A Confederate camp during the Civil War
A Confederate camp during the Civil WarLibrary of Congress · LC-DIG-ppmsca-35460
The Civil War, 1861 to 1865

Florida in the Civil War

Florida was raised overwhelmingly for the Confederacy. Of the 51 regiments recorded in Florida, 48 served the Confederate States and 3 the Union.

On the ground

Battles and engagements fought in Florida

Aubrey maps 32 documented Civil War engagements fought on Florida’s soil between 1862 and 1865, from decisive battles to the raids and skirmishes that filled the years between. The surviving records account for more than 1,000 Union casualties across them.

Every point below is placed from the source record, with the date, the units engaged, and the casualties reported exactly as the compiled histories give them.

1862 · Union victory
St. John's Bluff

Brig. Gen. John Finegan established a battery on St. John' s Bluff near Jacksonville to stop the movement of Federal ships up the St. Johns River. Brig. Gen. John M. Brannan embarked with about 1,500 infantry aboard the transports Boston, Ben DeFord, Cosmopolitan, and Neptune at Hilton Head, South Carolina, on September 30. The flotilla arrived at the mouth of the St. John' s River on October 1, where Cdr. Charles Steedman' s gunboats-Paul Jones, Cimarron, Uncas, Patroon, Hale, and Water Witch-joined them. By midday, the gunboats approached the bluff, while Brannan began landing troops at Mayport Mills. Another infantry force landed at Mount Pleasant Creek, about five miles in the rear of the Confederate battery, and began marching overland on the 2nd. Outmaneuvered, Lt. Col. Charles F. Hopkins abandoned the position after dark. When the gunboats approached the bluff the next day, its guns were silent.

1864 · Confederate victory
Olustee

In February 1864, the commander of the Department of the South, Maj. Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore, launched an expedition into Florida to secure Union enclaves, sever Rebel supply routes, and recruit black soldiers. Brig. Gen. Truman Seymour moved deep into the state, occupying, destroying, and liberating, meeting little resistance on February 20, he approached Brig. Gen. Joseph Finegan's 5,000 Confederates entrenched near Olustee. One infantry brigade pushed out to meet Seymour's advance units. The Union forces attacked but were repulsed. The battle raged, and as Finegan committed the last of his reserves, the Union line broke and began to retreat. Finegan did not exploit the retreat, allowing most of the fleeing Union forces to reach Jacksonville.

1865 · Confederate victory
Natural Bridge

Maj. Gen. John Newton had undertaken a joint force expedition to engage and destroy Confederate troops that had attacked at Cedar Keys and Fort Myers and were allegedly encamped somewhere around St. Marks. The Navy had trouble getting its ships up the St. Marks River. The Army force, however, had advanced and, after finding one bridge destroyed, started before dawn on March 6 to attempt to cross the river at Natural Bridge. The troops initially pushed Rebel forces back but not away from the bridge. Confederate forces, protected by breastworks, guarded all of the approaches and the bridge itself. The action at Natural Bridge lasted most of the day, but, unable to take the bridge, the Union troops retreated to the protection of the fleet.

1861 · Union victory
Santa Rosa Island

After midnight on October 9, Brig. Gen. Richard Anderson crossed from the mainland to Santa Rosa Island with 1,200 men in two small steamers to surprise Union camps and capture Fort Pickens. He landed on the north beach about four miles east of Fort Pickens and divided his command into three columns. After proceeding about three miles, the Confederates surprised the 6th Regiment, New York Volunteers, in its camp and routed the regiment. Gen. Anderson then adopted a defensive stance to entice the Federals to leave the fort and attack. Receiving reinforcements, Col. Harvey Brown sallied against the Confederates, who reembarked and returned to the mainland.

1862 · Confederate victory
Tampa

On June 30, a Union gunboat came into Tampa Bay, turned her broadside on the town, and opened her ports. The gunboat then dispatched a launch carrying 20 men and a lieutenant under a flag of truce demanding the surrender of Tampa. The Confederates refused, and the gunboat opened fire. The officer then informed the Confederates that shelling would commence at 6:00 pm after allowing time to evacuate non-combatants from the city. Firing continued sporadically into the afternoon of July 1, when the Federal gunboat withdrew.

1863 · Union victory
Fort Brooke

Two Union ships bombarded Fort Brooke on October 16 as a diversion, while a landing party under Acting Master T.R. Harris disembarked at Ballast Point and marched 14 miles to the Hillsborough River to capture several steamers. Harris and his men surprised and captured the blockade running steamer Scottish Chief and sloop Kate Dale. The Rebels destroyed the steamer A.B. Noyes to preclude her capture. On its way back to the ship, Harris's force was surprised by a detachment of the garrison, causing casualties.

