Union falls back on Jacksonville

FEBRUARY 22, 1864.
MASSACHUSETTS REGIMENT.

The Late Battle in Florida. An officer of a Massachusetts regiment now stationed at Jacksonville, Florida, writes under date of Feb. 22d-two days after the repulse of the United States forces at Olustee-as follows:

"Everything is quiet now, our forces are now entrenching themselves about ten miles from here. No signs of the enemy following. We are fortifying the town. We have a strong position; intrenchments in front, gunboats in the river on our flanks and open communications in our rear down the river, which the enemy can not blockade as they did Little Washington in North Carolina, and men enough to man all the defences thoroughly. It does not appear probable that we shall be attacked. If the rebels come we are ready."

The Washington correspondent of the Tribute in his dispatch of Sunday last, says that advices from Florida state that our reverse was caused by Gen. Seymour exceeding Gen. Gill more's orders, and going to hunt up a fight with an unknown enemy, instead of holding certain points and awaiting attack. This intelligence confirms the seriousness of the disaster and fixes the total loss at about 1000.

Article printed in the Boston Journal, March 1, 1864, page 2, col. 2

It is made available here through the courtesy of Thomas Hayes, tom_hayes@letterscivilwar.com.

Hayes is currently working on a historical reference work, "Letters of the Civil War," from the newspapers of the cities and towns of Massachusetts. He has researched the Boston Herald, Chelsea Telegraph and Pioneer, Dedham Gazette, Roxbury Gazette, Randolph Transcript, Worcester Transcript and the Malden Messenger. He says, "I have filed, by date, a little over 3,300 letters. These are from the Soldiers, Sailors, Nurses, Correspondents and Politicans. This project started out as a simple endeavor to find that one letter from my Grandfather, Walter A. Hewes, who served in the 1st Mass. Infantry and 4th Mass. Cavalry. To date, no luck, but I have about 30 more papers to research."

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