Book Review: The Civil War Navy in Florida

Mattson, Robert A. The Civil War Navy in Florida. Self published, Palatka, FL. 2014. 194 pages, 161 pages of text. 2 appendices, bibliography, index. B/w photos. ISBN 9780692258743, $18.99.


The Civil War in Florida is an area that is starting to receive more and more interest. In the past few years there have been several major academic works to be published including those by Zach Waters and also by Jonathan Sheppard. I have made my own small contribution to the literature on the state during the war. Historians often find source material thin and many times interest low. "Oh, nothing happened there" is often heard.

An area that has been often ignored is the role of the Navy, both Union and Confederate, during the War. George Buker has written a very good book but it deals strictly with the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Living historian and blogger Rob Mattson has written a book that helps fill in some of the gaps.

The book starts out with a chapter outlining Civil War navies including a look at the major players, a listing of ranks and a discussion about integration in the US Navy; 16% of enlisted sailors were black according to Mattson. The second chapter gives a general overview of the Navies at the start of the war and their role in Florida. The Confederates really had none while the Union was taking over major ports and yards while attempting to impose a blockade.

The next four chapters discuss various geographic points in Florida and the actions that took place there: the Panhandle, Northeast, South and Tampa Bay. These chapters generally run chronologically. The final chapter covers 1865 and Mattson's concluding thoughts.

The book concludes with an appendix covering the major ships including type, dimensions and known armaments. This information is compiled from the ORN. A second appendix covers historical sites associated with the Navies that can be visited. The bibliography is broken down by books, articles and web resources.

As with many self published (and for that matter traditionally published) books there are some editing issues. On page 11 James McPherson is referred to as Bruce McPherson. Later on the Union ship Ethan Allen is spelled both Ethan and Ethen. These are really minor quibbles in an otherwise fine book.

While certainly not the final word on naval actions in the state of Florida this is a very good start and one that anybody studying the subject, or Florida in the War, should considering owning.

By way of full disclosure: Mr. Mattson has provided a review copy of this book and will also be speaking at the museum where I am employed.

Book Review-Central Florida's Civil War Veterans

Grenier, Bob. Central Florida's Civil War Veterans (Images of America Series). Charleston, Arcadia Publishing. 2014. 128 pages, b/w photos. ISBN 9781467112024, $21.99.


The state of Florida has been receiving it's due lately with several excellent books coming out dealing with the state's role in the Civil War. Now, from Arcadia Publishing, author Bob Grenier brings us a large collection of photos dealing with Civil War veterans, both Union and Confederate, from the Central Florida area.


In 10 chapters broken down by county, Grenier gives readers soldiers, locations and reenactors. As might be expected there are very few photos of actual Florida soldiers in uniform. If you have done Florida Civil War research you will understand why.


There is a nice mix of Union and Confederate men pictured. Many former Union soldiers retired to Florida. Many were also businessmen who saw the potential of the sparsely populated state, Cities like Haines City, Sanford, Hawk's Park (now Edgewater), Zellwood and others were named for those who fought during the war. African-Americans and women are also represented in the book.


I took particular interest in the chapter on Volusia County seeing that I live in this county. This was nicely done and had several photographs dealing with William Rowlinski, a Russian immigrant who served in the 24th SC Infantry before becoming a lighthouse keeper later in life. He was the first principal keeper of the Ponce Inlet lighthouse (called Mosquito Inlet at the time). I was also interested in anything that might deal with St. John's county area since I have written on St. Augustine and the war. I was not shocked to see a reference to the three Sanchez sisters. Their story of being spies for the Confederacy and warning Capt. J. J. Dickison about a Union raid often stretches the limits of reality. I did not include the story in my book because I couldn't find what I considered strong enough evidence to back the story. That being said however, this is a story that is burned into the mythology of Florida's war efforts and the sisters are often looked at as heroes. I imagine there is some truth to the story but as it is often told the plausibility of it just doesn't add up.


As with many books in the Images of America series there are inconsistancies in the quality of the photos. Many are quite grainy or damaged so it's easy to see that Mr. Grenier did the best he could with the limited source material available. Most photos however are quite nice and overall this is not a quibble just an observation.


For anybody interested in the role of Florida in the Civil War or how the state was impacted post-war this is a volume I can highly recommend. Overall, the photos are nice with a strong variety and the captions read well. There are no notes or bibliography but each photo lists where it is from allowing those interested to follow up if they would like.

St. Johns County Confederate Burial #2 William Dominique Ashton

William Dominique Ashton  Florida Conscripts


William Dominique Ashton was born some time around 1830 in Florida . The records are not completely clear but this gives a very good estimate that is in between the dates found. He was the son of John and Susan Ashton.


