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Battle
The battle opened on
February 20, 1864, with a skirmish action beginning around 1400
between the Yankee brigades of Col Guy V. Henry and Col J.R. Hawley
and the Confederate cavalry under Col Carraway Smith. Smith’s
Brigade contained the 4th Georgia Cavalry Regiment and the 2nd
Florida Cavalry Regiment with the 64th Georgia Infantry Regiment in
support. Col Smith was to draw the Yankees toward the waiting
Confederate line held by Col A.H. Colquitt and the 6th, 19th and
28th Georgia Infantry Regiments and Gamble’s battery who had joined
the 64th Georgia Infantry Regiment. Henry’s Brigade contained the
40th Massachusetts Mounted Infantry, the 1st Massachusetts
Independent Cavalry Regiment and Battery B, 1st U.S. Artillery
(Elder’s Horse Battery). Hawley’s Brigade contained the 7th
Connecticut Infantry Regiment, the 7th New Hampshire Infantry
Regiment, the 8th United States Colored Troops and Battery E, 3rd
U.S. Artillery (Hamilton’s battery).
As the action progressed, the Confederate cavalry fell back and
drew the Yankees toward Col Colquitt’s forces who formed line of
battle and threw out skirmishers. The 2nd Florida Cavalry Regiment
formed on the right of the battle line and the 4th Georgia Cavalry
Regiment formed on the left. Col Hawley ordered his brigade into
line. The 7th Connecticut Infantry Regiment was deployed as
skirmishers. This was an under-strength battalion of only four companies but armed with Spencer repeating rifles. The brigade
advanced on line and closed with the enemy. The 8th U.S.C.T.
deployed to the left of Elder’s and Hamilton’s batteries. Col Henry
deployed his cavalry on the flanks for support. The 7th New
Hampshire Infantry Regiment got conflicting orders on how to deploy
to the right of Hamilton’s battery. In such situations the old adage
of “Order, counter order, disorder” became very valid. The 7th New
Hampshire Infantry Regiment, under heavy fire, scattered and headed
for the rear.
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The Battle
of Olustee.
Confederate
and Union positions on February 20, 1864.
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The 7th Connecticut Infantry
Regiment and 8th U.S.C.T. both traded volleys with the Confederate
battle line and both were forced back. The 7th Connecticut Infantry
Regiment had run out of ammunition for their Spencer seven-shot
repeating rifles and the 8th U.S.C.T. after taking many casualties.
Had these troops been the only one involved, the battle might
have ended with few losses to either sides. However, both sides had
reinforcements on the way. The Confederate reinforcements arrived
first. Before moving to support the 64th Georgia Infantry Regiment
in the beginning, Col Colquitt had been ordered to take command of
the fighting at the crossroads. Gen Finegan then ordered additional
troops to the fighting. Col George P. Harrison moved his second
brigade forward. The 64th Georgia Infantry Regiment was originally
part of his brigade. The 1st Georgia Regular Infantry Regiment and
32nd Georgia Infantry Regiment and the Chatham Artillery Battery
from the reserve arrived and were thrown into the left of the
Confederate line. The Chatham Artillery Battery was ordered to dress
on Gamble’s Artillery Battery. The 6th Georgia Infantry Regiment was
ordered further to the left to make room for the reinforcements. The
32nd Georgia Infantry Regiment arrived and filled in between the 6th
Georgia Infantry Regiment on the far left and the 1st Georgia
Regular Infantry Regiment. Bonaud’s battalion was held temporarily
in reserve. Guerard’s Light Artillery Battery was ordered to the
center of the Confederate line. The 6th Florida Infantry Battalion
arrived and formed on the right of the 19th Georgia Infantry
Regiment thus forming the far right of the Confederate battle line.
Additionally, Company A of Milton’s Light Artillery Regiment. This
was a 30 pound Parrott gun mounted on a railroad flat car and
commanded by Lt. Drury Rambo.
Col Harrison was given command of
the left of the Confederate line. With the two brigades thoroughly
mixed, it had been a wise move to place Col Colquitt in overall
battlefield command.
Yankee General Seymour had arrived
on the battlefield and was personally directing his forces. Gen
Seymour had originally ordered the 7th Connecticut Infantry Regiment
into skirmish order. His overall plan was a good piece of Napoleonic
tactics. Pin the enemy to your front with one brigade and turn his
flank with your second. Napoleon would have been proud, Col Colquitt
was unimpressed. With his new troops now in line, he began a general
advance.
