Weekly national intelligencer., 1864-03-03
THE FLORIDA CAMPAIGN.
THE DEFEAT AT OLUSTEE = BAD BEHAVIOR
OF THE NEGRO TROOPS

II
THE DEFEAT AT OLUSTEE BAD BEHAVIOR
OF THE NEGRO TROOPS.
In accordance with the amnesty proclamation of Pre-
sident Lincoln Gen. Gilmore issued order appointing
Major John Hay commissioner to visit Florida to
tend to the citizens of that State the opportunity
to their allegiance The following the order referred to
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE SOUTH,
| Hilton Head, Is c. January 81, 1864.
In accordance with the provisions of the Presidential
proclamation OF pardon and amnesty given at Washington
on the 9th day OF December in the year of Lord
Thousand eight hundred and sixty three and in
OF instructions received from the President of the United
Stses, Major John Hay, Assistant Adutant General will
proceed to Fernandlna, Florida and other convenient
citizens OF the State of Florida opportunity avail
themselves of the benefit of that proclamation by offering
or their signature the oath of allegiance therein prescr0
ed and by issuing to all those subscribing to said oath
certificates emitting them to the benefits of the procama
non Fugitive citizens of the State of Florida within the
ms OF THIS department will have opportunity to sub
scribe 10 the same oath and certificates in the
once OF the post commander at Hilton Head, South
| Carolina.
| BY command of Major Gen. @ A. GILMORE:
E. w. SMITH Assistant Adjutant General
To send the commissioner to Florida without an armed
force to protect the returning oyast from the
ton OF the rebels would avail nothing II therefore
determined to set apart Florida as separate district Of
the Department of the South, and Gen Truman Seymour
was appointed TO the command thereof
On the afternoon of February 9th the expedition under
Gen Seymour left Hilton Head, and landed at jackson
vle Florida the next day The advance then pushed
forward and bivOuacked at Baldwin the evening of
the 9th The cavalry then advanced occupying Sander
son, on the road to Lake City and Tallahassee.
Our advices under date of February I2h stated that
the Union forces then within two miles of Lake
City, where the enemy found, and with whom there
was prospect of having encounter Up to that time
the movement Of the Union troops had been attended with
complete success, and there is doubt that the
pagn was deemed by the commanders victorious one
Gen Truman Seymour thus officially announced it
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
Jacksonville, (Fta February IL, 1864.
The Brigadier General Commanding heartily congra,u.
laes his command on the brilliant SUCCESS which has
attended all their movements thus far into Florida Three
gs eight guns with caissons battery wagons and FORGE
many wagons and horses and much subsistence stores and
clothing have fallen into hands, besides large amounts
of cotton turpenne and rosin Property valued at over
and half million of dollars the fruit of the success
TO Col Guy V. Henry and his command the battalion
OF Massachusetts, Cavalry under Major Stevens the For
heh Mounted Massachusetts, Volunteers, and to Capt
Elder First Artillery and his battery, this achieve
is principally due and the Brgadier General Command
ing especially desires to praise Capt George f. Marshall
company +, Forteth Mounted Volunteers
and his sma command of ortynine men, who captured
and held Gainesville fer forty six hours receiving and
pulsng an attack from than double his force and
designated place OF rendezvous These deeds will be
among those remembered by with the greatest pleasure
and honor aud the command may emulate but hardly
expect to surpass them.
BY order of Brgadier General T SEYMOUR
lst Lieut. lst Art, U. s. A., Asst Adj General
Such the position of affairs in this new mill ary dis
tric the 18th of February, but stated yeter
day, advancing columns met with reverse-in
deed very serious disastero which have the follow
ing account contained in letter from Lieut. Eddy Of the
81 Rhode Island Battery, who participated in the battle
at Olustee which resulted in the defeat of the Union
forces. This letter is dated, On board the Hospital
steamer Cosmopolitan Port Royal harbor February 22d
and speaks of the action and it's disastrous results fol-
lows:
"On Saturday morning February Goth at seven
o'clock started for the place called Lake
City, thrty-siI miles distant, which, if we had succeeded
in capturing it, would stop supplies being sent TO the
western armies OF the enemy.
We marched eighteen miles, when we met the enemy
and skrmIshed with them for the next four miles when
we found they were in force and had formed in line of
battle. Our columns at once depoyed into line ard
our advance we're soon sharply engaged.
We went into action With four pieces, fifty horses
eightytwo men, and four officers Ia twenty minutes we
ost fortyfVe men, forty horses two pieces and four off
GERS, when managed to get of with what little there
was left
" 1t was our misfortune to have for supports negro
regiment who, by running caused to lose our pieces
The fight lasted three hours, when, finding his small
army so much cut up, the General ordered retreat
We returned to Jacksonville, fftyeght miles distant
and reached that place last night at twelve o'clock
We had hve Thousand men engaged and lost twelve
hundred As far as ascertain the enemy had fifteen
thousand troops opposed and of course whipped us
badly All of US officers had horses shot ON under US
We are now on board of this steamer bound for Beau
fort where all the wounded will be landed eIcapt ma
officers. We return t. Hilton Head Tomorrow
: The Battery remained at Jacksonville which our
70 ces VIII hnd dihcut TO hold as the enemy fol-
lowing closely.
Taking every thing together have done pretty sharp
work In ninety hours have marched hundred and
ten miles foughta battle of three hours Duration got badly
whipped and what s lett of our little army back again
where we started from"
-O