By 1860 William was married and he and his wife Mary had started a family. The 1860 census shows them having four children. Also in the home was William's younger brother, Samuel. William worked as a farmer and appears to have been a successful one. He owned $500 worth of real estate and had personal property worth $4,400. This personal property included four slaves; 3 males and a female. The war was not kind to the Ashton family and by 1870 his worth had dropped to a combined $800; less than 20% of his pre-war wealth. His family continued to grow however and the 1870 census showed he and Mary had nine children. The war could not have been far from the family mind when in 1867 they named a son Robert Lee Ashton. The year 1880 saw the family continue to grow and by this time there were at least 13 children though several had left home to start their own lives.


William was not to live much longer; passing away on June 8, 1887. William is buried in Sanksville Cemetery. The approximate GPS coordinates for his burial location are N 29.54.959 W 081.31.607 . His grave is marked with a Confederate headstone. It does not appear that his wife ever filed for a widows pension in the state of Florida so little is known about the family at this point.




William served a very short time as a Private in the Florida Conscripts. It appears he was a member of the Florida Conscripts and was mustered in to service on September 27, 1862. He was discharged for disability in December 1862. His military records show he was 5' 7" with blue eyes, light skin and sandy hair.

Did the Florida Civil War Governor Commit Suicide or Not?

Dale Cox over at the Civil War Florida blog has posted what he considers evidence that Florida governor John Milton did not commit suicide. Read his full post here. This of course flies in the face of nearly 150 years of belief that Milton killed himself in the face of certain Union victory.


Cox's claim that Milton was dead before the fall of Richmond is true but of little importance in the debate in my opinion. It was clear by April 1, 1865 that the war was over for the Confederacy. It was only a formality and waiting for generals to surrender their armies. I would find it hard to believe that Milton thought the war effort would continue long. The inaccuracies in reporting can be explained away several ways. Perhaps editors didn't hear of this news until after the fall of Richmond and thus made an assumption (perhaps a logical one) that Milton killed himself after hearing the bad news. It is also possible that reports were written this way in order to sell newspapers. Journalistic sensationalism didn't start in the 20th century.


The Milton family has for years proclaimed John Milton's death to have been an accident. Their claim is that he was gathering his rifle to go bird hunting and when he accidently dropped it the rifle went off killing him instantly. This is certainly a plausible story and similar accidental shootings have happened hundreds of times since Milton's death.


As Cox shows in his post an article in a local Florida newspaper confirms the accidental death story. The story in the April 3, 1865 West Florida News says: A TRAGIC ACCIDENT!Gov. Milton has been killed by the accidental discharge of a gun. The Governor was in his home when he retrieved a shot gun in expectation of an expedition to shoot birds. The gun discharged and the Governor was killed.


For Cox this account and the oral history told by family confirm for him that the death was accidental and not suicide. He further bolsters his belief by stating that Milton could not have been buried St. Luke's Episcopal Church Cemetery had his death been by suicide.


Maybe!


Here are my issues with this theory. Family lore and oral history always have to be taken with a grain of salt. No family wants to have the stigma of suicide attached to them. This would particularly be true for a prominent family such as that of Milton. It would certainly be more honorable in the eyes of the family to proclaim that the death was an accident while preparing to go hunting. In addition, any concerns regarding where the governor could be buried would be set aside by proclaiming the shooting to be an accident. There appear to have been no other "witnesses" to this event other than Major William Milton, the son of John. His claim certainly should be questioned. My concern regarding the Florida newspaper article stems from the same concern. Was this a story planted by the family in order to save face? You can't brush aside the death of the governor of the state. It appears that no other news outlets picked up this accidental death story instead. Now of course newspapers in the Confederate states were nowhere near as common as those in the Union states. That COULD explain part of the fact that the accidental death story didn't take hold as opposed to the suicide story.


I don't think there will ever be a definitive answer on the death of John Milton. Supporters on both sides can point to evidence and make their case. What is known is that in the days leading up to the end of the war Florida governor John Milton died under what can be considered mysterious circumstances. For those who now study the war they will have to determine for themselves what they believe.


Some sites such as the NPS give the death of Milton little coverage and do not dip into the controversy. Ridgeway Body Murphee in his Ph.D. Dissertation, discussing the leadership of Milton and Joseph Brown of Georgia, covers the controversy slightly but does not take a definitive stand either way. An online tribute to Milton and some genealogical information can be found here. A search of online book sites does not turn up a biography of John Milton.


*I have tried to load a photo of John Milton but for some reason Blogger is not letting me add photos. Please click here to be taken to the Florida State Archives page and see a portrait of Milton.

