St. Augustine in the American Civil War
During most of the
Florida state
Early war
After
On January 7, 1861, roughly 125 militiamen, including 25 from the town of
When news reached St. Augustine on January 12, 1861, that Florida had seceded, the city celebrated with ceremonial flag raisings, church bells, and musket volleys, followed that night by torchlight parade and bonfires. The following Lent saw greater passion in following the restrictions than previous years. Meanwhile, the Examiner led an effort to proclaim anything that spoke against secession as treasonous.[3] Initial support for the war waned when taxes were increased for the war effort and revenues derived from the new tourist trade came to a standstill.[4]
Several ships that served as blockade runners also used St. Augustine as a port. These ships included the Garibaldi, the St. Mary's, and the Jefferson Davis, which had captured several prizes until it ran aground in St. Augustine Harbor in mid-August, 1861.[5][6]
Although situated 150 miles away, the residents of St. Augustine heard of the Battle of Port Royal on November 7, 1861. Troops on a Union ship just upwind from the battle saw flashes of light, but often heard nothing.[7]
The majority of Confederate forces from St. Augustine consisted of a company called the
Fort Marion and St. Augustine were seized by
After capturing St. Augustine, the Federals established a post office to resume regular communication with the North. They also imported a supply of small denomination U.S. currency, which was used to replace the "wretched paper currency of the rebellion."[14]
Late war
Other notable contributions to the Confederate war effort were at least three generals:
Unlike nearby
Union forces enjoyed the city. The
Thanks to the general deprivations of war as well as, specifically, the Union blockade, many of St. Augustine's citizens suffered from a lack of food and some were on the verge of starvation. After the arrival of the Union army, even Confederate sympathizers, including Mrs. Joseph Lee Smith, mother of General Kirby-Smith, traded with the Federals for food.[20]
On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation came into effect for slaves in areas still under Confederate control. A bell and marker on the grounds of Old St. Augustine Village celebrates the event, and for many generations, Emancipation Day, on January 1, was a major celebration in the black community of the Ancient City.[21]
On March 9, 1863, a small skirmish occurred when 80 Confederate troops attacked an advanced picket guard just north of St. Augustine. They were driven off by 120 men from the 7th New Hampshire Infantry.[22]
Post-war
For many decades after the war, St. Augustine had two chapters of the
Footnotes
- ^ a b Fretwell p. 19
- ISSN 0015-4113.
- ^ Fretwell pp. 20–21
- ^ a b History of St. Augustine Augustine.com, Accessed January 1, 2009
- ^ East & Jenckes, pg. 76
- ^ Jefferson Davis, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/confederate_ships/jefferson-davis.html.
- ^ Heidler p. 8
- ^ Fretwell pp. 86–87
- ^ Fretwell p. 70
- ^ Fretwell p. 76
- ^ Heidler p. 1252
- ISBN 1561642347.
- ISBN 9780813068732.
- ^ Fretwell, p. 27
- ^ Warner pp. 114–115.
- ^ Heidler p. 696
- ^ Nolan p.32
- ^ Nolan pp. 32–34
- ISBN 978-0-8021-2458-6. Archivedfrom the original on 2019-09-22. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
- ^ Fretwell, p. 30
- ^ "Emancipation in Florida". floridamemory.com. State Archives of Florida. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Best Travel Blogs and Product Reviews | Dr. Bronson Tours".
- ^ Warner. p. 206
References
- Fretwell, Jacqueline K. (1986). Civil War Times in St. Augustine. St. Augustine Historical Society. ISBN 0-912451-23-8.
- Graham, Thomas (1978). The Awakening of St. Augustine: The Anderson Family and the Oldest City, 1821–1924. St. Augustine Historical Society. OCLC 12106253.
- Heidler, David (2002). Encyclopedia of the American Civil War. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-04758-X.
- Nolan, David (1995). The Houses of St. Augustine. Pineapple Press Inc. ISBN 1-56164-069-7.
- Warner, Ezra J. (1964). Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders. Louisiana State University Press.
Further reading
- Taylor, Paul. Discovering the Civil War in Florida: A Reader and Guide (2nd edition). Sarasota, Fl. Pineapple Press, 2012. ISBN 978-1-56164-529-9