Civil War

This Week in the Civil War

00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.

This Week in the Civil War - 770

Texas Public Radio | By Texas Public Radio

Published February 19, 2014 at 3:14 PM CST

In the largest battle fought in Florida during the Civil War, on Saturday, February 20, 1864 Confederate and Union forces clashed at the Battle of Olustee, Florida.

As approximately 5500 Union troops advanced from Union-held Jacksonville westward toward Tallahassee intent on raiding Confederate supplies and destroying the railroads, near Olustee an estimated 5000 Confederates attacked, stubbornly forcing the Union troops to withdraw.

The Federals retreated to Jacksonville, and the Confederates quickly repaired their damaged railroad lines. In this engagement, Union forces suffered 1861 total casualties, including 203 killed and 506 missing in action; Southern casualties included 93 killed and 841 wounded, for a total of 934. No other engagement within Florida during the war would involve as many troops or see more casualties than this relatively minor engagement at Olustee.