When and where was the Battle of Olustee fought?
The Battle of Olustee was fought in Baker County, Florida, on the 20th of February 1864. It took place near Ocean Pond and Olustee Station during the American Civil War.
Questions about Battle of Olustee
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why did Union forces attack Florida at the Battle of Olustee?
Union commanders aimed to disrupt Confederate food supplies, particularly beef and salt, which Florida provided to the Confederacy. The expedition also sought to secure Union enclaves, sever supply routes, and recruit Black soldiers, following a January 1864 letter from President Abraham Lincoln to Major General Quincy A. Gillmore.
How many casualties were there at the Battle of Olustee?
Union forces suffered 1,861 total casualties, including 203 killed, 1,152 wounded, and 506 missing, amounting to about 34 percent of their force. Confederate casualties totaled 949, including 93 killed, 848 wounded, and 8 missing, about 19 percent of their force.
What role did the 54th Massachusetts play at the Battle of Olustee?
The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment helped repel a final Confederate attack on the Union rearguard just before nightfall. Two days after the battle, on the 22nd of February 1864, soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts also manually pulled a train of wounded Union soldiers approximately three miles after its locomotive broke down, a journey that ultimately covered 10 miles and took 42 hours.
Who was Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin B. Sample at the Battle of Olustee?
Benjamin B. Sample was the lieutenant colonel of the 5th Cavalry Battalion who led a spoiling assault on Union lines at around 4:00 p.m. on the 20th of February 1864. He was a veteran of the battles of Stones River and Chickamauga, and was noted as a pre-war southern abolitionist who reportedly wept and pleaded for the killing of Black soldiers to stop after the battle.
What is the Battle of Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park?
The Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park commemorates the site of the battle and is located within the Osceola National Forest on U.S. Route 90. Part of the battlefield is state-protected land, part falls within the national forest, and part is privately held. As of 2022, no monument to the Union dead had been erected at the site.