Co William B. Barton’s Brigade now
arrived. Cpt Langdon’s Battery was ordered to form with the other
two batteries. The 47th, 48th and 155th New York Infantry Regiments
were already deployed in line from left to right. They were ordered
to advance and form on the left of the 7th Connecticut Infantry
Regiment. The 48th New York Infantry Regiment was split so that the
massed Yankee artillery was in their middle. The brigade was in the
same position that the ill-fated 7th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment
had been in before it broke.
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This color
lithograph, published by Kurz and Allison of Chicago in 1894,
was part of a post-war series of romanticized images of Civil
War battles. Here, the 8th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment is
shown under fire during the battle. This illustration, while
dramatic, does not accurately reflect the actual battle. The
engagement at Olustee was fought in pine woods, rather than in
the open as shown in this print.
(Text and image from the Museum of Florida History
website)
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The battle now got serious. Both
sides traded volleys for three hours. The 7th Connecticut Infantry
Regiment had been re-supplied with ammunition as had the Confederate
regiments. The fire of the 7th Connecticut Infantry Regiment halted
at least one Confederate advance and would be important later.
However, the Confederates were now ordered to charge. The Yankee
casualties became serious. The 8th U.S.C.T. had lost 300 casualties
out of 550 effectives including Col Charles W. Fribley the 8th’s
commander who was left on the field. Cpt Hamilton was wounded as
lost two guns. Barton’s regimental commanders, Col Henry Moore of
the 47th New York Infantry Regiment, Maj W.B. Coan of the 48th New
York Infantry Regiment and Col Sammon of the 115th New York Infantry
Regiment were all wounded. Col Barton’s brigade had taken 811
casualties and was in serous trouble. The 8th U.S.C.T. was out of
ammunition and was leaving the field. Gen Seymour stared defeat in
the face.
Relief
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment arrived in Jacksonville on February 7th as the
lead unit of the 4th Invasion of Jacksonville. On the 10th, they
marched to Camp Finegan. This had been a Confederate camp occupied
by General Finegan’s forces up until February 8th. On February 12th,
Major Appleton’s five complete companies of the 54th marched to
Baldwin. Here entrenchments had been
thrown up and the ‘town’ fortified with block houses and a stockade.
Scouting parties had gone out and brought in supplies ‘on the hoof’
and further supplies were brought up from Jacksonville. Most of this
work had been done by the 3rd U.S.C.T. and a company of New York
engineers. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry joined in the
work upon arrival.
Col Edward N. Hallowell, the
commander of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, had
been left in command of Jacksonville with the remaining five
companies of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. On
February 14th, the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
arrived at Jacksonville relieving the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment. On February 18th, Col Hallowell marched his
companies from Jacksonville to Baldwin reuniting his regiment after
the 18 mile march. On February 19th, the 54th Massachusetts
Volunteer Infantry Regiment was ordered to Barbers, 12 miles further
down the railway. At Barbers they joined the 1st North Carolina
Infantry Regiment (Colored). Around them was Gen Seymour’s army of
5,000 men.
At 7 A.M. on February 20th, the army moved west along the railroad
toward Olustee. Montgomery’s Brigade, the 1st North Carolina
Infantry Regiment and the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Regiment were in the rear guarding the trains. Two companies of the
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, A and E, were left
behind as guards in Barbers.
Sanderson, nine miles down the
railroad, was reached about noon by Gen Seymour’s troops.
At 1430 hours on February 20th, Col
Montgomery’s Brigade was resting by the side of the road. They had
heard musketry and cannon fire for several hours up ahead. The men
had made jokes about the ‘home-made thunder’. Some had worried about
the ‘lightning’ striking them. A rider appeared calling for the
commanding officer. Col Hallowell received the order to advance
rapidly. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was immediately
on their feet and moving at the double-quick toward the battle
ahead.
Some authorities quote one mine,
most quote two miles as the distance needed to be covered in a
hurry. The pace had been murderous. Knapsacks, blankets and even
haversacks had been discarded as excess weight. Now turn your maps
over. Please look at the top of the page and notice the 54th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry in the upper right hand corner
where the road and railroad cross. This is Map Roman Numeral II
again.
