In June the regiment received its tenth company, the local "Pensacola Guards". Now the regiment was part of the Army of Pensacola under command of Brigadier General Sam Jones. On October 9, 1861, a detachment of 180 men from all companies of the regiment participated in the unsuccessful attempt to capture Fort Pickens. Under command of Colonel Anderson, leading a column with his Floridians and men from Louisiana and Alabama, the regiment lost 7 dead, 8 wounded and 12 men captured. The regiment joined General Braxton Bragg on his westbound journey in March 1862, and went to Corinth. When the service time of the regiment came to its end it failed to reorganize in early 1862 when only 300 of the remaining 600 men, enough for four companies, reenlisted. Those were organized into four companies under the command of Major McDonnell, as Lt. Col. Beard was appointed Inspector General of Bragg's II Corps. The 1st (McDonell's) Florida Infantry Battalion, as it was now known, and its 328 men were just in time for the Battle of Shiloh.