A Most Severe Campaign: The 75th Ohio at the Battle of Gainesville Florida

     In August 1864, General John P. Hatch ordered an expedition from Jacksonville into the interior of Florida to wreck the Gainesville Railroad. Among the troops that participated in the expedition were roughly 200 men from the 75th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. These hard-fighting 11th Army Corps veterans of Second Bull Run, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg had been sent to South Carolina in the aftermath of their terrible losses at Gettysburg to recoup. The regiment's rest period proved brief, and in early 1864 they were converted into mounted infantry and now found themselves marching through the wilds of Florida.

    After three days of marching, the 75th Ohio was brought to heel by a scratch force of Confederate cavalry and militia in the center of Gainesville, Florida. "The inhabitants generally were most intensely secesh and the fairer portion with the incomparable sneer delighted to ring in our ears what proved an unwelcome truth: that preparations were made to stop our career at Gainesville. We could not help but be aware that the chances would be heavily against us," Orderly Sergeant Joseph Harris of Co. C later recalled. After a hard fight, the 75th Ohio was ordered to charge through the enemy's lines to break out of being surrounded. " It was a terrible gauntlet to run, but the will cut the way and fortunately, but few were wounded through our ranks were terribly thinned by the horses being disabled and their riders falling into the hands of the enemy."

    All told, the regiment lost three men killed, 13 wounded, and 132 captured during this brief excursion into Florida, losses that approached from a percentage basis that which the regiment sustained at Gettysburg. Sergeant Harris' superb account of the expedition and the battle was originally published in a September 1864 edition of the Eaton Register and appears on the blog courtesy of Larry M. Strayer. 


The Battle of Gainesville, Florida was fought between 250 Federals and approximately 300 Confederates under the command of Captain J.J. Dickison, also called the "Swamp Fox of the Confederacy." The engagement occurred in what is now the center of town at intersection of Main Street and University Avenue. One does not often connect Ohio troops with military actions in Florida during the Civil War. The only other Ohio regiment that took part in any engagements in Florida was the 107th Ohio, another veteran regiment of the 11th Army Corps that was sent south after Gettysburg. 

 

Magnolia, Florida

August 30, 1864

 

          Since the regiment has been mounted, its duties have run an almost constant round of raids, scouts, and hairsbreadth escapes, but until recently good fortune favored us and although such incessant duties necessarily had their effect in wearing out the men, but few of us met with any of the casualties of the battlefield. It seems though this good fortune could not last always for in our last campaign the 75th Ohio met with a disaster that came near giving us all a trial in the hardships and miseries of a Rebel prison.

          Early on the morning of the 15th, a force of about 2,500 men including cavalry, infantry, and artillery left Baldwin, Florida under the command of Colonel William H. Noble of the 17th Connecticut for the purpose of making a raid in the southern part of Florida. The infantry consisted of four Negro regiments and five pieces of the 3rd Rhode Island Light Artillery; they took a direct road for Trail Ridge Station 15 miles away on the Gainesville Railroad while a detachment of the 75th Ohio and one piece of artillery under command of Colonel Harris made a detour towards the enemy’s line via Darly Station and thence to New River for the purpose of destroying a bridge said to be across this stream. On our arrival at the point where the road crosses the river, we found no bridge but succeeded in capturing a part of the enemy’s picket stationed here, and after destroying the ford, took a direct road for Trail Ridge where we arrived at sundown.

          Colonel Noble arrived with his force shortly afterwards. We rested there a short time while getting our suppers when Colonel Andrew Harris received orders to resume the march with his command in the direction of Gainesville. We started about dark and after a heavy night’s march through the most miserable roads arrived at Starke Station at 2:30 in the morning. Here we met two companies of the 4th Massachusetts Cavalry that had arrived the preceding evening from Magnolia which added to the detachment of our regiment made a force of about 250 effective men. It was a daring act to thus venture into the very heart of the enemy’s country with such a small force, but our orders were imperative, and we could do nothing but go, trusting that all would be well in the end.