What to Do with Extra Research

While doing research for my book, St. Augustine and the Civil War, I came up with a good amount of information that didn't get included for whatever reason. I have been trying to figure out what to do with it and have decided to use some of it here.

One of the things my wife and I did was to document all known Confederate graves in St. John's County. Using a list from the Sons of Confederate Veterans we photographed all the known burials and recorded GPS coordinates. This information was not included in the book mostly due to space constraints. In addition, is that list something a book buyer is interested in spending money on. So the photos are now sitting on my hard drive and the coordinates sit in a folder. It's time to start doing something with them.

I am going to do some very basic research on these men and report the findings here. With few exceptions these men were privates. There are no high ranking officers (we're not going to include William Loring here). Chances are there is not going to be a large amount to be found about these men. It is also unlikely there will be photos of the men but we just never know. No matter what I can find they do deserve a level of recognition and I am going to try and do that.
If you have a Confederate relative buried in St. John's County please feel free to get in touch. I would love to see what information you have and if you are willing then share it with others.

Book Review--The Beacon of Mosquito Inlet: A History of the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse

Taylor, Thomas W. The Beacon of Mosquito Inlet: A History of the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. Allandale: Self Published, 1993. Bibliography, b/w photos. 53 pages. ISBN 9781885853004.


   Lighthouses have continued to hold the interest of a large number of Americans. Just look at the number of items available for sale with lighthouse images on them. The image doesn't even have to be a real lighthouse to make it sell.


In The Beacon of Mosquito Inlet, author Thomas W. Taylor gives a very brief introductory history to the tallest lighthouse in the state of Florida. Brevity is both a blessing and a curse.


The brevity of the book is a blessing in that it can be easily read in one sitting. For those looking for just a brief primer on the lighthouse this is perfect. There is not a large amount of detail to bog a reader down. There are some photos included with quality varying probably due to the original. I think this brevity is the goal of the book and if so it succeeds.


For those looking for more in-depth information however this is not going to satisfy. While the "killer inlet" legend is discussed there is more to be told and the stories included could have been told in more depth. The first lighthouse from the 1830s receives a brief discussion. The building of the current tower is covered but again there could have been more. I would have liked to know more about the keepers. There is a nice listing of keepers and assistant keepers that I found to be valuable but more information on these men would have been appreciated. The daily life and chores of keepers receive brief mention but a discussion of these chores and the isolated life that the keepers led early in the lighthouse's history should have been included. The lives of children receive mention but again the history of these youngsters would have put a lot of insight into what it was like to live the life of a keeper and family. A more technical covering of the types of lights should have been included. The electrification of the tower and the effects of it are only glanced at as is the importance of the tower during World War II. The story of the tower being reactivated seems to have needed a more in depth discussion.


For what it is this booklet covers the basics. I doubt many readers, including many who say they are interested in lighthouses, would be looking for too much more. There is however a segment of the market that would appreciate an updated and more in depth treatment of this Volusia County landmark. From what I have found this may be the only work on the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse around. As for availability it is a bit tough to find and does not appear on the website for the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse. If you live in Volusia County check your local library or request it through inter-library loan.

St. Augustine and the Civil War is Now a Reality

Many of you know that I have written a book, St. Augustine and the Civil War, that is being published by The History Press. Well, the wait is over. I received my shipment of books today and I couldn't be happier.


The book finished at 172 pages including end notes, bibliography, and index. The book is fully illustrated with b/w photos. There is a terrific map by master cartographer Steven Stanley, who is famous for creating maps for the Civil War Trust.


The book is available through Amazon both in print and for Kindle, at Barnes and Noble in both print and Nook, Books a Million, and no doubt other online outlets. In Florida, the History Press is working to get the book into as many locations as possible. I also have copies of the book available for purchase. Please use the Paypal button on the right hand side of the screen or click on the tab at the top for more information.


Please consider clicking the link above and "liking" my Facebook page for the book. Here you will be able to keep up with any events associated with the book and also I will be posting information and photos relevant to the story.


Thanks to everybody for your support and I hope you enjoy the book!

Lecture Dealing with St. Augustine National Cemetery

The Veterans' Council of St. Johns County and The St. Augustine 450th  Military Commemoration Committee

 is proud to announce a

Presentation by LTC. ret. Gregory A. Moore, Florida National Guard Command Historian:

The National Cemetery at St. Augustine - A Testament to Military History and Heroes

 

Tuesday, 19 November, at 7 PM

 

In the Ringhaver Student Center , Virginia Room , at Flagler College

 

Public Invited - Free Program

 

Colonel Moore will be drawing from his newly published book

Sacred Ground: The Military Cemetery at St. Augustine , the Nation’s oldest, and copies will be available after his talk for purchase and signature by the author. Call  823-0696 for questions.

