Ferry, supported by gunboats, there need be no danger from any thing but annoyance. Henry will go where I have already mentioned. I would like to see you at Baldwin if you can come up. All goes well here, and there are seval operations of importance that can be effected, upon which I should like to consult you. T. SEYMOUR. [H.] HEAQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, GENERAL: The excessive and unexpected delays experienced with regard to the locomotive, which will not be ready for two days yet, if at all, has compelled me to remain where my command could be fed. Not enough supplies could be accumulated to permit me to execute my intention of moving to the Suwanee River. But I now propose to go without supplies, even if compelled to retrace my steps to procure them, and with the object of so destroying the railroad near the Suwanee, that there will be no danger of carrying away any portion of the track. All troops are therefore being moved up to I look upon this as of great importance, and shall rely upon it as a demonstration in my favor. There is reason to believe that General Hardee is in Lake City, now possibly in command, and with some force at his disposal. But nothing is visible this side of Sanderson. Saddles, etc., for mounting the Seventh NewHampshire as rapidly as possible, are greatly needed, and I shall send a portion of that regiment to this point as soon as it can be spared subsequent to my advance. I have sent for the Twenty-fourth Massachusetts entire, to come to this point. The Tenth Connecticut (eight companies) is to remain at St. Augustine, two companies to go to Picolalia. I shall not occupy Pilatka or Magnolia at this moment; when I do, portions of the Twentyfourth Massachusetts will be sent from Jacksonville. The Fifty-fifth Massachusetts will remain here for the present, or until the Twenty-fourth relieves it. The Second South-Carolina and Third SouthCarolina are at Camp Shaw, (late Finnigan,) for instruction and organization. The First North-Carolina will be left at Baldwin, detaching three companies to Barber's. Colonel Barton will have the Forty-seventh, Forty-eighth, and One Hundred and Fifteenth; Colonel Hanlay will have the Seventh Connecticut, Seventh New-Hampshire, and Eighth United States colored; Colonel Montgomery, the Third United States and Fifty-fourth Massachusetts colored; Colonel Henry, the cavalry and Elder's battery, and Captain Hamilton the artillery. soon as possible, Metcalf's section will be sent back. At present, I should like to use it. As Colonel Goss is ordered to keep six companies in motion from Fernandina constantly, and at least five days out of seven (every seven) toward and beyond Camp Cooper. Nothing appears to have been done upon the locomotive while at Fernandina. So it is reported to me. The prompt use of a locomotive and a printingpress with this movement were of the most vital importance, and will continue so to be. I trust both will be economized. And I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, T. SEYMOUR, Brigadier-General Commanding. Brigadier-General S. W. Turner, Chief-of-Staff: Send me a General for the command of the advanced troops, or I shall be in a state of constant uncertainty. T. S. February 18, 1864. HILTON HEAD, SOUTH-CAROLINA, } Brigadier-General T. Seymour, Commanding District of Florida: I am just in receipt of your two letters of the sixteenth and one of the seventeenth, and am very much surprised at the tone of the latter, and the character of your plans as therein stated. You say that by the time your letter of the seventeenth should reach these headquarters, your forces would be in motion beyond Barber's, moving toward the Suwanee River, and that you shall rely upon my making a display in the Savannah River "with naval force, transports and sailing vessels," and with iron-clads up from Warsaw, etc., as a demonstration in your favor, which you look upon as of "great importance." All this is upon the presumption that the demonstration can and will be made, although contingent not only upon my power and disposition to do so, but upon the consent of Admiral Dahlgren, with whom I cannot communicate in less than ten days. You must have forgotten my last instructions, which were for the present to hold Baldwin and the St. Mary's south prong as your outposts to the westward of Jacksonville, and to occupy Pilatka and Magnolia on the St. John's. ready to return to the Union. They are heartily tired of the war." As may be supposed, I am very much confused by these conflicting views, and am thrown into doubt as to whether my intentions with regard to Florida are fully understood by you. I will, therefore, reännounce them briefly. 1st. I desire to bring Florida into the Union under the President's proclamation of December eighth, 1863, as accessory to the above. 2d. To revive the trade on the St. John's River. 3d. To recruit my colored regiments, and organize a regiment of Florida white troops; and 4th. To cut off in part the enemy's supplies drawn from Florida. After you had withdrawn your advance, it was arranged between us, at a present interview, that the places to be permanently held for the present would be the south prong of the St. Mary's, Baldwin, Jacksonville, Magnolia, and Pilatka, and that Henry's mounted forces should be kept moving as circumstances might justify or require. This is my plan of present operations. A raid to tear up the railroad west of Lake City will be of service, but I have no intention to occupy now that part of the State. Very respectfully, etc., March 16, 1864. Q. A. GILLMORE, Major-General Commanding. ROBERT N. SCOTT, Captain Fourth U. S. Infantry, A. D. C. PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S LETTER. Your prospect distinctly and avowedly ignores these operations, and substitutes a plan which not only involves your command in a distant movement without provisions, far beyond a point HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, WASHINGTON, from which you once withdrew on account of precisely the same necessity, but presupposes a simultaneous demonstration of "great importance" to you elsewhere, over which you have no control, and which requires the coöperation of the navy. It is impossible for me to determine what your views are with respect to Florida matters, and this is the reason why I have endeavored to make mine known to you so fully. From your letter of the eleventh instant, from Baldwin, (a very singular letter by the way, and which you did not modify or refer to at all when you afterward saw me,) I extract as follows: "I am convinced that a movement upon Lake City is not, in the present condition of transportation advisable, and indeed, that what has been said of the desire of Florida to come back now is a delusion. This movement is in opposition to sound strategy," etc. And again: "The Union cause would have been far more benefited by Jeff Davis having removed this railroad to Virginia, than by any trivial or non-strategic success you may meet. By all means, therefore, fall back to Jacksonville." So much from your letters of the eleventh; and yet, five days later, you propose to push forward without instructions and without provisions, with a view to destroying the railroad which you say it would have been better for Jeff Davis to have got, and furthermore, you say in your letter of the sixteenth: There is but little doubt in my mind, (but) that the people of this State, kindly treated by us, will soon be EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, Major-General Gillmore: I understand an effort is being made by some worthy gentlemen to reconstruct a legal State government in Florida. Florida is in your department, and it is not unlikely that you may be mission of Major, and sent him to you with some there in person. I have given Mr. Hay a comblank books and other blanks, to aid in the reHe will explain as to the manner construction. of using the blanks, and also my general views on the subject. It is desirable for all to cooperate; but if irreconcilable differences of opinion shall arise, you are master. I wish the thing done in the most speedy way possible, so that when done it may be within the range of the late proclamation on the subject. The detail labor will, of course, have to be done by others, but I shall be greatly obliged if you will give it such general supervision as you can find consistent with your more strictly military duties. A. LINCOLN. GENERAL GILLMORE'S ORDER. HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH, HILTON HEAD, SOUTH-CAROLINA, January 31, 1864. In accordance with the provisions of the Presidential proclamation of pardon and amnesty, given at Washington, on the eighth day of De cember, in the year of our Lord one thousand |