Battle of Gainesville historical marker

          We remained at Starke for four hours and destroyed a considerably amount of Rebel commissary stores and a train of some six or eight cars. The enemy was hovering around us, and we expected an attack at this place, but they did not, and at 7 a.m. we resumed our march for Gainesville. We expected to reach there on the evening of the 16th but learning at Santa Fe River, which the direct road crossed, was unfordable, we were compelled to make a circuit of Lake Santa Fe 15 miles and with a continuous march of nearly 13 hours, we did not arrive until 5:30 a.m. on the 17th. So far, our raid had proved very successful for in addition to the property we destroyed at Starke, we had captured some 60-70 horses and mules, destroyed about 300 bales of cotton, and 200 contrabands had eagerly bundled up their effects and voluntarily followed us in a strike for the land of freedom.

          We were now in the thickest-settled and most fertile portion of Florida. The inhabitants generally were most intensely secesh and the fairer portion with the incomparable sneer delighted to ring in our ears what proved an unwelcome truth: that preparations were made to stop our career at Gainesville. We could not help but be aware that the chances would be heavily against us. A short distance from town our advanced encountered about 70 of the enemy and a brisk skirmish ensued, but with a charge from our men, they gave way and shortly after with caution, suspicious that a trap was laid that boded no good for us, we took quiet possession of the place. Pickets were immediately thrown out on all sides and as our horses were greatly in need of feed, orders were given to feed them.

Captain Henry L. Morey, Co. K
75th O.V.I.

We were about to proceed to get breakfast when Captain Henry L. Morey of Co. K, in charge of the picket line and rear guard, reported that a large force of the enemy was advancing on the same road we had come. This alarm had hardly been given when the pickets were attacked on the railroad north of town and a piece of artillery opened on us. The pickets were soon driven in and with a yell the enemy was advancing on a charge. In less time that it takes to relate this, the 75th Ohio was in front, the two companies of the 4th Massachusetts in reserve and the piece of artillery in the front and center of the detachment of our regiment. The charge was met with a volley from our line and after a fierce contest for a few moments, the enemy was beaten back through a shower of grape and canister.

But a large force was discovered moving on our left and rear which made it necessary to take the reserve to protect this point. Soon a fierce attack was made on this line, a running fire still being kept up in front and in the meantime, sharpshooters were playing on both flanks which made us painfully aware that we were surrounded. A portion of our front line had to be thrown out to protect our flanks, which made our lines looks fearfully thin compared to the overwhelming force from every side. With the forces so arranged, a running fire consisting mostly of sharpshooting was kept up on both sides for over two hours, during which time our artillery had lent material aid in keeping the enemy back by its shower of grape, shell, and canister thrown into their ranks. The enemy had three pieces, two of which kept up a constant fire upon us; the other piece was dismounted at the second shot from our gun. Up to this time, comparatively few of our men had been killed or wounded on account of the protection we had from the houses, but the shelter we could not get for our horses, and they were unmercifully slaughtered by the concentrated fire of the enemy.

About 9 a.m. there was a lull in the battle. The enemy had become deadly silent, and we knew this silence boded no good for us. Our piece had fired its last shot, every horse attached to the caisson was disabled, as also were about a quarter of the horses of our force. The stern fact now began to stare us in the face that our only alternatives were to surrender or cut our way through their lines. The Colonel chose the latter. The order was given to fall in which was accomplished as well as possible under the circumstances as a great many were dismounted and we nerved ourselves for the fearful charge. In the meantime, the enemy gathered his forces in our front for the final charge, and the withdrawal of our force was the signal for its opening. So with a deafening yell, they were coming.

