US ResearchConflictsCivil WarNaval Action at St. Mark's Florida
Civil War

Naval Action at St. Mark's Florida

1865
Florida
Era
Civil War
Year
1865
Location
Florida
Status
Verified engagement
The Combatants

Who Fought

Forces
Not recorded in historical accounts
Forces
Confederate: militia and regulars
VS
Victor
Confederate
Forces
Union: naval expedition and USCT
Outcome
The Union forces attacked Confederate positions at St. Marks, Florida, with naval support from the USS Magnolia. Six sailors, including Thomas Smith, were subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor for their roles in manning artillery pieces during the engagement.
The Battle

History & Significance

The Frederica naval action was a naval battle during the American Revolutionary War in which three galleys of the Georgia State Navy captured a British raiding party off the coast of Georgia. The action occurred on April 19, 1778.

Duration
Single day engagement (April 19, 1778)
Historical context

The American Civil War (1861–1865) was the deadliest conflict in American history, killing an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers and an unknown number of civilians. The Confederate States of America, formed by eleven seceding Southern states, faced the Union in four years of warfare across 23 states and territories. Major engagements included First and Second Bull Run, Antietam (the bloodiest single day in American history, September 17, 1862), Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863), Vicksburg (surrendered July 4, 1863), and Sherman's March through Georgia and the Carolinas (1864–1865). President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, transforming the war's stated purpose to include the abolition of slavery and enabling the enlistment of approximately 180,000 Black men in the United States Colored Troops. Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. The war resolved the question of secession and ended American slavery, though Reconstruction would face sustained resistance in its attempt to secure civil rights for formerly enslaved people.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Naval Action at St. Mark's Florida take place?
Naval Action at St. Mark's Florida took place in 1865. Single day engagement (April 19, 1778).
Where was Naval Action at St. Mark's Florida fought?
Naval Action at St. Mark's Florida was fought in Florida, United States.
What was the outcome of Naval Action at St. Mark's Florida?
The Union forces attacked Confederate positions at St. Marks, Florida, with naval support from the USS Magnolia. Six sailors, including Thomas Smith, were subsequently awarded the Medal of Honor for their roles in manning artillery pieces during the engagement.
What was the significance of Naval Action at St. Mark's Florida?
The Frederica naval action was a naval battle during the American Revolutionary War in which three galleys of the Georgia State Navy captured a British raiding party off the coast of Georgia. The action occurred on April 19, 1778.
Protected heritage nearby

Historic Sites near Naval Action at St. Mark's Florida

Bo Lynn's Grocery
Industrial · 0.4 mi
St. Marks Lighthouse
Industrial · 5.4 mi
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Battle of Santa Rosa Island
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Union Occupation of Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas
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Naval Shelling of Fort Pickens (Pensacola)
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All battles in Florida
Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Wikipedia source.

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