Floridians and the Civil War
Florida was a player in the Civil War, but not in manpower. The state, however, was crucial to the Southern war effort because of its immense coastline that allowed vital supplies to the blockaded South. The state is also know as the only Southern state whose capital was not captured during the conflict. The diversity of the state is perhaps also unmatched compared to any other state, Northern or Southern. From the likes of blacks, Creoles, Hispanics, women, (some) Native Americans, Irish, German, English, and ole Revolutionary stock, many contributed to the Southern war. The following pages discuss the numerous Floridians who contributed immensely to both Union and Confederate causes during the Civil War. And the pages include: Hispanics (often ignored); Jews (rarely, if ever, even a subject of the war); Women (typically viewed as despondent wives and mothers left at home only to till the land); African-Americans (usually viewed as escaped slaves who hated all things south of the Mason-Dixon); Seminoles (must admit, I normally think of Florida State); and the numerous partisans, generals and politicians who served the South and Florida.
Hispanics of Florida in the Civil War (1861-1865)
Showing posts with label Florida Civil War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Florida Civil War. Show all posts
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Florida Civil War History HOMEPAGE
Florida Civil War History: HOMEPAGE
Florida Civil War History
Florida Civil War History
According to the 1860 U.S. census, Florida had a free population of 78,679 and an additional slave population of 61,745, making it the least populated state in the Confederacy.
During the Civil War in Florida (1861-1865), key Union objectives were to: blockade the Florida coast; secure ports and forts; then launch operations inland by both land and river to disrupt Confederate war making capability; capture and secure depots, bridges, rivers, towns and cities; recruit Unionists and blacks for the Union military; and to capture the prized state capital in Tallahassee.
Florida raised more than 15,000 troops for the Confederacy, which were organized into 12 regiments of infantry and 2 of cavalry, several artillery batteries, as well as militia and reserve units. While approximately 1,000 Floridians served in the Union's 1st and 2nd Florida Cavalry Regiments, nearly 1,000 escaped slaves and free blacks from Florida joined Union (colored) regiments in South Carolina. A compilation made from the official rosters of the Confederate Armies as they stood at various battles, and at various dates covering the entire period of the war, shows that Florida kept the following number of organizations in almost continuous service in the field: 10 regiments and 2 battalions of infantry; 2 regiments and 1 battalion of cavalry; and 6 batteries of light artillery. During the course of the Civil War, although Confederate records are notoriously incomplete, Florida suffered nearly 2,500 in killed and thousands more in wounded, according to Dyer, Frederick H., A Compendium of the War of Rebellion (1908). Additional sources, however, estimate that Florida suffered as many as 5,000 in killed. Nevertheless, Dyer (Compendium) and Fox (Regimental Losses) are considered eminent scholars in their respective fields and are cited and quoted by most historians and scholars. See also Total Union and Confederate Civil War Casualties in Killed, Mortally Wounded (Dead), and Wounded.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)