The Skirmish at Cedar Creek, also known as Camp Mooney or McGirt's Creek, was a small engagement of the

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 ...

fought in present-day

Jacksonville, Florida 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 ...

on March 1, 1864. It was fought between a small

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

outpost and the 40th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry of the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

, and resulted in 29 casualties. It was the last engagement in the Olustee Campaign.

Background

was occupied on and off by the Union throughout the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

. In February 1864 Union forces under General Truman Seymour went west out of Jacksonville to take back

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 ...

for the Union and to recruit slaves for the Union Army. Confederate forces met the Union forces and defeated them at the

Battle of Olustee The Battle of Olustee or Battle of Ocean Pond was fought in Baker County, Florida on February 20, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war. Union General Truman Seymour had landed troops ...

near Lake City, Florida on February 20. After the battle Confederate forces were west of Jacksonville discouraging Union forces to venture out beyond their established lines.

Battle

On the morning of March 1, 1864 a portion of the 2nd Florida Cavalry went east toward

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 ...

to probe defenses. On that same day an expedition of a

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 ...

cavalry of the 40th Massachusetts left Camp Mooney and went west to probe the

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 ...

position. The Union expedition consisted of companies B, C, and D of 1st Massachusetts Cavalry, a squadron of Massachusetts infantry and one gun of Elders Horse Artillery under Major Stevens. At mid-morning the 2nd Florida Cavalry met the Union forces about 2 miles west of Camp Finegan. The Confederate forces were then joined by reinforcements and pushed the Union forces back through Camp Finegan. CaptMooneyCemeteryJax

At Cedar Creek the Union forces made a stand. The creek offered a natural barrier that hampered the Confederate advance. An intense but short fight erupted between the two armies at the creek but the Union was forced out to Three Mile Run or McCoys Creek. The Confederates followed but the Union rear guard ambushed them killing Captain Winston Stephens and a private. The Confederate infantry managed to cross Cedar Creek and advanced toward Jacksonville. The Union forces met reinforcements from Camp Mooney and were ordered back to Cedar Creek but retreated again to their defense breastworks at Three Mile Run. At the end of the day 7 Confederates were killed, 12 wounded, 2 Union killed, 3 wounded and 5 captured. Confederates stayed in the area and guarded it from more Union encroachments while the Union held Jacksonville for the remainder of the war.

Camp Captain Mooney Cemetery

Camp Captain Mooney Cemetery was established on the same day of the battle. The cemetery is named after the Camp Captain Mooney outpost in the vicinity of where the battle occurred. The camp name comes from Jesse E. Mooney of the Louisiana Militia. It is owned by the

United Daughters of the Confederacy The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American neo-Confederate hereditary association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers engaging in the commemoration of these ancestors, the funding of monuments to them, ...

Notes

References

Museum of Southern History

Florida Public Archaeology Network
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cedar Creek, Skirmish At 1864 in Florida American Civil War battlefields Battles of the American Civil War in Florida