Battle of Natural Bridge

Battle of Natural Bridge Part of the American Civil War Natural Bridge Monument Date March 6, 1865 Location Leon County, Florida 30°17′02″N 84°09′07″W / 30.28389°N 84.15194°W / 30.28389; -84.15194Coordinates: 30°17′02″N 84°09′07″W / 30.28389°N 84.15194°W / 30.28389; -84.15194 Result Confederate victory Belligerents United States (Union) CSA (Confederacy) Commanders and leaders John Newton Sam Jones William Miller Units involved 2nd Florida Cavalry Regiment 2nd U.S. Colored Infantry 99th U.S. Colored Infantry 1st Florida Militia 5th Florida Cavalry Battalion Kilcrease Artillery Dunham’s Battery Abell's Battery Company A, Milton Light Artillery Barwick’s Company Reserves Hodges' Company Reserves Companies A, B, and F; Florida Reserves Reinforcements from Georgia Strength 700 1,000 Casualties and losses 148 total 21 killed 89 wounded 38 captured 26 total 3 killed 23 wounded

Lower Seaboard Theater Fort Sumter USS St. Lawrence Head of Passes Santa Rosa Island Port Royal Fort Pulaski Forts Jackson and St. Philip New Orleans 1st Pocotaligo Secessionville Simmon's Bluff Tampa Baton Rouge 1st Donaldsonville St. Johns Bluff 2nd Pocotaligo Georgia Landing 1st Fort McAllister Fort Bisland Irish Bend Vermillion Bayou 1st Charleston Harbor Wassaw Sound 1st Fort Wagner Grimball's Landing 2nd Fort Wagner 2nd Charleston Harbor 2nd Fort Sumter Plains Store Port Hudson LaFourche Crossing 2nd Donaldsonville Kock's Plantation Stirling's Plantation USS New Ironsides Fort Brooke Gainesville Olustee USS Housatonic Vernon Grimball's Causeway Natural Bridge

Map of Natural Bridge Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program.

The Battle of Natural Bridge was a battle during the American Civil War, fought in what is now Woodville, Florida, near Tallahassee, on March 6, 1865. A small band of Confederate troops and volunteers, mostly composed of teenagers from the nearby Florida Military and Collegiate Institute that would later become Florida State University, and the elderly, protected by breastworks, prevented Union forces (consisting of African-American soldiers of the United States Colored Troops) from crossing the Natural Bridge on the St. Marks River. The Natural Bridge is a one-quarter mile long stretch along which the St. Marks River runs underground, after dropping into a sinkhole.^[1] This action prevented the Union from capturing the Florida capital and made Tallahassee the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi River not to be captured by Union forces during the war. The battle has been described as the last Confederate victory in the American Civil War, and it was the second largest American Civil War battle in Florida.

Battle

The Union's Brig. Gen. John Newton had undertaken a joint force expedition to engage and destroy Confederate troops that had attacked at Cedar Keys, Florida and Fort Myers and were allegedly encamped somewhere around St. Marks. The Union Navy had trouble getting its ships up the St. Marks River. The Army force, however, had advanced and, after finding one bridge destroyed, started before dawn on March 6 to attempt to cross the river at Natural Bridge. The troops initially pushed Rebel forces back, but not away from the bridge.

Confederate forces under Brig. Gen. William Miller, protected by breastworks, guarded all of the approaches and the bridge itself. The action at Natural Bridge lasted most of the day, but, unable to take the bridge in three separate charges, the Union troops retreated to the protection of the fleet.

Based on the involvement of the students from the Florida Military and Collegiate Institute, the Florida State University Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program is one of only four Army ROTC programs to have a battle streamer for their actions in the Civil War.^[2] Since it was originally part of the Army, FSU's Air Force ROTC unit also displays the same battle streamer.

Monument

Secretary of State Tom Adams showing battle flag of Natural Bridge (1961)

The site of the battle is now Natural Bridge Battlefield State Historic Site, a Florida State Park, and contains a monument with the inscription:

Annual Memorial Service and Battle Reenactment

First reenactment of the battle in 1974

A ceremony honoring the combatants on both sides of the Battle of Natural Bridge, followed by a reenactment of the battle featuring Union, Confederate, and civilian reenactors, is held at the park the first weekend of March every year. The event is free and open to the public.^[3]

The site is now called Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park.^[3]

See also

• Military history of African Americans in the U.S. Civil War
• United States Colored Troops
• Historical reenactment
• List of Florida state parks
• List of Registered Historic Places in Leon County, Florida

Notes

External links

• Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park - Florida State Parks
• Photos of the annual Battle of Natural Bridge reenactment
• Natural Bridge Historical Society
• Union Account by Captain Thos. Chatfield
• Map of the Battle - Civil War Trust
• http://m.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/post-time-the-civil-war-battle-of-natural-bridge/nkH5w/

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the National Park Service document "".

Florida in the American Civil War
1861	Fort Pickens Fort Barrancas Port of Apalachicola Battle of Pensacola Battle of Santa Rosa Island
1862	Battle of Tampa Battle of Saint John's Bluff
1863	Battle of Fort Brooke Battle of Ballast Point
1864	Battle of Olustee Battle of Gainesville Battle of Marianna Battle of Vernon
1865	Sherman's Special Field Orders, No. 15 Battle of Fort Myers Battle of Natural Bridge
Cities	St. Augustine
Units	Confederate organizations from the State of Florida Federal organizations from the State of Florida