Confederate Activity in Gadsden County, FL???

[TampaNative]

Hello all,

I have recently begun to pursue my lifelong interest in history by doing research about local areas, with the hopes of finding myself some good sites to use my new metal detector at. Although I live in the Tampa Bay area, I also spend some time in the panhandle northwest of Tallahassee in Gadsden County and am seeking information about that area's role in the Civil War. I have found some very basic information about Confederate soldiers buried in Quincy but not much else. I've been told that there were some Confederate encampments or commissaries in that area, but my searches have come up dry and I am not sure if that might be because I am getting bad hearsay-type information.

Does anyone here have any information or sources on this area's Civil War involvement? I'd like to confirm or deny the likelihood of good relic hunting in this area.

Thanks for any assistance offered.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

YO! I was a "Civil War Freak" in 7th grade, and was an "expert" on Virginia Civil War history; out of Virginia... Pfffttth! LOL. Anyway, spent a week down in Tampa area with a buddy, back in Summer '69... staying with a great-aunt in Brandon... she had a "GATOR", in her back-yard pond; I was AMAZED! ANYWAY... back "on topic". The REBS were MAINLY blockade runners "down there", trying to reach Cuba, Mexico, South America towards the "end of the war"; PROBABLY only in the water, where ships went down, etc. I AM aware of a REBEL conclave in Mexico City, and the OS CONFEDERADOS in South America, based on research relating to the CSA Treasury, and "flight" of Jeff Davis. I also know that TEXAS was a "HOTBED" of KGC/REB/OUTLAW activities... traveling from the Fla. "Pan-handle" (Tampa Bay... and points west). Good Luck! HH! Coffee? "Google" Confederate Colonies of Brazil"; THEN... "SCV Camp # 1653". You will be AMAZED!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

I would just contact SCV # 1653, and see if any records exist of their "REB ancestors" POD (Point of Departure) in your "areas"; I can see where REBS would "cast off" uniforms, etc. to "lighten the load" of the trips to Americana, and other places in Brazil. PROBABLY had minor battles with yanks, too... DUNNO.

 

[armchairQB30]

Olustee battlefield

battle of Brooksville

various naval engagements

prisons

commisaries with the "cow cavalry"

 

[YankeeDownSouthAdv.]

hows your research going??..six

 

[GlassyEyed]

Shoot me a message or an email if you want to know more about the area. I am from Marianna (Jackson Co.), which is right next door to Gadsen.

Jeremiah
insulatorjunkie@yahoo.com

 

[TampaNative]

Shoot me a message or an email if you want to know more about the area. I am from Marianna (Jackson Co.), which is right next door to Gadsen.

Jeremiah
insulatorjunkie@yahoo.com

Doing that now.... I've been away from this site for awhile... little thing called life been getting in the way!

 

[Seaadventure]

Maybe I'm the last to this party but there are plenty of places that are around that most people don't even know about here in the panhandle of Florida.
That they had forts, ports, locations of camps but most of what I have found is on state property along with federal property. Good Luck with that one...
I can tell you that there was a fellow with some High Tech stuff looking around for something of interest along the coast. He must have had a good info on something to spend the cash this guy had reported been spending. Interesting!

 

[Sundancer]

I live very near the Olustee site.. you might check the battle of 'Natural Bridge' which was in the general area you are seeking.. also, over all along the Suwannee.. skirmishes galore. At Olustee, we chased the Yanks all the way back to Jax... they never ventured west from there again. Also, FL is the only CSA State which never had it's Capitol captured.

 

[ECS]

Other lesser known sites:
Mandarin-CSA mine sinking of US MAPLE LEAF & Harriet Beecher Stowe homestead
Horse Landing on St Johns River,Putnam County-CSA calvary capture and sinking of USS Columbine gunboat.
Davenport Landing on Oklawaha River,Putnam County-riverboat stopover & staging area for CSA raids on St Johns River.
Orange Springs on Oklawaha River,Marion County-CSA Fort Brook & CSA Capt J J Dickinson's SUNNYSIDE Plantation.
Sharpes Ferry on Oklawaha River,Marion County- CSA Fort Fowle & site on Union raid on the Marshall Plantation.
Cedar Key,Levy County-CSA salt works raided by Union.
Otter Creek,Levy County-site of CSA & Union skirmish.

 

[mark v]

Also, FL is the only CSA State which never had it's Capitol captured.

I did not know this. Interesting. Thanks!

 

[ECS]

Florida's role in THE WAR OF NORTHERN AGRESSION is but a footnote,if any mention is given in AMERICAN history books,but Florida had its share of battles and skirmishes with the Union,as well as being a supplier of beef,salt,whiskey,cotton and other goods to the Confederacy.Also ,Florida was the heart of blockade running activities for the CSA.
CSA Capt J J Dickinson,Florida's "SWAMP FOX",wrote the Florida section of the 12 volumn CONFEDERATE MILITARY HISTORY-Volumn 11,Part 2,it provides a good account of Florida's action in that war.