The Battle of Olustee

This Friday begins the festival weekend surrounding the re-enactment of the Battle of Olustee.  Does anyone know when this battle was fought?  How about where it was fought or why?  Okay, please don't shout out your answers.  I can't hear when you all speak at once.  Oh - wait, maybe no one was yelling out answers.  That could just be the sound of silence.

Well, for those who may enjoy a parade and a good fight, our small north central Florida town will present both this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  It is the commemoration of the almost 147th anniversary of the Civil War battle fought on February 20, 1864.  The battle was between Union troops out of Jacksonville and Confederate troops.  The battle took place very near a a clear body of water called Ocean Pond and  not far from the small town of  Olustee, Florida. 

Our local paper describes what happened.  In the morning of February 20th,  Federal soldiers left Barber's Station near Jacksonville and advanced westward.  Skirmishes started with Southerners.  As the Union troops drew closer to the railroad Station at Olustee, the intensity of the skirmishes grew.  Both sides sent additional troops until, by midafternoon it was a major battle.  While the Union had the early advantage, poor communications led to the collapse of the 7th New Hampshire Regiment, turning the tide of battle to the Confederates.  They advanced and then surged forward.  The Union realized the battle was lost and began to retreat.  By dusk, Union troops were on their way back to Jacksonville.  Although they retained that port city, they would never again venture in force into Florida. 

The North lost 203 men killed, 1,152 wounded and 506 missing.  Southern losses were 93 dead, 847 wounded and six missing.  Florida remained a Confederate state until the end of the war, less than 14 months later. 

The parade is held each year now and residents who don't get to attend the Battle of Olustee re-enactment at Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park will still attend this event.  There will be people lining the roadsides, watching elected officials and several Civil War re-enactment groups as they march by.  There will be the 2011 Miss Olustee pageant winners, the 2012 Teacher of the Year for our county, other community organizations and businesses will be marching or driving horse and buggy.  Some groups will be driving in old fashioned carriages decorated with flowers.  There will be re-enactors dressed in period uniforms with weaponry and music.  Abraham Lincoln will ride in a carriage.  Robert E. Lee will be in the parade.  Ladies in hoop skirts will wave as they are drawn past the viewing crowds. 

The parade is held in honor of the soldiers who fought in the battle.  It is like watching living history to see the men and boys step by.  Festival dates are February 18th, 19th and 20th.  The festival is organized by a group called the Blue-Grey Army.  There will be vendors with arts and crafts, food and entertainers along the main street downtown.  At the battlefield, a Sutler's camp will present authentic living conditions and Friday morning there will be a memorial ceremony in one of our oldest cemeteries, where 100 unknown soldiers are buried.  They were recovered from the battlefield and given honorable burial here.  That brings things into focus for me. 

The  Olustee Descendant family will also be recognized. A man named Robert Christie fought in the battle with Company F, Fourth Georgia Cavalry.  His actions as well as his descendants will be recognized during this year's festival.  More than 300 of his family members are expected to attend.

 Friday afternoon there will be a skirmish in our downtown area. Now the actual battle was fought several miles away from our town, mind you.  If there had been real soldiers sighted within our city limits, there would have been panic in the streets.  Nowadays, we see soldiers in period uniforms shopping at our local groceries and while it gives one pause, you know they won't be taking anyone prisoner.  Things are safe, now.  The first day of re-enactment activities will be at Olustee Battlefield on Saturday.  The re-enactment will be at 3:30PM that day and the main re-enactment will be at held next day at 1:30PM, Sunday. 

I have been to the main battle.  The skirmishers advance.  Contact is made with the enemy.  Weapons are fired - smoke and the sound of rifles and the cannon surround you.  Horses charge.  Bugles are blown.  Cannonballs hit the ground and dirt and grass explode upward.  Men fall dead, other men advance in the field.  Women rush in to attend the wounded and dying.  It seems very real.

For those who don't want to make the trip to the battlefield during the festival  - you can go out on another day and look in the small museum or walk the battlefield in solitude while you ponder the events of the past.  I have been there, under the pines in the quiet of the afternoon.  There,a passing train blew its eerie whistle.  The sound echoed across the ground and absolutely raised the hairs on the back of my neck.