Page 118 - a-history-of-columbia-county-florida-(1996)-edward-f-keuchel

A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 107/340

Events of the Civil Wa?'

inaccurate. Around two in the afternoon two companies of the
Seventh Connecticut armed with Spencer repeating rifles en­
countered an advance Confederate cavalry force about four miles
east of the Olustee railroad station. A running fight developed as
the Confederate force withdrew drawing the Federals toward the
main defensive positions.46
The main battle took place on a somewhat circular tract of
firm and level ground covered with pine trees and practically no
undergrowth. North of the railroad line the tract had a north-south
diameter of about two-thirds of a mile, being limited to the west
and north by a swampy bay. In the northern portion of the tract lay
a cleared field where the fighting later was very intense. Small
isolated bays were scattered to the east and south of the battle
area.47

Heavy fighting commenced about three in the afternoon and
lasted until shortly after six in the evening. The initial Federal
advance was held and a Confederate counter-attack was launched
by the Sixth Florida and Thirty-second Georgia. Both sides con­
sumed ammunition at a rapid rate. Experiencing ammunition
shortages the Seventh New Hampshire and the New York regiments
began to yield before the Confederate counterattack. The Fifty­
fourth Massachusetts Colored and the First North Carolina Colored
were quickly brought in to bolster the fading Federal forces. With
the arrival of these fresh troops the retreat was stopped, and the
Confederate forces again were forced into a defensive position.
Confederate ammunition was running low, and there was some
danger their line would be broken. Confederate troops were forced
to use ammunition gathered from the boxes of wounded and dead
Federals when a railroad flatcar arrived loaded with fresh sup­
plies. Confederate forces spearheaded by the First Florida Bat­

w Official Records, Ser. 1, Vol. XXXV, pt. 1, pp. 288, 299, 303, 331; Boyd,
“Campaign of 1864,” pp. 17-18.
47 Boyd, "Campaign of 1864,” p. 21.
105

www.LakeCityHistory.com LCH-UUID: 02905885-C4E0-4A35-9DAE-804ED8349EC9