The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1864-03-09
THE LATE BATTLE IN FLORIDA.
Our Forces Led into IA Trap.
Five Thousand Come Suddenly upon
Fifteen Thousand,
Correspondence Of the Ncw York Timosl
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, Feb. %, 1861

less than 5000 men, loft Barbcr's at
o'clock Saturday morning, and proceeded
on the main road toward Lake Citv am
confident the force did not exceed the mum.
hor stated for am assured by an Aid-dc.
Camp TO General Seymour that rations
were drawn that morning for not quite D..
00g. Tho forward movement was nladc
suddenly. On Friday il was not supposed
by the commanding oiliccr-ud including
General Scymour--that an advance would
I've made for some days thence. Some time
during the night, General Seymour received
Information of the cucmy's whereabouts aud
plans which led him to believe that by
pushing rapidly forward his column. he
would be able to defeat tho cncmy's designs
and secure important military advantages
Whatever that information may have hron
the events Of Saturday would indicate that
it was by no means reliable, or that General
Seymour acted upon twih too much haste
We all know that General Seymour is not
man to hesitate in his actions when an
opportunity offers for a possible success.
He is one of the class that believes he has a
chance OF winning and n chance Of losing
and that SUCCESS would never be obtained
if he rested quietly on the bend of the lit
tic South Fork. We take tho ground that
General Seymour did what nearly every
one, before the engagement, said he should
do. Ifho had achieved victory, it would
have bocn as everybody predicted and his
name would have been mentioned with
praise. Now he has suffered rcpusc, he
WILL of course, be looked upon by some rs
having too much rasliness to prosecute a
campaign, and for that reason must bear
whole loads of cCnsure.
The place at which tho fight occurred is
on the line of tho Florida Central Railroad
forty y-fyc miles from Jacksonville and with
in fifteen miles of Lake City. The nearest
station to tho ground is called Olustcc,
which ia about thrco miles further mp to.
ward Lake City. The nearest station in the
opposite direction is Sandcrson, six miles
distant from the battlefield. On the march
from Barbcr's, our troops passed through
Sandcrson at about noon. At this place
they did not halt, but dashed forward to-
ward Olustcc, the point at which Gen. : ~
mour beloved he should meet the enemy.
But instead of coming in contact with the
enemy at Olustcc, tho meeting tool, place
tnrco miles this side, 50 our troops were
not so well prepared for baltic as they
would have been if Olusteo had been the
battlefield Our column moved forward in
regular order, the cavalry in the advance
and the artillery distributed along the line
Of infantry 1t may be offered as an object
ton that the column was without Hanlicrs.
The only source through which any intima-
ton of the cncmys presence could be re
ccivcd was the advance cavalry guard 1t
would certainly be called military failing
to move a column of troops without thu
proper tlankcrs, through any portion of the
cncmys country, even it positive informo-
ton had been obtained that the enemy him
self was long distance off. The road from
Barbers to Lake City lies parallel with the
railroad, crossing it ut intervals on an avor-
aye of five miles II was at one of these
crossing points that the fight was com
The head of the column reached
this point at 9 Z. NJ. The men had not
rested from the time they left Barber's, at :
\. NJ. The usual halt of II few minutes
every hour was OF course observed, but we
cannot say the troops fairly rested. Nci-
thCr had they tasted Il mouthtul of food.
Thus, after tedious march of sixteen miles
over u road Of loose sand, or hOggy turf or
covered knoc-dccp with muddy water, the
troops weary, exhausted faint, hungry and
ill-conditioncd. were suddenly attacked toy
/ large force OF the enemy, who had con-
,calcd himself behind thick wood, wait
ng with cOmplaCont satisfaction tho entry
Df our men into his ambush, very much at-
cr tho manner that the spider would have
the fly walk into his parlor.
THE BATTLE.
With the view of meeting the CnCmyS
Dickcts thrco miles in advance of the mill.
two companies of the 7th Connecticut reg
imcnt were deployed on the left of the
while three companies were LETT
lt the mill, tor the purpose OF supporting
lhc artillery. \ small force of cavalry was
sent to sllrmsh on the right of the rail
road. Our skirmishcrS had not advanced a
hundred yards when thcy discovered those
Of the cnemv directly in front. Tho result
was brisk fire on both sides, which ended
by the cnemys failing basis on ~ sccaua
lime of sllirmishcrs. Our men continued to
drive tho rcbcls back, sometimes on the
=, 49,, and sometimes on the LETT OF the rail
road, but principally on the left. While
this was going on two companies of the
l0h Massachusetts wero ordered to the
left, with view of outllankius the enemy s
skirmishcrs. In onleavuring TO carry out
that order, the doth Massachusetts came
upon heavy limo of skirmishors, and were
to withdraw to their original
position
Captain Elder, of tho First Artillery, in
order To aacortain the cucmys force, and
position, brought one of his pieces into bat.
terry ON the right, and fired one shot. but il
did not draw q reply. The Seventh New
llampshirc rogimunt, in connection with
the Seventh Connecticut was then sont
forward 70 the right, and it possible ia
hr,,l tl,r,n.vh Il,N Nnnt,y'. kp, NH.
movement brought on hot firing. and il was
evident that an engagement WAS noar at
hand. At this time our force. ON the field
consisted of tho Seventh New Hampshire.
the seventh Connecticut, tao independent
battalion ct Massachusetts, cavalry, the
Fifteenth Massachusetts mounted Infantry.
the Eighth United States Colored, Elders
battery of tour aud llamilton's ofsiN pieces.
The remainder of the column was halted on
the road. While our men were at work on
the right Colonel Henry, in person, went
over 10 the lett TO rccouuuitCr, and much TO
his astoushmcut, discovered that thc on
emy right lappea ON our left. This WAS
reported 10 General Seymour, who immp-
dately gave orders for the advance roous
and batteries to como into position. The
curmy watched tho movements with am
eager eve, AMI the muwout hamilton COM
mcnccd Numbering his pieces, has battery
was subjected to a CALLING fire OF musketry
\ uumbor OF mon aud several horses wery
shot before he could get ready 60 lire one
round, The fact chat the cueluy had a
Iorco Tar superior in point of numbers
u our own, WAS now beyond all dispute.
The dre became heavier and moro dostruc-
tive rs each moment advanced. Tho rail
road rs il nyars OiuStco takes houd, and
behind this bend the rebels had ,aNou their
position. In the woods at the rear were
their supporters aud reserves.