The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-02-28
Review Of tho Recent Movements In
the District Of Florida.
TH1 BATTLE or oxuxTuu.
Severe Contest and RepNIse Of the
Unien Treeps.
PARTIAL LIST OF THE CASUAL TIES,
As.s As.s Ass

IN accordance with the amnesty proclamation Of Pre-
sident Lincoln General Gilmore issued an order appoint
ing MAJOR John Hay commissioner to visit Florida to
extend TO the citizens Of that the 10 re-
turn 70 their allegiance.
The following y Me order referred to-
0MElAL oRDsRs-No 10.
HEADQUARTERS, DxpARrHENT or rHz South,
HnroN HEAD, $. c., Jan. 81, 1864. !
IN accordasce with The provisions Of the Presidential
proclamation OF pardon aud amnesty, given at Washing
ton the eth day OF December the year Lord
one thousand eight hundred and sixty three and In pur
United States, Mayor John Hay Assistant Adjutant Gene
raj. viii proceed 70 Fernandna, Florida and other
70 the citizens OF the state Florida opportunity avail
themselves Of the benefits Of that Offering
sorbed and BY issuing 70 ali those subscribing 70 said
oath certificates entting them 10 the benefits OF the pro-
camaton Fugitive citizens Of State Of Florida within
TO subscribe to tho oath and certificates
the Office Of the post commander at Hilton Head, South
Carolina. By command OF
Major General O. A. GILMORE.
Z. W. SMITH, Assistant Adjutant General
To send the commissioner to Florida without armed
force protect the returning oyasts from the psrsscu
lion Of the rebels would avail nothing therefore
determined to set apart Florida separate dstrc. Of
she Department Of the South and General Truman sey
mour appointed 70 the command thereof.
On the afternoon of February the expedition, under
General seymour left Hilton Head, and landed at Jack.
sonvile, Florida, the next day. The advance shen
pushed forward, and bvouacked at Baldwin the
ing Of the 9th The cavalry then advanced, occupying
sapderson, on the road to Lake City and Tallahassee
Our advces under date OF February ~ stated that
the Union forces then within two miles Of Lake
City, whore the enemy found, and with whom there
q prospect OF having an encounter.
Up 70 that time the movement Of the Union troous had
been attended with complete success. end there 10
doubt that the campaign was deemed by the COM
nnandey n viz OuqO
thus officially ANNOUNCED IL as snch--
GENERAL oRpEes--so. s.
HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF FONDA
JACKSON, JILE, Fla, Feb. IL, 1864.
The Brgad,er General Commanding heartily coDgratu-
IAtos his command the brilliant success which has
atsoded all their movements thus far into Florida Three
flags eight guns with cassons battery wagons and forge,
many wagons horses, and much subsistence
and clothing, have fallen Into our hands, oesiass large
amounts Of cotton, turpentine and rosn. Property
valued nt over one and half million Of dollars |. the
10 CooneiGuy v Henry and his command, tho battalion
OF cavalry under Major Stevens the For
eth Mounted Massachusetts Volunteers Captain VI.
der First artillery and his battery ths achievement 10
principally due and the Brgsdier General
pecaly desires 20 praise Captain George F. Marshall
and his small command Of forty nine mon, who captured
and held Gainesville atty ak hours. receiving
AFTER fulfilling his mission successfully returning TO the
designated place OF rendezvous. These deeds win be
sure and honor and the command may emulate but can
hardly expect to surpass, them
j.
r. NJ HALL, First Lieutenant First artillery. us. A..
Assistant Adjutant General
Such the encouraging position Of AFFAIRS on the 18th
day OF February, 1854.
change was however, in for the forces in this
district In consequence Of the stoppags regular
dispatches under the orders OF the commander we are
unable present readers with complete details but
give them as full they possibly be obtained
from the statements Of the passengers and others by the
Fulton.
appears that among tho force that have been
brought into this contest the lowing
enh Forty eighth and One Hundred and Fifteenth New
York vou n,ecrs; Foreth and Ffty..ourth Massachu-
sets Volunteers; Seventh Connections, Seventh New
Hampshire, FIRST and Eighth United States Volunteers
(coed) First North Carolina Volunteers, First Massa.
chusetts cavalry, and sections Of tho First and Third
United siaies artillery and tho Third Rhode Island batta
lon These forces, MOI strong in numbers we're,
tho afternoon Of the 20h brought into contact with
the rebels under CT supposedly either General Hardes
or General Beauregard These rebel troops were sup
posed 10 number about fifteen thousand men. The en-.
gsgsmcnt took place at 0iustec the railroad
Jacksonville and Tallahassee, and nfty miles from
the former place. Olustes is between sanderson and
lake City.
From the imperfect accounts have IL would appear
that General TRUMAN Seymour neglected the all important
preesucn Of throwing out scouts and skirmshers and
she rebels The horses attached TO the Geld pieces OF
Hamtons battery shot down by shsrpshcotcrs and
the men in attendance suffered severely The guns belong
ing TO this battery had TO be abandoned. The Fortieth
Massachusetts, infantry which had been mounted,
brought under very IRE, the effect Of which
10 them 10 retreat hastily, leaving tncr dead and
wounded In the hands OF the enemy.
During the advance our troops found themselves sud
denly front OF rebel battery, which opened upon
them CALLING Ore almost before they were aware Of its
presence The gu1s the rebels conceived by the
woods and the OF their discharge upon the advanc
Inn force was fearful and demorazns The Union troops
fell back 10 great disorder, and perfectly panic
stricken.
II ia stated that General Seymour has been placed
der arrest and General Israel vo des ordered TO
command Of The district which has recently been rein
forced by division OF veteran troops.
The losses are varIouslY estimated at from twelve TO
fifteen hundred men.
rhe following extract from private letter received
by Mr. T. d. wyman, Of Brooklyn, and contains matters
HHros Br4D, Feb. %, 1894.
had hoped Colonel Barton would be able 70 write you
by this steamer; but from what hear from him he Is
not now in writing condition. The expedition 10 Florida
from ,chich 70. ,zpee,sd ca good recalls has far proved
a fays in other words, our .oops haUe besn badly
,ehJpsd.
II seems they ordered 20 march too far into ne
STATE and upon fifteen thousand Of the enemy and
terrible baltic ensued. Barton's brigade 10 'front.'
and Of course suffered badly. COL Barton had two
killed under him, and received several balls through bis
hat, coat, Sc.; yet no is unhurt
Yesterday ives one OF the most ssslous days Of my
whole le heard OF ,hs 6ght early 10 the morning,
and that Col. Barton's whole command had been cap.
tGred.
Ihare were thousands Of stories sscst, aud ghsa
s.,s.,y ran or o,f,d Officer, and men IN learned
u.s ,ysh.
Captain punbsr and Lieutenant Noser, OF tho Forty
esh.h are here wounded; Lieutenant Keenan, vas killed
DO not 70, know now m1ny OF the Fortyeighth we're
Ned; bu, there are large number wounded, and
arc 10 tho hands Of The enemy. roo coons Of ne brigade
are badly eoand,d and Killed Every a n post