Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-03-04
THE FLORIDA EXPEDITION


, 1t seems to have proceeded with singular lack
Of caution, for light battery led the advance
without any scouts preceding it, and with no
i skirmishers out, and the 18th Immediately fol-
/ lowed it. The other forcos considerably out
Of supporting distance, followed, the 54th
I Mass. and LIST n c., (colored) in the rear OF
the column with the baggage. The expedi-
ton had gone on very successfully, had cap
, tured a large quantity OF stores, and seemed
+ likely to terminate pfosperously when a heavy
cavalry force Of the enemy set upon the bat
terry, and an ambuscade Of infantry ard sharp
shooters opened FIRE, and in a very short time
some forty Of the horses and some thirty or
forty men Of the battery were wounded or
killed. The point at which the attack oc-
CURED was Olestree, place about sixty miles
from Jacksonville. Evidently the enemy we're
perfectly aware Of our approach, for the place
in which the attack began was one in which
our forces could not form line OF battle with
out standing in swamp, and where artillery
could not Operate, and while there large
numbers we're wounded, evidently from sharp
shooters in trees, for most Of the balls we're
from above and passed out below, or from the
shoulder TO the wrist. The enemy employed
no artillery. 1t was soon seen that the reb-
els were in very strong force, about Is 600.
They were under Gems. Gardner, Hardee and
Finnegan. Seeing that the struggle would
be disastrous one, and that the most that
could be done would be to fall back, the forces
we're properly disposed to that end as rapidly
as possible, and IN as good order the ma
ture Of the ground would admit The fight
commenced at 3 p. NJ. and terminated at 7,
when our forces we're obliged TO retreat, leav-
ing our field hospital, and It is supposed two
or three hundred killed and wounded and
other prisoners in the hands Of the enemy.
Our artillery fred handsomely, but uselessly,
owing TO the character Of the attack. 1t could
not. however, have done much service owing
TO one of those unaccountable blunders that
so frequently occur in this war. At the most
critical juncture in affairs supply of ammu-
milton sent from the rear for the batteries was
discovered to be Of the wrong size, and the
retreat had to be a more precipit te one than
1t Otherwise might have been. while hut for
such a blunder it could have been so delbcr-
ate, after leaving the swamp, as to have saved
many lives, prevented the wounded from
falling into the enemy's hands, and have CIV
ven TO the movement the name of a rcpulse
instead Of disaster.
Our loss in killed. wounded and missing,
it is reported. will not prove less than from
500 10 1000, undoubtedly under the last Z
ure. Had the enemy followed up our retreat
shaply, we must have been nearly destroyed.
But they did not reach a point eight miles
| from the battle field till seven Sunday morn
| ing Meanwhile our forces had arrived at
Baldwinsville railroad station, and the wound
ed in good part we're able TO get off
/ hear loud praises Of the 54th Massachu-
sets, 9Th United States, and lst North Car
olina (colored) They went up at the double
quick when our advance was nearly destroyed
and saved the left from being turned, in which
case the whole force would have been anuihi-
lated As it was there we're small forces,
particularly sharpshooters, on our TANKS,
from which we suffered severely. SO far as
appears the number of killed and seriously
wounded is small, compared with the slightly
wounded, most OF whom were shot with rife
balls in the arms and legs. Those whose
names have given are receiving the best at
tentions possible. The general opinion is that
the expedition went into a trap, without any
excuse. Gen. Seymour, who commanded, led
the disastrous (frst) night assault on Fort
Wagner, and whether justly or not is gener-
ally condemned for his management Of the
expedition He is thought to be brave. but
to lack judgment. To procede a column in
an epemy,s coutry, liable to be attacked at
any moment, with battery in advance, and
follow it at long interval with mounted in
iantry scarcely a month in the saddle, is GER
tainly a new mode of warfare.
Large reinforcements are already on their
way to Florida, 80 that we shall hold our po-
silion, and finally succeed in our expedition
without doubt 1t will interest many of your
readers to know that among the forces now 10
Florida is Fosters Brigade, of which have
spoken in previous letter. AT Hilton Head
there was mounting in hot haste, and the
most energetic preparation TO send men, stores
and munitions to Florida. The Sanitary
Commission was already on the ground, and
dispensed invaluable aid. ! have never seen
evidences of greater energy than saw at
Hilton Head ali day the 22nd There is a
recompense in store for the rebel force in
Florida il Gea. Gilmore can accomplish il.
The conduct Of the troops is represented to
have been uniformly admirable. The culored
troops did nobly. Col. Hallowell in an adj
dress to his regiment told them he could not
fud fault with single officer or man. And
| could but admire their patience while wait
ing to have their wounds dressed, and to be
conveyed to the hospital, from the steamer.
In the Sih U. S. colored one Of the battle
hags was lost, but not Till after eight men in
the color guard had been killed On review
ing the affair, in the light of all the informa-
ton can get at this date, | must say that
proper precautions might have given result
to the expedition entirely different. and that
the column was defeated by mismanagemen
1t is impossible to get full particulars Of the
killed and wounded until another mail gees
North, eight daya hence. Reports about the
destruction of regiments, such as are flying
about here, and which will doubtless reach
home, are much exaggerated. There may
have been quite number of prisoners, but
the killed and mortally wounded are compar-
atiyely few. Report at first said that the
40th Massachusetts was nearly destroyed, but
it is not so. 1t will be heard from a good
many times yet.
We lost five guns in the retreat and cap
tured eleven in the early part of the march,
so that in the matter of artillery we are de-
cidedy ahead. The same is true of cotton
and other stores captured and destroyed but
there our advantage ends. Undoubtedly we
shall pick our hints and try again trust
that the inscription on the next enterprise
will not be, " Some one has blundered."
VERY LATEST.
New YORK, March g