At the road junction. Col
Montgomery received orders to join the battle. As the 54th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry advanced, they met the evidence of
a hard-fought battle. Wounded and dispirited men moving to the rear
in clumps and clusters. A disabled battery leaving the field was
evident. Shouts of “We’re badly whipped!” and “You’ll all get
killed.” met the men. Sergeant Cezar of Company D let the 54th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry’s battle cry, “Three cheers for
Massachusetts and seven dollars a month!” The 54th Massachusetts
Volunteer Infantry came past the hospital of the 8th U.S.C.T. and
gave cheer to the wounded there.
Nearing the battlefield, General
Seymour personally rode up to Col Hallowell and told him that the
battle was lost and everything depended on the 54th Massachusetts
Volunteer Infantry. It was now 1600 hours. Please check map Roman
Numeral IV, positions 54c and 1c.
The brigade deployed with the 510
men of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment on the
left and the 1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment on the right. The
8th U.S.C.T. was falling back. Barton’s Brigade was shot through and
losing heart. They were wavering. The Confederate line was
advancing.
When they reached the battleline, the mere sight of the fresh
brigade heartened the wavering New Yorkers who cheered them on. The
New Yorkers were ordered to fall back. The 8th U.S.C.T. proceeded to
fallback also under orders. The Confederate line only 400 yards
distant, halted.
The 7th Connecticut Infantry
Regiment had been ordered to the real low on ammunition. The 1st
North Carolina Infantry Regiment under Lt Col William N. Reed led an
attack to cover their withdrawal. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment began to volley fire with the Confederate line.
Standing and receiving fire is not
easy. Men began to fall all along the line. Lt. Homans of the 54th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment ordered his part of the
line to advance and capture the Chatham artillery. He was ordered
back into line. The firing continued. Then Sgt Wilkins with the
national flag began to advance with a color guard. They had gone 150
yards before Col Hallowell could order them back into line. With the
continued firing and being heavily outnumbered, the men of the 54th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment began to speed up their
firing by cutting the loading time from nine commands to six. They
did this by ramming home the charge by banging their rifle butts on
the ground. This eliminated the need for the ramrod operations. It
worked.
After an hour and a half, the 1st
North Carolina Infantry Regiment was finished. Lt. Col Reed was
down. The second in command, Major Bogle and the Adjutant W.C.
Manning were down. Three captains and five lieutenants were
casualties. The 1st North Carolina Infantry Regiment was ordered to
withdraw.
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment was now alone. They were running low on
ammunition. Col Hallowell later estimated that his regiment had
fired over 20,000 rounds of ammunition by this time. More ammunition
reached them, but it was of the wrong caliber!
Col Montgomery rode up about 1730
hours and ordered the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment
to disperse and fall back. Col Hallowell could not be located. Lt
Col Hopper disobeyed the order. He ordered Sgt Wilkins, the standard
bearer, to stand fast. After a quick conference with the nearby
officers, Lt Col Hooper and all the officers began shouting ‘Rally.
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was back in the
action.
Lt Col Hooper ordered the regiment
to fix bayonets and proceeded to exercise the regiment in the manual
of arms. When they were again steadied, it was noted that the
Confederates were advancing past the 54th Volunteer Infantry
Regiment’s right and into their rear. Lt Col Hooper ordered the
regiment to give nine loud cheers. In the darkening light it thus
appeared that Yankee reinforcements had arrived. The Confederate
pursuit halted.
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment again formed line of battle and marched off the
field. They halted every 200 to 300 yards to face about and check a
Confederate pursuit. There was little pressure. While falling back
they destroyed the wrong caliber ammunition that had been brought to
them during the battle.
As they continued their withdrawal
in the dark, they encountered the 7th Connecticut Infantry Regiment
with their breech loaders and Col Henry’s Mounted Brigade. The 7th
Connecticut Infantry Regiment had been re-supplied and was ready for
action. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment joined
them as the rear guard of the army. Col Hallowell, who had been with
General Seymour during the battle, finally located and rejoined the
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. The army struggled
on to Sanderson. The supplies there were destroyed and after the
wounded moved, the rear guard again departed, this time for Barbers.
