FEBRUARY 20, 1864:
The
Battle of Olustee, Florida (The Battle of Ocean Pond). The largest Civil War
battle in Florida was fought in the north central region of the State between a
Confederate force of 5,000 and a Union force of 5,500. The capture of Olustee
was planned by the Union to be prefatory to the capture of Tallahassee, the
State capital. However, the Union commanders misjudged the situation badly,
throwing units piecemeal at the Confederates who were not, as presumed, local
militia but seasoned Confederate regulars. In the end, Olustee was a severe
Union defeat.
For its size, the Battle of Olustee had one of the highest
casualty rates of any Civil War battle. The 47th New York Volunteers suffered
over 300 casualties, the greatest number of any Union regiment during the
battle. Total Union casualties were 2,500. It is speculated that one reason
that Olustee was so bloody was that the Confederates faced large numbers of
U.S.C.T., who when captured were not treated according to the rules of war but
were tortured and murdered as runaway slaves. Confederate losses numbered
1,000.
After the loss at Olustee, the Union determined that the
capture of Tallahassee was not a crucial strategic or tactical priority, and
did not attempt to operate in inland Florida for the remainder of the war.
