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A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 97/340

Events of the Civil War

The First Florida Cavalry consisting of ten cavalry companies
was assembled at Camp Mary David south of Tallahassee and
mustered into Confederate service in July 1861. The First Florida
remained as a mounted unit until 1864. It participated in the
fighting around Richmond, Kentucky, on August 30, 1862, and
later took heavy casualties at Missionary Ridge. Captain Charles
F. Cone of Suwannee County commanded Company E. Captain
Arthur Roberts of Columbia County commanded Company A.
Roberts resigned in March 1863, because of his age. Other officers
in Company A were First Lieutenant Reuben Charles; Second
Lieutenant Bennett D. O’Steen, captured near Murfreesboro,
Tennessee, in 1864, and died in Camp Chase prison April 9, 1865;
Second Lieutenant James E. Young; and Third Lieutenant William
L. Jones, who was killed at Gettysburg. William Cason of Columbia
County was Second Sergeant of Company A while Thomas L.
Roberts was Fourth Sergeant. Roberts was wounded and captured
at Missionary Ridge on November 25, 1863, and died at Rock
Island prison in Illinois on November 20, 1864. Fifth Sergeant
Levi T. Pearce was killed at Franklin, Tennessee, on September
30, 1864.21
The Second Florida Cavalry consisting of ten companies of
independent cavalry was organized in March, 1862. Company G
was commanded by Captain William S. Cone. W. A. Sheffield
served as First Lieutenant, while Solomon Warren served as
Second Lieutenant. The Second Florida Cavalry saw service in the
defense of Confederate stores in and around Jacksonville.22
The Fifth Florida Cavalry was formed late in the war in
March 1864. The Fifth’s major engagement was in the Battle of
Natural Bridge south of Tallahassee on March 6,1865. Company G
was almost entirely composed of Columbia County men. It was

21 Robertson, Soldiers of Florida, pp. 246-54; Confederate Muster Rolls, Vol. Ill,
n.p.n.
22 Robertson, Soldiers of Florida, pp. 271-73; Confederate Muster Rolls, Vol. Ill,
n.p.n.
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