The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-04-06
FLORIDA INCIDENTS
BY
EMPOWERING
FRANCIS p.
EMING.
= Battle Of the Natural Bridge =

of night the enemy made good his re-
treat to the coast and embarked on
the transports from which he had
landed Our small force of mounted
cavalry was insufficient to inhict much
damage upon the retreating foe. A
detachment of Gwynns company of
SCOTS Battalion under Lieutenant
Eben Burroughs, following the re-
treat came up next morning with a
body of twenty-three negro troops un-
der command of a lieutenant. which
had become separated from the main
command, and after skirmishing with
them for some time succeeded in cut
ting off their retreat and capturing
them. Among other captures were two
deserters from the Confederate army,
who had acted as guides to the Fed
eral troops. These were tried by Drum
Head court martial next day, sentenc-
ed to death, and shot in the presence
of the troops at New Port on the
morning of the Sth. General Newton
reports his loss at Il killed, SO wound
ed and SO missing. total 14S. The
Confederate loss was quite small. 8
killed and % wounded, total %. Among
the killed was Captain H. H. Simmons
of the Second Florida cavalry, a brave
and gallant soldier and efficient Off
Ger. Another volunteer in this short
campaign, we'll known to the people o.
the state, was Captain d. E. Maxwell
of the First Florida cavalry, veter-
an of the armies of Northern Virginia
and Tennessee, who was recovering
from a severe wound received at
Peachtree Creek near Atlanta. Enable
to walk he joined Gwynn's company,
mounted, with his crutches tied to his
saddle. He served throughout the ac-
ton and participated in the capture
of the detachment above mentioned
the government publication WAR of
the Rebellion" Series 1, Vol. 40 Part
1 contain some notable errors. On
page 81 he says: after a fierce
fight resulting in the complete re-
pulse Of the enemy, finding that the
navy could not ascend the river de-
cided to withdraw" In his more de-
tailed report, on page 60 he says: "At
daybreak Major Sinclair. with two
companies (B and CD of the Second
u. S. Colored infantry, drove the adj
vanced posts of the enemy over the
bridge, when his further progress was
checked by a superior force of the
enemy behind entertainments" The
advanced posts" referred to were two
or three cavalry pickets. This attack
forces, except SCOTS cavalry, had just
arrived on the ground and before they
had thrown up entertainments. Again
on the same page. referring to the
second attack, he says: Colonel
Townsend with his command advanc-
ed CALAMITY, the enemy fleeing on his
approach, and abandoning his breast
works, but at the foot almost of the
works he encountered a deep slough
impossible to troops and the command
reluctantly retired" The enemy flee
| ing" as reported, was but the falling
! back of our advanced pickets to the|
main line; and if General Newton was
made to believe that the Confederate
breastworks were abandoned his cred
ulity was sadly imposed upon. Neither
was there any Slough in front of main
part of the Confederate lines Nor is
there any foundation in. fact, upon
which to- base his report of the com
plete repulse of the enemy" 1t would
appear strange indeed. if General
Newton had inflicted a complete re-
pulse upon his enemy, that he would
have hurried to his transports, under
cover Of darkness. leaving his dead
unburied and part Of his wounded be-
hind. and a detachment which was
captured. The Confederate troops
were not repulsed in a single instance
during the campaign; though it is not
denied. that SCOTS cavalry fell back
before the whole Federal command. of
| five times its numbers, on their ad-
vance after landing. until he could
successfully hold them in check after
crossing the st. Marks river at New
| Port
General Newton was also misin-
formed and therefore greatly exager;
rated the numbers of Confederate
troops. At the time of the first attack
at the bridge" they numbered about
500 and after the arrival of the last
reinforcements. when the battle was
practically over, the entire force could
not have exceeded 1900. The, 1000. re-
Inducements from Georgia, mentioned
by the General. had no existence in
|