By late summer of 1864, Northwest
Florida had grown tired of war. The
Union navy had bottled up the
coastline for more than two years and
even blockade running was at a
virtual standstill. Pensacola was in
Federal hands and hundreds, if not
thousands, of deserters from both
armies were hiding out in the
swamps along the Choctahwatchee
and Chipola Rivers.
With the exception of early fighting
around Pensacola and some
skirmishes along the coast, the area
had been spared actual combat. The
risk, however, was growing. The
arrival in Pensacola of an aggressive
cavalry commander - Brig. Gen.
Alexander Asboth - signaled the
beginning of a new phase of warfare
in the region.
Asboth's assignment to command of
the Federal troops in Northwest
Florida coincided roughly with Gen.
William T. Sherman's march through
Georgia and matched the timing of a
general increase in aggressive action
by Federal forces throughout the
South.
The general's immediate priority was
the development of a suitable strike
force for incursions against Southern
forces in his area of responsibility. He
sought, and received, permission to
begin enlisting "disaffected
Southerners" into a new Federal
regiment, the 1st Florida U.S. Cavalry.
Enrollment for the regiment began in
December of 1863 and it slowly came
up to strength over the first six months
of 1864. The men were not
immediately given firearms but were
drilled regularly and used for scouting
and recruiting expeditions behind
Confederate lines.
In late summer these men were
augmented by the arrival of the 2nd
Maine Cavalry, a newly formed unit.
The term "newly formed" is a bit
deceptive in describing the 2nd
Maine. The regiment was composed
almost entirely of veterans who had
already served one or more
enlistments in the Union army. They
were led by an aggressive and
experienced set of officers.
Florida had grown tired of war. The
Union navy had bottled up the
coastline for more than two years and
even blockade running was at a
virtual standstill. Pensacola was in
Federal hands and hundreds, if not
thousands, of deserters from both
armies were hiding out in the
swamps along the Choctahwatchee
and Chipola Rivers.
With the exception of early fighting
around Pensacola and some
skirmishes along the coast, the area
had been spared actual combat. The
risk, however, was growing. The
arrival in Pensacola of an aggressive
cavalry commander - Brig. Gen.
Alexander Asboth - signaled the
beginning of a new phase of warfare
in the region.
Asboth's assignment to command of
the Federal troops in Northwest
Florida coincided roughly with Gen.
William T. Sherman's march through
Georgia and matched the timing of a
general increase in aggressive action
by Federal forces throughout the
South.
The general's immediate priority was
the development of a suitable strike
force for incursions against Southern
forces in his area of responsibility. He
sought, and received, permission to
begin enlisting "disaffected
Southerners" into a new Federal
regiment, the 1st Florida U.S. Cavalry.
Enrollment for the regiment began in
December of 1863 and it slowly came
up to strength over the first six months
of 1864. The men were not
immediately given firearms but were
drilled regularly and used for scouting
and recruiting expeditions behind
Confederate lines.
In late summer these men were
augmented by the arrival of the 2nd
Maine Cavalry, a newly formed unit.
The term "newly formed" is a bit
deceptive in describing the 2nd
Maine. The regiment was composed
almost entirely of veterans who had
already served one or more
enlistments in the Union army. They
were led by an aggressive and
experienced set of officers.
The Battle of Marianna, Florida
Northwest Florida 1864
Northwest Florida 1864
Northwest Florida 1864
All material on this site Copyright 2005 by Dale A. Cox.
| Battle of Marianna Little Known Fact |
| St. Luke's Episcopal Church Scene of the Battle of Marianna |
Well aware of these developments and
facing a critical shortage of manpower
(most local men of fighting age were
already at the fronts in Georgia and
Virginia), Confederate authorities in Florida
began the recruitment of two key state
defense forces. The first of these, the 5th
Florida Cavalry, was a battalion strength
unit that was spread out across the
northern half of the state to watch Union
movements and guard against deserter
raids and minor incursions. The second
unit, the 1st Florida Reserves, was
organized in the spring of 1864 and
intended to be a trained "minuteman" type
organization. Most of its members,
however, wound up serving regular duty.
As the summer of 1864 progressed, a
worried Governor John Milton summoned
every able-bodied man and boy into local
"homeguard" units. A number of these
were organized across Northwest Florida,
including four in Jackson County. They
were poorly armed and had little training,
but had at least mustered a time or two
before the Battle of Marianna.
To these men, ultimately, fell the defense of
their homes and firesides from Union
commanders and soldiers who were just
as dedicated to ending the war and - for the
most part - going home themselves.
By the summer of 1864, the units west of
the Apalachicola River, including the
training camp and post at Marianna, were
under the command of Col. A.B.
Montgomery. A veteran of the U.S. Army,
Montgomery had commanded the 3rd
Georgia Infantry at Second Manassas, and
- despite legend to the contrary - was an
experienced officer. He faced, however, a
critical shortage of both equipment and
manpower.
facing a critical shortage of manpower
(most local men of fighting age were
already at the fronts in Georgia and
Virginia), Confederate authorities in Florida
began the recruitment of two key state
defense forces. The first of these, the 5th
Florida Cavalry, was a battalion strength
unit that was spread out across the
northern half of the state to watch Union
movements and guard against deserter
raids and minor incursions. The second
unit, the 1st Florida Reserves, was
organized in the spring of 1864 and
intended to be a trained "minuteman" type
organization. Most of its members,
however, wound up serving regular duty.
As the summer of 1864 progressed, a
worried Governor John Milton summoned
every able-bodied man and boy into local
"homeguard" units. A number of these
were organized across Northwest Florida,
including four in Jackson County. They
were poorly armed and had little training,
but had at least mustered a time or two
before the Battle of Marianna.
To these men, ultimately, fell the defense of
their homes and firesides from Union
commanders and soldiers who were just
as dedicated to ending the war and - for the
most part - going home themselves.
By the summer of 1864, the units west of
the Apalachicola River, including the
training camp and post at Marianna, were
under the command of Col. A.B.
Montgomery. A veteran of the U.S. Army,
Montgomery had commanded the 3rd
Georgia Infantry at Second Manassas, and
- despite legend to the contrary - was an
experienced officer. He faced, however, a
critical shortage of both equipment and
manpower.
 | |  | |  |
Sylvania, the home of Florida
Confederate Governor John
Milton, stood just outside
Marianna. Local legend holds
that Milton was in Marianna
on the morning of the Battle
of Marianna and assisted in
organizing the local citizens
to defend the town. His
official records, however,
show that he was in
Tallahassee at the time. The
confusion probably originated
many years later when local
residents recalled an earlier
visit by the governor to help
organize the homeguard.
Confederate Governor John
Milton, stood just outside
Marianna. Local legend holds
that Milton was in Marianna
on the morning of the Battle
of Marianna and assisted in
organizing the local citizens
to defend the town. His
official records, however,
show that he was in
Tallahassee at the time. The
confusion probably originated
many years later when local
residents recalled an earlier
visit by the governor to help
organize the homeguard.
| Books by Dale Cox |
| The History of Florida's Forgotten Civil War Battle |
$19.95
| The Battle of Marianna, Florida |
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