Olustee

The Florida Expedition

February 5-22, 1864

Battle of Olustee, (Ocean Pond) Florida

During the Florida Expedition, the Twenty Eighth Georgia was assigned to Colquitt's First Brigade; other members of the brigade were the Sixth, Nineteenth, Twenty Third, and Twenty Seventh Georgia Regiments

Wendell Croome gives the following account:

We take the liberty of stopping just here to tell of the kind reception we met with at Madison C. H., Florida, at the hands of the ladies of that place. Learning that we were en route for the defence of the "Land of Flowers," and parry the threatened blow now aimed at their homes, and that we would pass through their town, they had prepared for us a sumptuous dinner of such viands as they knew would be heartily relished by hungry soldiers.

After dinner, in behalf of our command, the accomplished Bennett Stewart, of Company "G" of our Regiment, tendered the thanks of the command to the ladies for this manifestation of their appreciation of our services in their behalf. He assured them that their homes should be protected at all hazards, and the enemy driven from their State. Having arrived, as before stated, at Lake City, and having reconnoitered the enemy’s strength and position, we set out to meet him, now moving on Tallahassee from Jacksonville. We met him on the 20th, at Ocean Pond, and fought the bloody little battle which takes its name after that place.

On the 20th of February, General Colquitt found the Federals advancing rapidly, with the Confederate cavalry retiring before them. Colquitt sent out skirmishers about 2 miles outside Olustee Station, and quickly formed line of battle; the Nineteenth Georgia on the right, the Twenty Eighth Georgia on the left, and Gamble's Artillery in the Center. The Sixty Fourth Georgia and two companies of the Thirty Second Georgia were formed on the left of the Twenty Eighth, and the Sixth Georgia regiment was sent still farther to the left, to prevent a flank attack from that direction. The line of infantry was ordered to advance; the ground was hotly contested, the enemy giving way slowly. Colquitt believed the enemy to be in great force, so he sent for reenforcements and more ammunition. The Sixth Florida Battalion and Twenty Third Georgia Regiment soon arrived; The Sixth Florida Battalion was formed on the right of the Nineteenth Georgia, the Twenty Third Georgia was put on the left of the Sixty Fourth Georgia. After the line advanced about a quarter mile the engagement became general, "and the ground was stubbornly contested," the enemy stood their ground for some time, until the Sixth Florida Battalion on the right flank, forced them to fall back and leave five pieces of artillery. Ammunition began to run low and Colquitt ordered the regimental commanders to halt until it could be resupplied. The ordinance wagons were slow in arriving, but did arrive on the field. Major Bonaud's battalion arrived on the field, followed soon after by the Twenty Seventh Georgia and the First Florida Battalion; they were put in the center to hold the line until the other regiments could resupply ammunition. As soon as this was accomplished, Colquitt ordered a general advance.

The Twenty Seventh Georgia pushed forward in the center, and the enemy gave way in confusion. Colquitt ordered the men to pursue, which they did for several miles, until night brought an end to the fighting. Captain William P. Crawford, commanding the Twenty Eighth Georgia, was severely wounded in the leg while leading the regiment. replaced by Captain James W. Banning. During the battle Captain James Rowe of Company E "plant[ed] the colors of the regiment over two Napoleon guns captured from the enemy." The Twenty-eighth lost ninety-five (ten killed and eighty-five wounded) men in the battle.

Wendell Croome gives the following account:

Here, after a close hand-to-hand fight of about five hours duration, under the invincible Colquitt, as Field-Marshall of the day, a most brilliant victory was won.

The enemy, with his colored allies, was once more made to bite the dust and feel the force of Southern steel.

Nothing but the unconquerable energy of the indomitable Colquitt, and the indomitable pluck of the men he led against the enemy in this contest, saved us from utter defeat -- the odds were so great against us. Our line of battle crossed the Jacksonville and Tallahassee Railroad at right angles. We were assisted by two 32-pounder field-guns, mounted on a car, and run out from Olustee Station by an engine fully protected by a breast-work of cotton bales arranged on two intervening cars. These guns played sad havoc with the enemy’s lines. In this battle we had three separate lines of battle to contend with, two lines of colored troops in front, urged forward by a line of white troops in their rear.

About dark the enemy’s lines wavered and fled in wild confusion to Jacksonville, stopping at Baldwin, the junction of the Jacksonville and Tallahassee, and Fernandina and Cedar Keys Railroads, only long enough to destroy their munitions of war, and commissary stores.