Retreat
You will recall that Major Appleton had been
assigned to defend Barbers on the morning of February 20th. He was
relieved by Col Hartwell of the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment with six companies about dark on the evening of
February 20th. Major Appleton departed Barbers with his two
companies and a small detachment of the 8th U.S.C.T. He was heading
for Sanderson. He had heard the battle all day long. As he drew
closer to Sanderson, he encountered a steady stream of fugitives
from the battle. He arrived within one mile of Sanderson and formed
his command. His organized unit drew the disheartened unwounded who
fell in with his men. His command grew to over 600 men, but he never
reached Sanderson. He received orders to escort the train to
Barbers. He arrived back at his starting point about 2 A.M. They
were not reunited however, for Companies A and E were immediately
placed on picket duty with elements of the 55th Massachusetts
Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
On February 21st, the wounded from
Barbers were sent toward Jacksonville in horse-drawn wagons and on
rail cars. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was
temporarily attached to Col Hawley’s Brigade and moved out about 9
.M. Companies A and E were attached to the 55th Massachusetts
Volunteer Infantry Regiment. These units formed a line of battle and
covered the retreat from Barbers. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment arrived at Baldwin about 1600 hours where
Companies A and E rejoined it. The regiment then continued on to
McGirt’s Creek where it halted for the night. They had marched 22
miles that day.
February 22nd dawned at 4 A.M. for the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment. They moved out with Col Hawley's Brigade which
included the 7th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment and the 8th U.S.C.T.
at 7 A.M. After marching four miles. Col Hallowell received orders
from Gen Seymour to march back to 10 Mile Station and bring on the
railroad train. The locomotive had broken down.
Col Hallowell arrived at 10 Mile
Station with his foot-sore troops who hadn’t been fed in several
days. Quartermaster Ritchie found some bread on the train and
proceeded to pass it out to the troops. Ropes were then attached to
the engine and cars. The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Regiment then proceeded to drag the train loaded with wounded all
the way to Camp Finegan where horses were met to complete the job.
At Camp Finegan the men rested and
were supplied with rations by Lt Knight of the 2nd Sough Carolina
Infantry Regiment (Colored). The men rested. They resumed their
march at 1600 and reached Jacksonville at 2000 hours. Nearly one
half the regiment was without shoes; their blankets and knapsacks
were sacrificed to get speedily into action; they had no rations or
shelter. They had marched 22 miles that day. The Adjutant-General of
Massachusetts reported that “the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment march 120 miles in 102 hours, yet the roll call
showed no stragglers”.
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment settled down for a well-deserved rest. On February
25th, they were moved near the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Regiment. On February 26th, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment and the 55th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
Regiments were brigaded together. Things were settling down and more
troops were pouring in. Stores were opened by sutlers and a
newspaper, “The Peninsula”, was being printed. The muster roll for
March 3ed lists 12 officers and 725 men present for duty.
Camp life was monotonous and people had time to think. Since the
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment had yet to be paid
for their services to the country, the officers were concerned that
an incident might occur that would mar the unit’s good record.
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Major
Civil War Battles Involving U.S.C.T. Soldiers |
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http://valley.vcdh.virginia.edu |
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There was movement, finally, in
Washington on the pay issue. Senator Wilson of Massachusetts
introduced a bill on March 2, 1864, that would finally equalize the
pay of black and white soldiers. It passed the Senate on March 10th
and went to the House of Representatives. Copies of this bill were
received by Col Hallowell and were ordered read to each company of
the regiment.
Also during March 1864, promotions
were received for many people including Sgt Stephen A. Swails of
Company F. A black, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. He thus
became the first black officer promoted in the Union Army.
On April 6, 1864, Confederate
General Anderson sent a list of the wounded and captured Yankee
troops at the Battle of Olustee. It contained the names of five men
from the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
On April 17, 1864, the 54th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment boarded transports and
left Jacksonville.
They went back to Charleston and
siege duty. Individual companies were sporadically engaged in
artillery duels with the Confederate gunners during this time.
Upon promotion, Lt Swails assumed
the rank and duties of an officer. The War Department in Washington
balked. It refused to commission a black as an officer. Despite
being ordered to resume his duties as an enlisted man, Lt Swails got
help from Col Hallowell who had been promoted out of command of the
regiment. Lt Swails was sent to see General Foster at Hilton Head
who agreed to forward the lieutenant’s claim and recommended him for
muster as an officer.
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer
Infantry Regiment waited patiently for their pay. On September 28,
1864, it finally arrived. Eighteen months pay was received by the
900 men of the regiment. It too $170,000 to pay the 54th
Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Besides partying the men
sent over $100,000 home to their families. The enlisted men also
contributed $1,5435 to erect a monument to Col Robert Gould Shaw and
those who fell with him in the assault on Fort Wagner.
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