Gregory A. Moore

 

Biographical Data: Lt. Col (Ret.) Gregory A. Moore

Gregory A,  Moore ( B.A. , U.S.  Military Academy , 1974: J.D., University  of Notre Dame Law School , 1982) is Command Historian of the Florida National Guard, where he has served since June 5, 2001. In addition to his responsibilities of preserving the history and traditions of the  Florida National Guard he is tasked with  educating members of the public, as well as the organization, about  that history through publications of monograms, maintenance and operation of the St. Francis Barracks Museum, and guided tours of the  Barracks and Post of St. Augustine, to include the national Cemetery. Over the years, Colonel Moore has served as a board member or trustee of a number of historically-oriented organizations, to include the Seminole Wars Foundation, St. Augustine  Historical Society and Fort Mose Historical Society. His paper, "The 1702 Siege of St. Augustine: English Miscalculation of Spanish  Good  Fortune," was read at the symposium, "Firestone and Ashes: the Siege of 1702," sponsored by the St. Augustine Historical Society, and appeared in El Escribano in 2002.

Lecture on Forgotten Cemeteries in St. Augustine

Tolomato Talk 2013

Forgotten  Graveyards: St. Augustine's Buried Cemeteries

The Tolomato CemeteryPreservation Association is sponsoring a talk by Dr. Kathleen Deagan on the hidden First Spanish Period cemeteries of St Augustine. The event will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2013 at 3:00 pm at the Bishop Baker Center, located on the grounds of the Cathedral Parish School at 259 St George St. (between Bridge and St Francis Streets) in St Augustine.

The cemeteries that are still visible in St. Augustine are only the most recent chapter in the history of the town's reverence for the deceased. Less well-know are the many hidden graveyards from St. Augustine's First Spanish Period (1565-1763) that have been largely forgotten and obscured by development over the centuries.   At least six of these cemeteries have been located and studied by archaeologists and bioarchaeologists, and Dr. Deagan's presentation will focus on what we have learned from their work over the past 75 years.

Bishop Augustin Verot is buried in the
center walkway of Tolomato Cemetery.
Courtesy Robert Redd

Dr. Kathleen Deagan is an historical archaeologist who is currently the Distinguished Research Curator of Archaeology Emerita and the Lockwood Professor of Florida and Caribbean Archaeology at the University of Florida's Florida Museum of Natural History.  She has taught at the University of Florida since 1982 and is the author of more than 70 publications, most of them relating to early Spanish settlement of the Caribbean. Dr. Deagan was awarded the J.C. Harrington Medal for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement by the Society for Historical Archaeology in 2003, and in 2006 she received the "Order of La Florida," awarded by the city of St. Augustine.

The event is free of charge and on-site parking is available.

For further information, pleases contact board@tolomatocemetery.com.

Robert E. Lee Monument in Florida Has Been Upgraded

Again, information from a Florida Sons of Confederate Veterans group regarding some work done on a Robert E. Lee monument.

Robert E. Lee Monument Gets a New Look

Tuesday April 30, 2013, the Robert E. Lee Monument in downtown Fort Myers, had a decorative fence installed on its base. The Major William M. Footman Camp #1950 Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy Chapter #2614, both of Fort Myers, made this project a priority. The Monument had received damage to its base due to skateboarders, and they felt it necessary to take steps to do something to protect the Monument. Representatives of both organizations, Shellie Weber of the UDC & Tom Fyock of the SCV, met with the Fort Myers Public Arts Committee and proposed a plan to install a fence to protect the Monument. After submitting drawings of the proposed fence, the Public Arts Committee gave their approval and support. Barry Crumpler, of Gulf Coast Metal Works of Cape Coral, was contacted and he graciously agreed to provide the material, labor, and installation of the fence at no cost. Barry Crumpler & Nick Smith did the installation work, and the Monument now looks better than it ever has. The fence makes the Monument stand out like never before. Without their dedication and hard work, this project could not have been completed. Thank you just does not seem sufficient, for the effort and work that they put forth. I’m sure that General Lee is looking down and smiling, and very happy that the people of the County that bears his name, still care about this great gentleman and continue to honor his life.

T.M. Fyock-Adjutant

Major William M. Footman Camp #1950

Sons of Confederate Veterans

Civil War event in Tavares, Florida

I received this through email from my local SCV Camp Commander. Here is a link to the brand new Facebook page. Hopefully it will be updated soon with more information.

