Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-03-17


near the South prong # ST Marys river, where he}
are taking position aid orhf! ing.
ARRIVAL OF REINFoRcEMESTs FOR GEN. FINEGAN
The time is favorable to us our troops come pour
ing in from Gerogia-3ome OF them veteran regimen 'a
who have seen long service Gen Coquitt and his bCi
gade are en- route The celebrated Cha ham Artillery
| of Savannah which stood the brunt OF Fort Wagner
for long weeks, cones numbering with ts weIitried
pieces and veteran hearts They are hurried down.-
Body after body of troops rrive. Cnchs cavalry
expected to enter the State in the Of the enemy,
and thus Gu: eff their retreat while the main body OF
the troops push them back. Our forces concentrate
and fortify at Oulustre spot preserving its Ird
name, Il think, signfying black) 1t is the headwa-
lers of creek Of that name, being contidous swamp
on the right OF the railroad. incning Southwark,
Ocean Pond, OF the inland Lakes Of Florida,
lying not lar North, thus forming good d. feasibe
position. Our forces there concentrated about five
thausand men. Our rife pits and redoubs conne>t:d
with the swamp II South, aud Ocean Pond on tie
North.
THE BATTLE OF OULUsrEE-DEFEAT OF THE ENEMY.
OG Saturday morning last just three weeks after the
landing at Jacksonville little army advanced about
three miles beyond Oalus're, learning the enemy were
making an advance movement. At 3 O'Clock Of the
day the battle beg and continued until dark, all our
force on the field being less engaged. 1t ruged
hotly during the whole time Veterans who say they
have been in dozen actions during The war, and
out without scratch, lie in hospitals here,
wounded in the little battle OF OuluSre, in Florida
The verfcation OF this is in the number of wounded
On both sdes-ours eau hardly be less than five hun
dred, and perhaps eighty killed, while the enemy is
ported to have lost than double tue number
Giving these figures for him the benefit of exaggeaton
eVen certain it is he hes met with total defeat in
Florida. Black troops confronted the field
with dear sons and brothers White men
were side by side with them! The wounded that fill
all tie empty buildings that could be appropriated in
this, and the dead that have been buried, fully at
test the severity Of the engagem.nt Besides
hundred and twenty five OF the enenys wounded pris
oners, have taken one hundred and fifty who sur
rendered. Numbers were buried on the field, and our
citizens living the lire of the enenly's march, say
they had trains of amb1lances to carry Oft their
dead aud wounded besides every mode
of conveyance they could apply.
The enemy have gone buck to Jacksonville forty
five miles from where they fought the battle Our
forces follow them along the road aud straggeIs and
wounded are picked up as they go. A lady at one
point reports that Gen. Seymour passed along looking
haggard and pae saying he had lost half Of his troops
We captured battery of seven guns, brass pieces be-
sdas2about thousand small arms. Gen. Finegan, OF
this division, was in command on the occasion the
movement of troops the field being conducted by
Gen. Co!qutt, OF Georgia. General Gardner, of Mid
die Florida present at the battle in consultation
with General Finnegan Oulustre is also the Q
the rst railroad station below Lake City, and the bat
tie ground is about fifteen miles from this place The
general report before the battle was that the enemy
had none but white troops with them, but the contest
degeopedthe presence OF regiments OF negro troops
hus ended the battle of Oulustre thus closed the
fourth invasion OF Florida ria Jacksonville. They may
come again. and will be looked for, and looked after,
try it when they will.
Yours &c, FLORIDA