The Battle of Gainesville was an

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

engagement fought on August 17, 1864, when a

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

force defeated

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

detachments from

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. The result of the battle was the Confederate occupation of Gainesville for the remainder of the war.

Background

Skirmish

Gainesville, site of a railroad junction and depot in north central

, was the scene of a skirmish on February 14, 1864. About 50

troops entered the city intending to capture two trains. Company H of the 2nd Florida Cavalry with 130 men attempted to repulse this raid, but were defeated by the Union force, which successfully returned to

after holding the town.http://battleofolustee.org/letters/mass-gnv.htm Order signed by General

Truman Seymour Truman Seymour (September 24, 1824 – October 30, 1891) was a career soldier and an accomplished painter. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War, rising to the rank of major general. He was present at the Battle of Fort S ...

in the Official Records and newspaper article detailing Federal victory at February 14, 1864 skirmish in Gainesville. Last accessed April 16, 2009 Listed in the War's Official Orders is a General Order signed by Brigadier General

on February 17, 1864, stating that he:

...especially desires to praise Capt. George E. Marshall, Co. G. 40th Mass. Mounted Volunteers, and his small command of forty-nine men who captured and held Gainesville for fifty-six hours, receiving and repulsing an attack from more than double his force, and, after fulfilling his mission successfully, returning to the designated place of rendevous.

Prelude to battle

On August 15,

Col. Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Andrew L. Harris of the 75th Ohio Mounted infantry left Baldwin with 173 officers and men from the Seventy-Fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The Union troops on the way destroyed a picket post on the New River. At Starke, the Union troops were joined by the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry and some Florida Unionists.

Battle

The Union troops arrived in Gainesville on August 17, to find the town occupied by one company of the Second Florida Cavalry. The Battle of Gainesville took place on August 17, in the town square; many townspeople viewed the fighting from the windows of the nearby Beville house. They were attacked from the rear by soldiers of the 2nd Florida Cavalry under the command of Captain

John Jackson Dickison John Jackson Dickison, known as J. J. Dickison (March 27, 1816 – August 20, 1902), was an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Dickison is mostly remembered as being the person who led the attack which resulted i ...

(Companies H and F), supported by local

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

, elements of 5th Florida Cavalry

Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...

, and a small artillery battery of two cannons. Dickison's men numbered about 290, although only 175 entered Gainesville and engaged in the fighting. The Union troops were taken by surprise and had not fully deployed when the Confederate attack began. After about two hours Col. Harris gave the order to retreat from Gainesville; the Confederates continued to close in on the disorganized Union columns. Union losses numbered 28 dead, 5 wounded, 86 missing or unaccounted for, 188 captured, 260 horses and a 12-pound howitzer. The

s lost three killed and five wounded, of whom two died the next day. About 40 Union troops, including Colonel Harris, escaped. He reported his column was destroyed by a large Confederate force of 600—800 men and three cannon. After hearing his account, the remaining Union forces in the north central Florida area withdrew to the garrisons at

and St. Augustine. Gainesville remained in Confederate control for the duration of the war.

References

External links

General Seymour's Report on the Results of the 1st Battle of Gainesville
* ttp://battleofolustee.org/letters/g-ville.htm Boston Herald newspaper article on the 1st Battle of Gainesvillebr>Chelsea Telegraph and Pioneer newspaper article on the 1st Battle of Gainesville
{{authority control Gainesville Gainesville Gainesville Alachua County, Florida Gainesville 1864 in Florida August 1864 events