 

 

 

 

Press Release--The Reckoning: Saga of a Civil War Blockade Runner

Thanks to author Bob Larranaga for sending along a nicely signed copy of his new work of fiction The Reckoning: Saga of a civil war blockade runner . Recently published through the Createspace platform the book has received a couple of nice comments already and looks like it would be a book that anybody interested in adventure fiction would enjoy.

"Ex-soldier Ed Canfield is haunted by what he did in the Mexican American War. When the Civil War erupts, he bars his son from joining the Confederate army. But an attack by a Union gunboat forces them deep into the Everglades where Yellow Fever strikes their refugee camp. In a race against time, Ed runs the Union blockade for the medicine needed to save the refugees. In his absence, renegade rebels take Ed's love ones hostage. Saving them will test Ed's soldier's heart to the core."

Mr. Larranaga has a website for his book that you may visit, just click here. The site is nicely done and includes biographical information, book club ideas, a contest, links, and more. Please take a minute to have a look.

For those who are Amazon Prime members you may borrow the book for free from the Amazon Kindle Lending Library.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Suggestions

In recognition of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday I have a couple of book suggestions for those interested.

Many of you will already know I am working on a book dealing with St. Augustine, FL and the American Civil War. Did you know that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has a direct tie in with St. Augustine? It's true and there are couple of very good books out there on the subject.



Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Monson
Motor Lodge owner Jimmy Brock. 1964.

In 1963 the local F. W. Woolworth was the scene of a sit-in where over 20 protesters were arrested. Protests and counter protests grew to be common place and racially charged violence became the norm. The year 1964 was to be the kick off of the 400th anniversary of the city. When black leaders were excluded from the kick off event the city became a target for protests by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and even included visits from Dr. King himself. Dr. King was arrested while trying integrate the whites only Monson Motor Lodge on June 11, 1964. This was the only time he was arrested in the state. On a closely related note: The Monson Motor Lodge was torn down in 2003 to make room for the large Hilton St. Augustine Historic Bayfront facing Matanzas Bay. This is really a loss but not completely unexpected in a city that while it thrives on history has allowed much history to fall to the bulldozer.



The St. Augustine Foot Soldiers
Monument, located in the
Plaza De La Constitucion

In May 2011 the St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Monument was unveiled. Weighing over 8,000 pounds the bronze and coquina sculpture pays tribute to those who bravely marched during the hot summer of 1964. The four faces are not of specific individuals but rather are meant to portray the average marcher including both black and white, young and old. Sculptor Brian R. Owens created the main sculpture and Enzo Torcoletti designed the base.


Recommended reading on the subject includes Racial Change and Community Crisis: St. Augustine, Florida, 1877-1980 (Florida Sand Dollar Books) written by noted Florida historian David Colburn. While the title of the book suggests a much broader time frame the books focus is mostly on the period of the 1960's. Despite being twenty years old this is really the go-to work on the subject.

Attorney Dan Warren was appointed as the governor's representative in St. Augustine during this struggle. In If It Takes All Summer: Martin Luther King, the KKK, and States' Rights in St. Augustine, 1964 Warren recounts his own story of helping to crack down on the KKK and local leaders who stymied and stonewalled the rights of black citizens. I have read only bits but this looks to be an interesting first hand account of the time.

Author David Garrow has edited a book titled St. Augustine, Florida, 1963-1964: Mass Protest and Racial Violence (Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement, Vol 10). I don't know anything about this book however. Dr. Garrow has written widely on the Civil Rights movement so I would expect this to be a worthy contribution.

The Florida Legislature also had investigations done and these were published in 1965 as Racial and Civil Disorders in St. Augustine : Report of the Legislative Investigation Committee. Further information is available on the Florida Division of Library and Information Services website. Again, I have not seen a copy of this report.

For further information be sure to visit the Accord Freedom Trail website.

St. Augustine Slave Market Postcard with Racist Message on Back

Many of you will know I am working on a book dealing with St. Augustine, FL and the place/role of the city in the Civil War. I'm always on the lookout for photos I can use in the book. During a brief weekend shopping trip in St. Augustine to the outlet malls we went into the old city for a bit and wandered through some antique shops just to see what was there. 

I managed to come across a nice postcard from the 1930's of the "Old Slave Market". Now there is of course plenty of discussion to be found as to whether the structure was truly a slave market and some background history may be in order here.

St. Augustine was never a slave selling city in the way New Orleans or Charleston were. However there is documentary evidence showing that slaves were in fact sold in the city and that the market house area was used for auctions of humans. Historian David Nolan has uncovered advertisements such as this estate sale from 1834: "at the market House in the City of St. Augustine...A very prime gang of 30 Negroes, accustomed to the culture of sugar and cotton." He also provides evidence that the market was used as a place of public punishment for slaves as in 1840 slave Peter was "to receive fifteen lashes, in the market, on his bare back."