Federally recognized battlefieldDocumented engagement31 of 32 placed on the map
EngagementYear ▲TypeResultUnion losses
Santa Rosa Island1861BattleUnion victory154 total
Expedition from Hilton Head to St. John's Bluff, Fla.1862Skirmish--
Skirmish, Gainesville1862Skirmish--
Engagement, Gainesville1862Battle--
Skirmish, Gainesville1862Skirmish--
Reconnaissance on Santa Rosa Island1862SkirmishUnion victory-
Engagement, Saint John's Bluff1862Battle--
Skirmishes, Mayport Mills and near St. John's Bluff1862Battle--
Engagement, Saint John's Bluff1862Battle--
Engagements, Saint John's Bluff1862Battle--
Tampa1862BattleConfederate victoryNone
Capture of Saint John's Bluff1862Skirmish--
St. John's Bluff1862BattleUnion victoryUnknown
Fort Brooke1863BattleUnion victoryUnknown
Skirmish, Gainesville1863Skirmish--
Engagement, Fort Brooke1863BattleUnion victory-
Action, Gainesville1863Skirmish--
Engagement, Fort Brooke1863BattleUnion victory-
Action, Marianna1864SkirmishUnion victory32 wounded
Attack on Fort Myers1864BattleUnion victory-
Engagement, Gainesville1864Battle-16 killed, 30 wounded, 102 missing/captured
Skirmish, Fort Myers1864SkirmishUnion victory-
Battle, Olustee or Ocean Pond1864BattleConfederate victory203 killed, 1152 wounded, 506 missing/captured
Expedition from Fort Myers to Bayport1864SkirmishUnion victory-
Capture of Gainesville1864SkirmishConfederate victory-
Expedition from Barrancas to Marianna1864Skirmish--
Skirmish, Vernon1864SkirmishUnion victory-
Expedition to Tampa1864SkirmishConfederate victory-
Olustee1864BattleConfederate victory2,806 total
Natural Bridge1865BattleConfederate victory174
Skirmish, Natural Bridge1865SkirmishConfederate victory22 killed, 46 wounded, 13 missing/captured
Attack on Fort Myers1865BattleUnion victory5 killed, 1 missing/captured

Sources · Official Records & compiled regimental histories · American Battlefield Protection Program · Aubrey Historical Database

51
Regiments raised
37,333
Men in the records
48
Confederate
3
Union
0
Pinned to a town

Civil War regiments were raised locally: each was recruited from the eligible men of one or more nearby counties, organized at a rendezvous camp, and sent to the front. In Florida, 0 of the 51 regiments below are pinned to the specific town where they formed; the rest are recorded honestly at the state level. The largest single unit raised in Florida was the 2 Florida Cavalry., with 2,762 men in the records.

To search these regiments by a family surname and read the individual men who served, with their rank, company, and side, explore any location in Florida.

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Confederate regiments raised in Florida

48 recorded, largest first. Raising town shown where documented.

  • 2 Florida Cavalry. · Raised in Florida · 2,762 men
  • 5 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 2,504 men
  • 10 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 2,238 men
  • 1 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 2,221 men
  • 2 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 2,194 menFought at: Picket Affair, Seven Pines, Battle of Antietam, Sharpsburg, Skirmishes near Falmouth and occupation of Fredericksburg
  • 4 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 2,187 men
  • 3 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 2,121 men
  • 9 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 2,060 men
  • 6 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 1,920 men
  • 8 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 1,867 men
  • 7 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 1,759 men
  • 1 Florida Cavalry. · Raised in Florida · 1,646 men
  • 1 (Reserves) Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 1,603 men
  • 11 Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 1,568 men
  • 5 Batt'n. Florida Cavalry. · Raised in Florida · 1,482 men
  • 2 Batt'n. Florida Infantry. · Raised in Florida · 1,276 men
  • 3 Battalion Florida Cavalry. · Raised in Florida · 757 men
  • Capt. Dyke's Co., Florida Light Artillery. · Raised in Florida · 510 men
  • Capt. Dunham's Company, Milton Light Artillery, Florida. · Raised in Florida · 400 men
  • Conscripts, Florida. · Raised in Florida · 277 men
  • Kilcrease Light Artillery, Florida. · Raised in Florida · 264 men
  • Capt. Perry's Co., Florida Light Artillery. · Raised in Florida · 255 men
  • 1 Batt'n. Florida Special Cav. · Raised in Florida · 249 men
  • Capt. Abell's Co., Florida Light Artillery. · Raised in Florida · 185 men
  • Capt. Smith's Company, Cavalry (Marianna Dragoons), Florida. · Raised in Florida · 130 men
  • Capt. Pickett's Co., Florida Cavalry. · Raised in Florida · 92 men
  • Florida Militia. · Raised in Florida · 87 men
  • Campbellton Boys, Florida. · Raised in Florida · 78 men
  • Capt. Parsons' Company, Florida. · Raised in Florida · 69 men
  • Capt. McBride's Co. (Indians), Florida. · Raised in Florida · 65 men
  • (Home Guards), Florida. · Raised in Florida · 58 men
  • Capt. Fernandez's Mounted Company, Florida (Supply Force). · Raised in Florida · 50 men
  • Poe's Company, Florida Reserves · Raised in Florida · 42 men
  • Capt. Norwood's Co. (Home Guards), Florida. · Raised in Florida · 39 men
  • Florida (Supply Force). · Raised in Florida · 34 men
  • Cadets, Florida Mil. Inst. · Raised in Florida · 34 men
  • Capt. Harrison's Co., (Santa Rosa Guards), Florida. · Raised in Florida · 24 men
  • Member of Adv. Board, Florida. · Raised in Florida · 5 men
  • 1 Batt'y., Florida Artillery. · Raised in Florida · 3 men
  • Comy. Dept Florida - · Raised in Florida · 3 men
  • Wauchilla Florida Militia · Raised in Florida · 3 men
  • Tampa City Guards, Fla. · Raised in Florida · 3 men
  • Eng. Corps. · Raised in Florida · 3 men
  • Capt. Underwood's Co. Finagan's Brig. Florida (Miscl.) · Raised in Florida · 2 men
  • Q.M. Dept., Florida. · Raised in Florida · 2 men
  • Coast Guard · Raised in Florida · 2 men
  • Florida Miscellaneous · Raised in Florida · 1 men
  • Key West Avengers, Florida. Miscl. · Raised in Florida · 1 men

Union regiments raised in Florida

3 recorded, largest first. Raising town shown where documented.

  • 1 Florida Cavalry · Raised in Florida · 1,086 men
  • 2 Florida Cavalry · Raised in Florida · 978 men
  • 1 East Florida Cavalry · Raised in Florida · 134 men

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