One of our unofficial mission statements for our new lifestyle is to explore and visit the historic and interesting sites of whatever local area we find ourselves in. I don’t believe there’s any place where there’s not something new we can learn and often in the effort we discover things unexpected.
On February 20, 1864, a major Civil War
battle took place in the open pine woods
between Jacksonville and Lake City, Florida.A stunning Confederate victory, the Battle of
Olustee was the largest Civil War battle
fought in Florida and dashed Union dreams
of conquering the state in time for its
electoral votes to figure in the 1864
Presidential election.
Sounds like “House of Cards” strong arm politics were in play even back then.
The Battle of Olustee, also called Ocean Pond, was a fierce and deadly stand up fight that took place across hundreds of acres of open pine forest. The battlefield still remains mostly a pine forest looking much as it must have in 1864. With the terrain being generally flat and the local pines tall, slim and well spaced, I can only imagine how fluid, confusing and scary the roaming battle must have been amid flying cannon balls and bullets, the forest full of gunpowder smoke and the screams of the wounded and fallen which numbered about 3000 total.
The battle is recreated annually during February by Civil War reenactors. It’s our lost we didn’t learn about this earlier but then Maggie wouldn’t be good with the chaos of a battle.
Olustee Battlefield was the first Florida State Park established in 1949.
I wonder if your touring of FL will include The Hanging Chad Museum? And if there isn’t one, there should be!
LOL After only a couple of weeks in Florida, Liz, we are well on the way of understanding “Hanging Chad.” :-)