Weekly national intelligencer., 1864-03-10
REBEL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE IN FLoR1DA

Correspondence Of the Lake City (Fia) Columbian
l2ai CANT BEAUREGARn, ola FEBRUARY 20, 1864
great battle Of East Florida has been fought and
another glorious victory by gallant soldiery.
At early hour this forenoon couers arrived at dis
trct headquarters with the intelligence that the enemy,
seven thousand strong, under command of Maj Cen Gill
more had passed the village Of ,son en- route for the
interior of this State. No was the COM
murcaed than acavary force, composed Of detachmens
of the 4th Georgia. Col Cnch; Cd Florida cavalry Lieut.
Col A. III. Mccormick, and SCOTS battalion Mai G. W.
Scott all under the command of Col Carraway Smith, Cd
Florida cavalry proceeded forward with the view VI
tanning the strengh and position Of the ansmy Thecom
msnd OF Col Smith proceeded point near tina FIarA
Central rroad sbout eighteen miles east of Lsks City
where they encountered the advance guard of the
With view OF drawing him to this point wbereta
more advantageous position for troops had select
ed, Col Smith skrmshed slightly with the enemy rer
ing towards this point in excellent order
Finding that DC was the design of the enemy to de
stroy the railroad upon his line o march, and to for
tfy himself at point about FIVE miles Of this place
Gen Finegan ordered TO the front the 64th Georgia
regiment, Colonel Evans; 30 Georgia, Major Hol
land; 9th Georgia, Col. Lotion 9th Georgia Colonel
zaehery lat Georgia regulars Capt Greases Ronesus
battalion Major Boneau lst Florida special battalion
Lieut. Col O. r. Hopkins 9th Florida battalion Major
Bird 2Sth Georgia. Major Crawford; 10Th Georgia
Col oNs,l, $50 Georgia Lieut.. Col. Huggins; Florida
Wheaton aud Guersrd's bsttery TIT
These brave and gallant men, under the command Of
brig, Gen A. n Colquit, and Acting Brig. Gen. George
Harrison a2d Georgia and Carawsy Smith ID cavalry
ell commanded by Brig. Gen Joseph Finegan advanced
promptly and wi firm and steady step to resst the ad
vance OF the enemy, who had dsiermined celebrate
Washingtons birthday in Lake City and 10 avenQe that
place Tor the resistance offered few days previously
The entre force of the enemy commanded by Major
Gen Gilmorei that the field under the immediate
command of Major Gen Seymour, who as your readers
Will remember a captain under Major Anderson, ut
the time he surrendered Fort Sumter Gen
When within proper distance of the enemy arti
ery, under the command Of Col X h Thomas, opened
heavy and dee-iaed fire upon them The artillery of
the enemy responded brisky. but with little effect
pared to that Of Very after the commence.
ment ~ the artillery duel heavy voeys Of musketry were
poured into the enemys lines by troops Voey after
voey revebeFaed through the air. with nsusht but the
yels and sheks OF victorious heroes 10 relieve it's
| manot0ny ~
The engagement lasted upwards OF four hours during
about three OF which the enemy contested inch by nch
very msnisly, the advance Of troops At length
srgey Increased numbers, engaged in unhoy and
righteous crusade are compelled to sucoumb and to fee
before the superior and chivay Southern
and Southern hesrts The enemy was driven, in confu.
sion and disorder long distance beyond the field Of
mage, leaving 10 their hasty fight all their killed and
nearly all their wounded
The result of this glorious achievement Of troops
may be summed up thus; The enemys loss In Killed,
wounded, and prisoners twenty eight hundred one
stand Of colors two excellent Napoleon and rec fine g.
inch rife guns, fifteen hundred stand of arms and vast
auant'y OF ordnance quartermaster and commissary
stores Our entire loss is about seventy FIVE killed aud
four hundred and fifty wounded
m THE LATEST REBEL ACCOUNTS
The Richmond Whig Of the 2d instant says:
At last accounts from Florida the enemy had reached
the prote elton Of their gunboats at Jacksonville Our
cavalry st pursung continually bnugng in prison
ers aud bad got 10 within ten miles of Jacksonville A
great many wounded Yankees at Lake City some of
them severely About two hundred prisoners have been
sent to Chasboocbes for present confinement They ad-
nit being badly whipped Snd confess that their army was
greatly demoralzed by the late battle.
IAN officer Informs the Savannah News that both armies
marching towards each other in line battle and
when each discovered the other they than
mile apart. The battle Immediately commenced and for
time was severely contested Several of the Yankee
Rments fought with wire chaubered muskets and fred
with great rapdity The steady fire of our men soon
thDned their ranks, and troops csptured large mum
Der of their wire-chambered mu-kets."
STRENGTH THE REBELS
despatch dated at Lake City the Oath utmo states
that the Confederate force did not exceed four thousand
men and that their loss the fight was from seven 10
eight hundred, The Federal negro il is staed
withstood at DISTANCE the rebel FIRE, but when their
lines advanced they broken confusion I'M
or suaiay last President Mudllo, well known on ac