While Mr. Nolan does show that the "market" was used for the sale of slaves it is perhaps a bit dramatic to call it a "slave market". This term implies that was the major focus and that slave sales were a regular event. I have not seen evidence of such. The market was regularly used for the sale of meats and vegetables however. To not acknowledge the slave owning history of the city however does a disservice to the legacy of these men and women and also distorts history rather than face truth.

W. J. Harris
Photo: drbronsontours.com

One of the main origins of the term "slave market" can be traced to photographer W. J. Harris. Harris was born in England in 1868 and immigrated to the United States in 1870 with his family. His early years were spent in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Around 1890 he began his career as a photographer. In the late 1890's he moved to St. Augustine opening Acme View Company which was located near the city gates on St. George St. Here he sold prints and postcards.  Perhaps his most famous card depicted the "old slave market"; a term which has stuck. In a later release of the card he included the following line on the reverse: "The old slave market in the east end of the Plaza is an interesting landmark of antebellum days. Called "slave market" by an enterprising photographer to make his picture sell." The Harris postcard is pictured below.

 State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/163473

NOW back to the main part of the story. The postcard I discovered features "The Old Slave Market" on the front. What is most interesting about the card however is the inscription on the back.

Written July 10, 1939, postmarked in Miami Beach, FL, and being sent to Cleveland, OH the inscription reads: "We are wishing we had the skins of some of the slaves. It would be a little easier on us. Have done very little but loll & laze around. We are leaving Tuesday night for Havana. DZ & AH."  I was amazed but had to remember this was from a different time. For $4 I couldn't leave it.  Please see the scans of the front and back of the card below and make your own opinion .



Courtesy Christina and Robert Redd collection

Courtesy Christina and Robert Redd collection

UCV 1914 Reunion Video Available

Hemming Park in Downtown Jacksonville
illuminated for the 1914 UCV Reunion.
Photo from Kirby-Smith Camp 1209 website.

I personally have not seen this DVD but I came across this information today while doing research for my book.  The  Kirby-Smith Camp 1209 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans is offering a DVD copy of the 1914 United Confederate Veterans Convention that was held in Jacksonville, FL. This is a silent film that has been transferred from newsreel film. I would imagine the quality is not the highest but it's only $13 and all funds go toward the camp's historical marker program.

The direct page for information on this DVD is here.

Thanksgiving 1864 St. Augustine, FL

While researching my book on St. Augustine during the Civil War I came across this short Thanksgiving remembrance. Written by Captain Albert W. Peck 17th Connecticut Co. D I think it shows the difficulties often faced by soldiers and their ingenuity in solving problems.

I remember Thanksgiving Day we had no meat for dinner so I took my gun and went up the river a mile or so and killed six nice ducks and I brought them home and our cook had them picked and roasted for dinner and we had a grand dinner.*

 

Albert Peck was born on February 7, 1838 in Bridgeport, Connecticut to Jabez and Henriette Peck. According to the 1850 United States Census he had two sisters and a brother. By 1860 he was living as a boarder in the home of Anna Banks. He was employed as a clerk and had personal property worth $300.

Peck enrolled in the 17th Connecticut Company D. According to the NPS Soldiers and Sailors website Peck enlisted as a First Sergeant in 1862. The 17th took part in battles at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. They also took part in siege operations against Fort Wagner and Fort Sumter. They were later transferred to duty in Florida serving  the remainder of 1864 and part of 1865 in the Jacksonville and St. Augustine area. The regiment six officers and 122 enlisted men die to either wounds or disease during the war. Peck was mustered out of service on July 19, 1865 at Hilton Head, South Carolina as a 1st Lieutenant.



Headstone for Albert
and Louisa Peck located
in Newton Village
Cemetery.
Photo Courtesy TomKat
on Findagrave.com.

 By 1870 Albert Peck was working at a merchant in Newton, CT. He was married to a woman named Louisa Booth and had a three year old son named Robert. His personal estate totaled over $5,100. In 1880 Peck was working as a farmer, a job he would hold until after 1900. During this time he and Louisa had two more sons, Charles and Albert Jr, and a daughter, Grace. It can be assumed that the Peck family was doing well financially as both the 1880 and 1900 Census list them as having live in servants.

Louisa passed away on July 24, 1905. The widower Albert and his youngest son Albert Jr. became boarders living with the Hiltbrand family in Newton, CT. The Hiltbrand family operated a dairy farm. Albert Sr. passed away on April 7, 1918. He is buried in Newton Village Cemetery in Newton, CT.

*Source: Peck, Albert W. Civil War Reminiscences 1862-1865. State Library and Archives of Florida, Tallahassee, FL.

