Battle of Olustee
Part of the American Civil War
Date February 20, 1864 Location Baker County, Florida Result Confederate victory
Combatants
United States of America	Confederate States of America
Commanders
Truman Seymour	Joseph Finegan
Strength
Division (5,500)	District of East Florida (5,000)
Casualties
1,861	946

The Battle of Olustee or Battle of Ocean Pond was fought near Lake City, Florida, on February 20, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war. In February 1864, the commander of the Department of the South, Maj. Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore, launched an expedition into Florida to secure Union enclaves, sever Confederate supply routes, and recruit black soldiers. Brig. Gen. Truman Seymour moved deep into the state, occupying, destroying, and liberating, but meeting little resistance. On February 20, his 5,500 men approached Brig. Gen. Joseph Finegan's 5,000 Confederates entrenched near Olustee. One infantry brigade pushed out to meet Seymour's advance units. The Union forces attacked but were repulsed. The battle raged, and as Finegan committed the last of his reserves, the Union line broke and began to retreat. Finegan did not exploit the retreat, allowing most of the fleeing Union forces to reach Jacksonville. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Battle of Olustee. ... is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Baker County Courthouse in Macclenny Baker County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Religion... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Religion... Truman Seymour was born on September 24, 1824, in Burlington, Vermont. ... This article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Lower Seaboard Theater of the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Robert Anderson P.G.T. Beauregard Strength 85 soldiers 500 soldiers Casualties 1 dead 5 injured 4 injured The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12 – April 13, 1861), was a relatively minor military engagement at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Harvey Brown Richard H. Anderson Strength 600 1,200 Casualties 67 (14 killed, 29 wounded, and 24 captured or missing) 87 (30-40 killed) The Battle of Santa Rosa Island was a battle fought October 9, 1861, on the barrier... The Battle of Fort Pulaski was fought on April 11, 1862, between Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. ... The Battle of Forts Jackson and St. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Officer David G. Farragut and Maj. ... The Battle of Secessionville occurred on June 16, 1862 in the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders Lt. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders A.J. Drake J.W. Pearson Strength 1 gunboat Osceola Rangers, company Casualties 0 0 The Battle of Tampa was a minor engagement of the American Civil War fought June 30–July 1, 1862, between the United States Navy and... Combatants Confederate States of America United States of America Commanders John C. Breckinridge Thomas Williams† and Thomas W. Cahill Strength 2600 2500 Casualties 478 dead 371 dead The Battle of Baton Rouge (or Magnolia Cemetery) was a ground and naval battle in the American Civil War fought in East Baton... Combatants Confederate States of America United States of America Commanders Capt. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders John M. Brannan Charles F. Hopkins Strength 2 infantry regiments, 1 artillery battery, and 1 cavalry company (1,500) 1 artillery battery, and 1 cavalry company Casualties Unknown Unknown The Battle of Saint Johns Bluff (also called St. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Brig. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Capt. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel P. Banks Richard Taylor Strength Department of the Gulf, XIX Corps Army of Western Louisiana Casualties 234 (estimated) 450 (estimated) The Battle of Fort Bisland was fought between Union Major General Nathaniel P. Banks against Confederate Major General Richard... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel Prentice Banks Richard Taylor Strength Army of the Gulf, XIX Corps Army of Western Louisiana Casualties 350 (estimated) unknown The Battle of Irish Bend, also known as Niersons Wood or Franklin, was fought between Union Major General Nathaniel... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel Prentice Banks Richard Taylor Strength Department of the Gulf, XIX Corps Army of Western Louisiana Casualties unknown unknown The Battle of Vermillion Bayou was fought on April 17, 1863, the third battle in a series of running battles between... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Rear Adm. ... The First Battle of Fort Wagner was fought on July 11, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces. ... Commanders Brig. ... The Storming of Fort Wagner Fort Wagner (also called Battery Wagner) was a fortification on Morris Island, South Carolina, that covered the southern approach to Charleston harbor. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Quincy Gilmore John A. Dahlgren P.G.T. Beauregard Strength X Corps Forts Wagner & Sumter garrisons Casualties  ?  ? After being repulsed twice trying to take Fort Wagner by storm, Maj. ... The Second Battle of Fort Sumter was fought on September 8, 1863, between Union and Confederate forces. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Christopher C. Augur Frank W. Powers William R. Miles Strength 1st Division, XIX Army Corps, Army of the Gulf  ? Casualties 150 100 The Battle of Plains Store or the Battle of Springfield Road was fought May 21, 1863 in East... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Nathaniel P. Banks Franklin Gardner Strength XIX Army Corps, Army of the Gulf Confederate forces, 3rd District, Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, Port Hudson Casualties 5,000 7,208 The Siege of Port Hudson occurred in the summer of... Commanders Lt. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Maj. ... The Battle of Kock’s Plantation (also spelled Cox’s Plantation and Saint Emma Plantation) was a battle fought July 12–13, 1863, in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, during the American Civil War. ... Combatants United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders Maj. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America Commanders A.A. Semmes John Westcott Strength USS Tahoma, USS Adela 2nd Florida Infantry, Company A Casualties 16 Unknown The Battle of Fort Brooke was a minor engagement fought October 12 through October 18, 1863, near Tampa, Florida, during the... Gainesville, site of a crucial railroad junction and depot in north central Florida, was the scene of small-scale fighting during the Civil War. ... The Battle of Natural Bridge was a battle during the American Civil War, fought near Tallahassee, Florida on March 6, 1865. ... Location in Columbia County and the state of Florida Coordinates: , Country State County Columbia Settled 1830 Incorporated 1859 Government  - Type Council-Manager  - Mayor Stephen M. Witt  - City Manager Scott Reynolds (acting) Area [1] 1  - City  11. ... is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Civil War–era portrait of Gillmore. ... In this map:  Union states prohibiting slavery  Union territories  Border states on the Union side which allowed slavery  Kansas, which entered and fought with the Union as a free state after the Bleeding Kansas crisis  The Confederacy  Confederate claimed and sometimes held territories During the American Civil War, the Union... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Religion... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... Truman Seymour was born on September 24, 1824, in Burlington, Vermont. ... “Jacksonville” redirects here. ...

