The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1880-11-23
-. AUGUSTINE. Aug. 5. 1880.


Cap' II /. BuckH,on, Jacksonville, Fla.
My attention has been directed to a
-faftmctt made by a correspondent of the
Cineiuub b,i Ej.Yajrer of the lst of May
last. which was copied into the Savannah
Heeh@Y -Ne,rs of June %, purporting to
-.Iye I'D history of the battle of Olustee,
or Oceah Pond, which was fought in this
state during the late civil war, and Civ
ng tl4 eitire credit of the successful
result ii this battle to Gen. A. H. Col
quit, ben AN eminent and gallant Briga-
dier G4ncral in the Confederate States
army, tud now the distinguished and
worthy Coy ernor of Georgia, to the dis
iarag, thent ol Brigadier General Joseph
tmcga4. Who was the commanding officer
5l ;j.v confederate. troops in the battle of
Olu>te'i or Ocean Pond.
tiu,l. on my return home, letters from
geutieIAt Atn ho served in that command
and We Re engaged in that battle, insisting
tlat | should give a statement of the
tacl, a. they were known to me, for the
PURPOSE of doing justice to General Fin
cyan.
l do not feel at liberty to disregard this
request, although unwilling to enter into
any controversy on the subject think
General Finegan has a right to have the
eminent services he rendered and the dis
tingui, bed qualities as a soldier and com
nander which he exhibited on that and
other fields, distinctly stated by those to
whom they were known, to the end that
they ~ ay he recognized in history. The
war lett all our surviving officers and
brave Inen with nothing bat the recollec-
tion OF services faithfully performed and
convictions of duty maintained at the
sacrifice OF every personal advantage and
interest They surely have the right to
have the facts stated which reflect credit
on the lr courage, their capacity and their
faithful labors. Il
was the Adiutant General and Chief
of Sta If under General Finegan in the
battle bf Oustee, and all of his orders as
the Commanding General of the Confed-2
crate Eorees in that battle, before and
durag the battle, passed through my
hands hud were given through me- ] am,
therefore. well acquainted with all the
facts.
anl prepared TO say that General Fin
eean vas, in all respects, equal TO the
duty Imposed upon him, and that ne pre-
pared tor the battle and conducted it with
a degre &c Of capacity which has not been
eurpas Fed. in any Of the battles OF the
war.
The Union army, supposed to number
at least 10000 men, wen supplied and
prepared in every respect for action, adj
vanccd from Jacksonville, and found Gen
eral Flinegan with small force, entirely
INADEQUATE for the defense of HE district,
and hecessarily scattered at numerous
points widely separated from each other.
General Finegan collected these troops
with surprising celebrity and activity. and,
with not more than 900 men, made his
first stand near Lake City, against the
advance Of the large Union force.
In the meantime he gathered some regi-
mentk from South Carolina and Georgia.
Amongst these troops ordered to report
to Gaueral Finegan, were the Sixth, Nine
teenth, Twenty third, Twentyseventh and
Twenty eighth Regiments Georgia lnfan-
try, which, with the Sixth Florida Bat
TALON. Infantry, was organized by Gen
enral Finegan as the First Brigade, and
placed under command of Brigadier- Cen
eraI CoEquitt, with the Chatham Artillery
from Savannah, four guns attached, al
officer who had acquired eminent distinc-
tiot for courage, soldierly bearing and
capacity in The severe campaigns Of Vir-
ginia
Amongst them also were the Thirty
second Georgia Volunteers, First Georgia
Regulars, Sixty-fourth Georgia, kifst
Florida Battalion and Bonaud's Baetnllon,
which were organized by Genessl Fine
gan hs the Second Brigsdisr, undef con-
nara of Colonel George r. HAfzis0u,
Thirty-secand Georgia Velanteers, WITH
Gurfsrdss Light Battery stfacbed, - 90
Ger de distinguished neFit
oh the 10th of FehrnsEy, leo4 Ne
Union army, which hna sloE ssysEAL dsys
beea eneamped neaF the littie - .sgys
riiye1. adyanced ii force GeneEA k1nf
49, ea,, ,aa,,d II that time con6i6ted q
Z Z noE.;iilal strsheth 1t aII &FzAs - Abent