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Rededication of the Olustee Battlefield Monument

 

Rededication of

The Confederate Monument at Olustee

October 13, 2012, 11 a.m. at the Olustee Battlefield State Park

On February 20, 1864, as Union troops stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, continued their march westward to capture the capital at Tallahassee, they were met near the small town of Olustee by Florida’s General Joseph Finnegan and his Confederate troops. The resulting battle was a great win for the Confederate troops. The Battle of Olustee (Southern name) or Ocean Pond (Northern Name) was the largest battle fought in Florida.

 

In 1897 the Florida Division of the UDC began raising funds to place a monument on the battlefield. The Florida legislature voted to spend $2,500 towards the construction of the monument. On October 23, 1912 (100 years ago) the monument was dedicated on the battlefield site. The monument faces south. 

 

The Battle of Olustee was fought on this ground February, 20^th, 1864 between 5,000 Confederate troops commanded by Joseph E. Finnegan and 6,000 Federal troops under General Truman Seymore. The Federals were defeated with 2,000 casualties. The confederate loss was less than 1,000 men.

Please Join the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 11 a.m. for the Rededication of the Confederate Monument that was originally dedicated 100 years ago.

Dinner on the Grounds (covered dish) will follow after the Rededication program.

“Departed, but Not Forgotten!”

FOR FUTHER INFORMATION CALL: Commander Larry Rosenblatt @ 904-993-5019 or rlrosenblatt@comcast.net via Internet.

Book Review: The Houses of St. Augustine

Nolan, David, Jean Ellen Fitzpatrick, and Ken Barrett Jr. The Houses of St. Augustine . Pineapple Press, Sarasota, FL. 1995. 102 pages, index, bibliography, color photos and illustrations. ISBN 9781561640690 $24.95.


Founded in the mid 1500's the city of St. Augustine, FL is heralded as the oldest continually inhabited city in the nation. It has survived several changes in "ownership", war and peace, boom and bust, and progress and preservation. The architecture of the city is a testament to these changes and author David Nolan along with artist Jean Ellen Fitzpatrick and photographer Ken Barrett, Jr. take us on an educational, fun, and at times moving tour of the city.

What we have here is part travel guide, part art/photography book, and part history. This slim and handsome volume melds the three together well. The chapters are broken into seven time frames each of which contains a descriptive essay and many photos of houses corresponding to the essay. Each photo includes a description some of which are in more depth than others.

Like most cities with a historical significance St. Augustine can boast of houses with a wide variety of influences. The Victorian era includes houses with towers and turrets features seldom, if ever, used in building today. The late 19th century brought about an interest in the Moorish Revival style and St. Augustine is home to one of the largest collections of this Hispanic influenced style of building. The early part of the 20th century brought the Bungalow style house to the city and with modern stylings the condominium and subdivision have taken root.

Not all has been a historical preservation success however. As author David Nolan points out the city has been through what is called "preservation by bulldozer". In a rush to recreate historical looking buildings true historical homes and buildings have been lost. Nolan points out the example of the main tourist area, St. George St., that features many new buildings featuring the look, but not feel, of Spanish Colonial architecture. These buildings are the home to many t-shirt, souvenir, ghost tour, and other tourist related shops. Lest we feel that developers are the only ones destroying architecturally significant buildings. Flagler College has played a role as well having torn down a building known as "The Shingles". Built by impressionist painter Felix de Crano the home served as an artist haven before being used by a local hospital. Despite its significance as the last "shingle style" house in the city it was demolished in 1994.

While maybe a bit dated in feel this is a fascinating book for those interested in historic preservation and for those wanting to take a deeper look at our "Oldest City". A map, or maybe several, would be an improvement for this book. If you are wanting to take a walking tour to see some of these houses a map would make planning the journey a whole lot easier. The photo captions do include addresses so modern GPS makes finding the locations easy however.

A reminder: Most of the locations included in the book are private. Please respect the owners privacy!

Villa Zorayda Museum. A fine example
of Moorish Revival Architecture in
St. Augustine.

Book Review--Florida Civil War Blockades

Wynne, Nick and Joe Crankshaw. Florida Civil War Blockades: Battling for the Coast. The History Press, Charleston, SC. 2011. 126 pages, b/w photos. ISBN 9781609493400, $19.99.


While being the third state to secede from the Union, Florida played a fairly small and limited role in the Confederacy in terms of men. With a population of less than 75,000 free citizens the state contributed only around 15,000 soldiers. In addition, being removed from the major theatres of battle little fighting took place in the state. While this makes it appear that the state was an unimportant one that is hardly the case as authors Nick Wynn and Joe Crankshaw attempt to show in their new work discussing the Union blockade of Florida's coastline.

