Page 124 - a-history-of-columbia-county-florida-(1996)-edward-f-keuchel

A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 113/340

A History of Columbia County, Florida

announced. Dancy found his father preparing to turn over his
depot to the Federals who were arriving in Lake City in sizeable
numbers. On one occasion two trains from opposite directions
arrived at the Lake City station about the same time. The first
from Tallahassee was loaded with white troops from Ohio, and the
second from Jacksonville contained some 1,000 black troops. Flags
were flying from every car while military bands played. In their
enthusiasm for celebrating, a riot almost broke out at the train
station, and it was with great difficulty that the military guards
got the troops back into their respective trains and on their way.61
Dancy was one of those who was paroled in Tallahassee.
During the trip to the capital city he related that at every station
between Lake City and Tallahassee the train would stop and an
announcement was made through a megaphone to the blacks on
the plantations that President Lincoln had declared them free and
equal citizens with their white masters.62 In addition General
McCook’s cavalry went from place to place informing the blacks of
their freedom. By the end of May almost all of the state’s blacks
knew of their freedom.63
After obtaining his parole in Tallahassee, Dancy returned to
Lake City where he witnessed a most tragic event, which added
sorrow to the grief the county experienced at the war’s end.
Dancy’s train from Tallahassee was made up of some thirty-two
cars of returning Florida soldiers who had fought with Johnston’s
army in Tennessee. The train was so loaded that soldiers were
sitting on the tops of the cars. As the train slowed down for the
Lake City station one soldier saw his family waiting and in his joy
jumped before the train stopped. He was crushed to death beneath
its wheels.64

61 Dancy, "Reminiscences,” p. 85.
62 Ibid., p. 85.
“Johns, Florida During the Civil JTar, p. 212.
64Dancy, “Reminiscences,” p. 86.
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