Today in History:

330 Series I Volume XXXV-I Serial 65 - Olustee Part I

Page 330 S. C., FLA., AND ON THE GA. COAST. Chapter XLVII.

The body of Colonel C. W. Fribley was left upon the field at Olustee. If there have been any means of identifying his persons, I request that his grave may be so marked that at some future day his family may be able to remove his remains.

And I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

T. SEYMOUR,

Brigadier-General, U. S. Army.

[Inclosure Numbers 2.]


HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA,
Baldwin, Fla., February 24, 1864.

Brigadier General T. SEYMOUR,

Commanding U. S. Forces, Jacksonville:

GENERAL: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 23rd instant, proposing that the wounded prisoners left by you on the field of battle at Ocean Pond, on the 20th instant, be paroled and sent within your lines, and requesting that if the body of Colonel C. W. Fribley, left on the ground, could be identified, his grave might be so marked that his family at some future day may be able to remove his remains.

In reply I have to state that the wounded prisoners have been sent forward and properly taken care of, to await the future action of my Government with reference to an exchange of prisoners.

I regret to say that the body of Colonel Fribley has not been identified.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOSEPH FINEGAN,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.


HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA,
In the Field, 12 miles from Jacksonville, February 26, 1864.

GENERAL: For the information of the commanding general I have the honor to report that on the evening of February 7 the enemy landed at Jacksonville, from eighteen transports and gun-boats, a large force of cavalry, artillery, and infantry, which was largely augmented by arrivals on the 8th instant. On the receipt of this intelligence I immediately notified Lieutenant-Colonel McCormick, commanding an effective force of near 350 men, of all arms, at Camp Finegan, to guard against a surprise, advising him that I would join the command as soon as I had issued the necessary orders for collecting my widely scattered troops and dispatched telegrams and letters for re-enforcements.

On the night of the 8th instant, the enemy advanced from Jacksonville with great rapidity in three heavy columns, cavalry in the advance, artillery and infantry following, under command of Brigadier-General Seymour. They approached Camp Finegan as the command there were in the act of retiring. Their largely superior numbers deterred Lieutenant-Colonel McCormick, commanding, from attacking them, and in the darkness of the night he withdrew his command with caution and address and joined me at Camp Beauregard, near Ocean Pond, on the Olustee, on the 13th instant. the enemy with celerity pressed on the Baldwin, capturing on their way 5 guns of Companies A and B, Milton Light Artillery, which


Page 330 S. C., FLA., AND ON THE GA. COAST. Chapter XLVII.