This was an opportune moment for us to charge through their rear line and the order was given. But here an unfortunate circumstance occurred which added greatly to our misfortunes and in the capture of a larger number of prisoners that would otherwise have been taken. The object was to cut our way out by the Waldo road north of town, having come in on the southeast, but in the confusion of the moment, the piece of artillery started on a road leading south and was followed by part of our force. Thus, we became divided but with a moment’s thought and with a few additional men that could be gathered on the spur of the moment, the colonel dashed after the piece with the determination of saving it if possible. By the time it was turned in the right direction, the other part of our force had charged through the enemy’s line, but they were forming again to meet us and the charging force from our former front were also at this time pressing fearfully close. About 100 men were now left under Colonel Harris to defend the piece, but with the irresistible force of desperation, we made the arc of a circle around the Waldo road, cutting through a line in front and with a countercharge beating back the line advancing from our right. It was a terrible gauntlet to run, but the will cut the way and fortunately, but few were wounded through our ranks were terribly thinned by the horses being disabled and their riders falling into the hands of the enemy.

Our charge confused the enemy, and we gained some distance, but it seems they were determined to have our piece and soon were on us again. For two miles we made a desperate defense of the gun, but the horses attached to it gave out and the enemy came near surrounding us again; with sorrow, we were compelled to give it up. The artillery men who had done their duty nobly through the whole engagement stuck to their piece to the last and spiked the gun when it became evident it would be taken. Our force was now reduced to 50 men and our capture seemed inevitable, but with a race of about six miles we came out safe for they gave up further pursuit and we came to Magnolia undisturbed, arriving on the morning of the 18th 60 miles from Gainesville. The other part of our force under Lieutenant Colonel Morgan inadvertently got on the Lake City road and after being badly cut up, a remnant arrived about two hours later. In addition to this, a few have straggled in since, but of about 200 enlisted men and officers of the regiment who made the expedition, but 55 made their escape and are now camped on the banks of the St. John’s River at Magnolia Springs, 20 miles above Jacksonville.

Captain William J. Rannells of Co. I was among those captured during the Battle of Gainesville. This marked the second time the Ohioan had been captured during the war, the first time occurring nearly two years before during the Second Battle of Bull Run. During his second imprisonment, he was confined at both Macon and at Camp Sorghum in Columbia, South Carolina. He was not discharged from the army on July 1865. Rannells had also been wounded at Gettysburg.


Thus ended a short campaign, but the most severe in the annals of the 75th Ohio. The enemy had made every preparation to meet our  whole force by assembling all the militia in that county and by reinforcements from the St. Mary’s in front of Baldwin on the Saturday morning previous, two days before we left the latter place. From the best information we can gather, we contended with at least 1,000 men, infantry and cavalry, and the only wonder is that any of us escaped to tell the tale. As to the blame for the disaster, it is hardly worth the while to venture an opinion, but still it would not be unreasonable to assume that our commanding general had not a full knowledge of the movements of the enemy or he would not have sent a fractional part of his force against the objective point of the expedition, there to be overpowered while the main force was leisurely following in the rear and at least 25-30 miles away.

It is hardly necessary to say that our wagon train fell into the hands of the enemy and that we lost all our captured property.  The poor Negroes who were looking so eagerly forward with bright hopes of freedom were doomed to be sadly disappointed. The total loss of the regiment is three killed, 13 wounded, and 132 missing; 12 of the wounded are included in the missing, also 11 commissioned officers among whom are Lieutenant Colonel Morgan, Major Fox, and Surgeon Ingram. Co. C went into the fight with 28 men including two commissioned officers and only eight escaped.

 

Source:

Letter from Orderly Sergeant Joseph Harris, Co. C, 75th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Eaton Register (Ohio), September 1864

Comments

  1. David ColesJuly 31, 2022 at 1:41 PM

    Very interested in reading this description. My dissertation was on the last two years of the war in Florida, and included a summary of the Gainesville fight, but I had not seen this account before. Would love to know if you have come across any other sources from the 75th or 107th Ohio Regiments describing their service in Florida.

    ReplyDelete

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