When the Union blockade of the Confederate coast was instituted in early 1861 it seems that little thought was given to how this was going to be carried out. The Union navy at the time consisted of less than 100 ships with only a dozen or so being ready and available to cover more than 3,000 miles of coast with half belonging to Florida. In addition to a lack of ships there was also the issue of supplying the blockaders with training, food and water, and medical supplies. In addition the 1856 Treaty of Paris, which stated that for a blockade to be legal it must be effective, was a concern. With the effectiveness of the blockade in question the Union had to be concerned about the Confederacy being granted European recognition.

Wynne and Crankshaw discuss the state by geographic region. On the east coast the Union established control at Jacksonville, Fernandina, and St. Augustine forcing blockade runners to use smaller ports such as New Smyrna. The problem with such small ports was theft. This was the case with a shipment of shoes and guns that arrived via the Kate in 1862. While some of the guns were recovered the majority of supplies vanished into the hands of locals or into the interior wilderness of the state.

The west coast of the state was led by the port at Tampa. Tampa Bay proved difficult to patrol due to the large entry way. This along with the Hillsboro River that emptied into the Bay made this an attractive target for blockade runners. Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda also became important for Confederates.

The final area of the state was the area between Cedar Key and Pensacola, probably the most heavily populated area of the state at the time. While both areas were controlled by Union forces small ports at places such as St. Andrews Bay and Apalachee Bay allowed a continued flow of supplies in and out of the state.

The Union blockade could point to other areas of success in addition to preventing transport of goods and supplies. Salt was a valuable commodity whose price rose considerably during the war. Saltworks were vulnerable to Union blockaders on several fronts. Many saltworks, which were located near the coast, were manned by slaves. Being close to the Atlantic or Gulf made saltworks prime targets of destruction for Union troops. Former slaves or "contraband" as they were known were dealt with in a couple of different ways. Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles had authorized using the contrabands as sailors if they could be useful. Most however were taken to collection points that would serve as prime recruiting grounds later in the war. By destroying two economic drivers at once the blockade helped further pinch and already cramped state.

So do Wynne and Crankshaw think the Union blockade was effective? In their own words "Yes and no." The blockade was leaky at best. Small ports allowed quick moving runners entry into the vast array of waterways leading to the interior of the state. Despite this however around 1,500 blockade runners were stopped. These shipments prevented much needed supplies from entering the state and being shipped over land northward. It also prevented outgoing freight that was bound for ports further north to supply troops or from going to overseas ports that could have provided much needed capital. The success in lowering the production of salt and stopping of fishing vessels put a crimp in the daily lives of many Floridians. Floridians also had to be concerned about the possibility of invading troops coming from blockaders. These factors help push the scales toward a Union success.

This is a quick reading book that provides a good introduction to the topic. It is however far from definitive. Due to space constraints the book does not contain an index, proper bibliography, or notes making it difficult for future researchers to use the book. There is a small essay of suggested reading but this is really of limited value. A few minor typos, including a wrong date of secession for South Carolina, would show a need for a further proof-reading. These issues aside if you are looking for an introduction to the subject this is a book that will fit your needs until a more complete coverage is released.

SCV Grave Marker Dedication

Program from the
event

On the morning of June 4 I had the honor to attend a grave marker dedication at Seville Cemetery sponsored by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The St. Johns Rangers Camp 1360 helped put on a nice presentation on what was becoming a quite warm morning. Being honored with a Veteran's Administration marker was 5th Sgt. James Gideon Poppell of Co. I 25th Georgia Volunteer Infantry. In attendance were descendants Margaret Wiltse Poppell, Beverly Margo Poppell, and Susan Poppell, along with family friend Andrea Lee Wade.

Sgt. Poppell's new headstone and his
original stone lying in front

Sgt. Poppell's wife, Nancy, filed for a Confederate Widow's Pension in the state of Florida. The information provided by this file shows some contradictions. According to the paperwork she submitted Poppell enlisted on August 1, 1861. She claims he was captured and was a prisoner of war at the conclusion of the war. The record provided by the War Department however shows differently. After enlisting, he was captured in November 1863. In October 1864 Poppell enlisted in Co. E 3rd US Volunteer Infantry and was assigned to frontier service. Based upon this information Mrs. Poppell's pension request was denied.

Commander Byron Peavy, Fifth Brigade
Commander FL Division SCV

Commander Peavy at Sgt. Poppell's
grave site.

Poppell family descendants at the grave site with the
new marker.

Sgt. Poppell's sword

*Photos, except for event program, are courtesy of Judy Delk and Byron Peavy.