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A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 108/340

A History of Columbia County, Florida

talion and the Twenty-seventh Georgia were able to resume the
counterattack forcing the Federal forces into a retreat.48
A lull in the fighting occurred between six and seven in the
evening as both sides again were being resupplied. Seymour took
advantage of the lull to order his men to pull back. The early
darkness of the winter day offered concealment to the retreating
Federal soldiers. The retreat continued throughout the night. At
Sanderson the forces were reorganized and defenses were pre­
pared to cover the troops as they retreated to Jacksonville. Some
Confederate cavalry units were sent to support a major counter­
attack. Although both sides took heavy casualties the victory was
clearly the Confederates. The Federals lost 203 men killed, 1,152
wounded, and 506 missing for a total of 1,861 casualties. The
Confederates lost 93 killed, 847 wounded, and 6 missing for a total
of 946 casualties. On the field of battle the Confederates retrieved
five cannon, 1,600 small arms and 130,000 rounds of small arms
ammunition.49
Caring for the wounded Federals was difficult as it was some
fifty miles to Jacksonville where adequate treatment was avail­
able. A field hospital was located east of the battle area, and twelve
horse-drawn ambulances were used to transport the wounded.
Forty of the most serious wounded were given treatment at the
field hospital while twenty-three others were taken to Sanderson.
Seven hundred and eighty of the wounded were taken to Jackson­
ville by ambulances, wagons, and railroad cars. Eighty of the
wounded were able to ride to Jacksonville on horses provided by
the cavalry units. Wounded Federals who were taken prisoner
were given treatment in Lake City and Tallahassee.60 * 50

"Ibid., pp. 22-27; Official Records, Ser. 1, Vo). XXXV, pt. 1, p. 302; Charles C.
Jones, The Evacuation of Battery Wagner and the Battle of Ocean Pond (Augusta,
Georgia, 1888), p. 9.
"Official Records, Ser. 1, Vo). XXXV, pt. 1, pp. 298, 337, 342-43.
50Ibid., p. 321; Boyd, “Campaign of 1864,” p. 30.

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