Union casualties were 203 killed, 1,152 wounded, and 506 missing, a total of 1,861 men. Confederate losses were considerably lower: 93 killed, 847 wounded, and 6 missing, a total of 946 casualties in all. The high Union losses caused Northern lawmakers and citizens to question the necessity of further Union involvement in the militarily insignificant state of Florida. Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ...

There is an annual historical reenactment that takes place on the site of the battle in north central Florida. Reenactors of the American Civil War Historical reenactment is an activity in which participants recreate some aspects of a historical event or period. ...

The battlefield is on the Olustee Battlefield Historic Site, which is a part of the Florida State Park system as well as being located within the Osceola National Forest, on U.S. 90. Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is a Florida State Park in the Osceola National Forest, near the town of Olustee. ... Osceola National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located in Florida. ... U.S. Route 90 is an east-west United States highway. ...

Battle of Olustee      Confederate      Union

The lithograph in the upper right was printed by the firm of Kurz and Allison in 1894. It depicts soldiers of the 8th U.S. Colored Troops advancing against Confederate entrenchments. While frequently used in media about the Battle of Olustee, it is inaccurate as the artist knew little about the battle. The Confederates troops during the battle were well in advance of their prepared positions, and neither side fought from behind fortifications as the battle took place in a pine forest (see map lower left). Plus, there were very few large cleared areas (as also shown incorrectly in the lithograph). The annual reenactment begins in a pine forest so that reenactors can experience fighting as the soldiers did in 1864. However, it then moves into a large cleared area so that spectators can also view the battle. Image File history File links Olustee. ... Image File history File links Olustee. ...

See also

• Olustee Union order of battle
• Olustee Confederate order of battle

The following Union Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Olustee of the American Civil War. ... The following Confederate States Army units and commanders fought in the Battle of Olustee of the American Civil War. ...

References

• National Park Service battle description

External links

• Battle of Olustee Award winning Web site
• Perry's Saints at the Battle of Olustee
• Olustee Battle Festival
• Baker County listings at National Register of Historic Places
• Baker County listings at Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs