The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-06-30
BATT4E OF OLUSTEE.

BATTLE OF OLUSTEE.
Experiences Of New York Comrade in
the Florida Campaign.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: It was on
Feb 5, 1864, shortly after some 300 men
| with 10 officers of the 45th N. Y had en-
barked from Hilton Head for New York,
having re-enisted and gone home to enjoy a
months turlough, that it became rumOred
that an expedition was "going somewhere"
The 4Sth received orders to prepare six days
cooked rations to be carried in hayersacks.
We embarked on the steamer Delaware,
with the left wing of the ] 10Th n. Y, reached
Jacksonville, Fla, Feb. 8, p. m. We landed,
ard, marched silently through the streets.
My company quartered in bakcshop As
soon as the sun rose we found ourselves in
quite town, pleasantly located on ST. Johns
River, which was full Of the boats of our
expedition. Infantry, artillery, and cavalry
had landed during the night. Among them
were the 40th Mass. "a battalion of the 1st
Mass. Cav, batteries of Capts. Elder, Ham
iiton, and Laugdon; a section of the Sd X. !.
Art, four brigades Of infantry, commanded
respectively by Coils. Ifawley Barton, and
sScammon, and the colored troops by Col.
Montgomery.
Gen. Gilmore came with us to Jackson
vile, then to Baldwin, but returned to Hilton
Head, leaving orders with Gen. .;eymour not
to advance beyond Baldwin without further
orders
We started on orr march in three columns,
our brigade (Barton's) in the center. Some
of the boys lit their pipes and set some Of
the trees on fire, little thinking we should
have to retreat over these same roads and
through the burning forests.
On the 11th our column started at daylight;
the sun was very hot. / got sick about noon,
and dropped by the roadside. l was left in
hospital at Barber's Station.
On the 18th we heard our boys were as far
as Sanderson. and that the cavalry had
reached within two miles of Lake City.
Seine wounded and sick arrived from the
front, which were put on flat car. The
doctor Insisted should 90 too, as was still too
weak to march; so | assisted the best | conld
with'a fence-rail-the only thing we had to
ease the car down the hill-through hole in
the floor, pressing it against the wheels. We
fairly flew, and the poor fellows who were
wounded got badly shaken up. We arrived
ut Baldwin about 8 p. m. On the 18th all
the sick and wounded were sent to Jackson
Vile Our troops were throwing up in
trenchments and rife-pits around there.
On the 14th our forces returned 10 Barber
Station / went back with our teams to the
front
On tha 20th we received five days rations
in our haversack, fell into line and marched
to Olustee Station, where the rebels ambushed
us, having built a battery across the road
since we were there few days before.
Col. Henry's cavalry and the 7th Conn,
were in advance and met the enemy first
The 7th n. H. was sent to support the bat
teries. of which there were 16 guns, but
having gotten so close to the enemy'5 ] at
terry and sfarpshooters before their where
abouts were discovered, the rebel sharpshooters
picked off our artilerymen and horses, OF
which 40 were disabled in less than 20
minutes, and fully half the men of the bat
terry The rest retreated, leaving two guns
behind them.
The 7th n. IT, lost heavily The Sth U.
S. colored regiment went to their support;
though never under fire before they stood up
well for nearly two hours losing about 300
men.
Col. Barton's Brigade consisted of three
New York regiments the 47h, 4Sth, and
115th. AS the Sth u. S. fell back and passed
us, our brigade -Barton's-was sent forward
on the double-quick into action. Our posi-
tiOn being the center, near the road, the
enemy's fire was terrific. Towards the close
the rebels tried to flank rs. but did not sue
ceed. Finally the 4sth received orders to
fire and fall back, which we did, first one
rank and then the other. Thus we retreated
about n mile, when our ammunition gave
out The dead and wounded lay strewn
around us in all directions Ammunition
was brought to the front
1t was at this spot while in line-of- battle,
as we tried to keep this, though constantly re-
treating, that l told Capt. W. II. Dunbar,
who was encouraging the men to press for
ward, that if he would go forward the men
would follow. He said: Sergeant you go,
and will send the men after you" did
go out a few feet in advance, then dropped
on my knee, dumped handful of car
tridges on the ground, and commenced firing
at regiment coming in line-oi-battle
: After firing six or eight rounds, the rebs
coming closer towards me, noticed the bull
let's from the rear coming thicker than from
the front. Looking around | saw our regiment
had fallen back quite a distance. | knew
that to stay longer meant Andersonville, so
put for the rear.
AS soon as / arrived among the boys |
heard the order given: Cease firing; for thai
is one of our regiments coming toward Us. "
| ran up to Col. Barton and told him they
were rebels, as | had just come in from the
front and had been close to them. He took
out his tield-glass and pretty soon made up
his mind ! was right. He rode down to the
left of our line to the battery and spoke to
the officer. They let them come closer, when
the order was given to fire. The artillery
did great execution. When the smoke
cleared away the poor fellows could be seen
in heaps; only few were running back.
The night was fast approaching; the order
had been passed to retire. We reached
Barber's Station about 2 o'clock a. m. OF the
2lst. Co. A had II killed, wounded and
missing. Our regiment lost 227 killed,
wounded, and missing. A bad defeat all
around, % great blunder, loss Of life esti-
mated at from 1.5Q0 to 1900. AS we re-
treated we had to destroy all the provisions
and stores at Baldwin's Station that we could
not carry away, estimated at about $40, 0,O0o
So, back we went to jacksonville.
A. WOHL FORTH Sergeant 10 ASfh N