| Leaving the Union Governor Perry called for a state convention to vote and adopt an ordinance of secession.The citizens of St. Augustine met in the courtroom on December 15, 1860 to decide on representatives to send to Tallahassee for the secession convention. The representatives selected were R.G May and Mathew Solana. On January 10, 1861, they voted for the secession of Florida from the Union.The St. Augustine Independent Blues (the local militia) along with a unit from Jacksonville werepresent when the Commander of the Blues, Major Benjamin A. Putnam announced the decision for separation from the Union.The “Stars and Stripes” were lowered and the “National Flag of Florida” was raised. Capture of the Fort by the Confederates (Deo vindice - Motto of the Confederacy) By the time of the Civil War St. Augustine has tourists from the North, hotels, boarding houses, and many people with Northern sympathies. However, with the State of Florida, St. Augustine becomes part of the Confederacy. (Census 1860 St. Johns County)The Fort (which had been renamed Fort Marion by the Americans) was taken over even before the formal withdraw of Florida from the Union. This meant waking up one lone guard who gladly left (after obtaining a receipt for the key). January 7, 1861 at St. Augustine Ordinance Sgt. Henry Douglas reported that "All military stores at this place were seized this morning by order of the governor of the State of FL. A company of volunteer soldiers marched to the barracks and took possession of me, and demanded peacable possession of the keys of the fort and magazine." A new U. S. Military Department was created, composed of the States of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and Major-Gen. Hunter was assigned to its command. The headquarters were at Beaufort, South Carolina. Gen. Hunter ranked Gen. Sherman, but this is not considered in a military sense as a supersedure of General Sherman. Rafael B. Canova was the mayor of St. Augustine from Nov 1860 through Nov of 1861. He was replaced by Paul Arnau who served until the U. S.Navy returned. Surrender to the United States Navy Arnau left the surrender of the city to Christobal Bravo. Gomacindo A. Pacetty became mayor from March 24, 1862 until the city was placed under marital law on April 12, 1862. The Provost Marshall (some St. Augustine Reports) would be in charge of St. Augustine. The first troops in the city were the 4th New Hampshire. Confederate St. Augustine lasted one year until the return of the U. S. Navy. On March 11, 1862 United States troops took charge of St. Augustine. (See news article) (Civil War St. Augustine Pictures) Office of the Provost Marshall St Augustine Fla June 14th 1863 Colonel I have just finished administering the Oath of Allegiance and the issuing of Descriptive Passes to the inhabitants at this Post, with the following exceptions. To a few persons who are invalids and upon whom I shall call during the present week and to the Rev Edward Aubriel, Rev Bernard Aubance and Rev F Katrio Kerby, priest officiating at the Cathedral of St Augustine in this City, and also to Mary Aloysious, Mary Evangelista, Mary Magdalenia and Mary Monica, sisters of Mercy at the Convent of St Mary in this City and to the Misses Luzzie and Ellen Hennery boarders at the said Covenant. The above named persons have expressed a desire to me to take the Oath of Neutrality and I am now waiting for instructions from you as to the course I shall pursue with them. Your order in relation to the "Examination of Passes" is received and before executing it, I would ask whether it is necessary at this Post, in as much as I have just issued the Passes, and know that there can be no reason of taking the Oath by anyone at this Post. Four orders concerning those "Desiring to escape the Draft" and the "Sale of Wines, Liquors and Ales" are received and will be immediately obeyed. I send to you by this Steamer five men named Richard Parker, William Loach, William Barrow, John Barrow, and Jackson Knowles. Richard Parker and William Louch were conscripted by the Confederate authorities fled, and arrived at this post June 3rd 1863. John Barrow, William Barrow and Jackson Knowles were privated in Capt Oakes Co Con Inf, deserters and arrived at this post June 13th 1863. I also send you the Registry of Descriptive Passes issued and of Oaths administered at this Post to June 14 1863. I also send you a letter addressed to Andrew Floyd, prisioner at Hilton Head, containing eight dollars, one addressed to Bartolo Genovar prisoner at Hilton Head containing two dollars and one addressed to William Gardiner prisoner at Hilton Head containing two dollars, all of which I have receipted for, and a box and parcel for Bartolo Genovar. I understood that some furniture sent from here for Lehr Middleton was seized at Hilton Head and now remains there. I am directed by Col R Hawley Co what the furniture is old family furniture belonging to a Mrs Cobb, a loyal woman residing at the North, and has been in the charge of Mrs Clarissa Anderson, a loyal woman living in this City, at whose request it was sent North to protect it from any accident that might happen to it here. The Women were the Most Difficult My dear daughter (from St. A) this is an attempt to communicate to you, the risk is great and the success doubtful I have but a short time to do much and can only impart to you of an unhappy situation. We are under the hand of the oppressor - the cords are drawn upon us, tighter and tighter every day. The object, the assumed object of the invaders, is to subjugate us, to exterminate us, to starve us even into submission. Since the 11th of March we have been in their hands in the first place the City Authorities being of the native population - Romanists, ignorant and timid through to conciliate and secure for purposes of their property raised a white flag to the blockading Fleet. Capt. of the Wabash came in and these week and foolish people surrendered the City to them. Our volunteer company had left the day before, and there is no doubt but there was and had been constant communication with the vessels off by Traitors, and northern tradesmen who have lived with us like the snake in the fable, have been warmed in our bosom, nourished, made strong by ill gotten gains and have turned against us and stung us -- a painful exhibition of the depravity of Human Nature. At the first coming in, everything was promised, the quiet possession of our property, every thing to go on n the good old way -- ample supplies of provisions at cheap rates etc etc. Soon altho there was no shew of resistance, he tables were turned. A large military force thrown in Martial Law proclaimed and the most unheard restrictions over all our movements, houses taken possession of the furniture and use of utter ? of our servants, a military governor, a provost marshal, etc. The Court House so near us if filled with men, Sentinels at every corner, pickets planted in every direction to stop all intercourse with the country - armed men all the time in the streets - no one permitted to be out after nightfall, without a pass, no provisions allowed to be sold to citizens. It is now said without taking the oath of allegiance, evidently a determination to starve the poor women and children into submission especially the wives and children of the volunteer companies now absent on service. No lady or any person permitted to cross the bridge without taking the oath. Our servants stray about the town without doing any work perfectly insubordinate By order of Col Louis Bell (4th New Hampshire) commandant, Certain disgusting exhibitions of treason having been made by some women of the City, It is ordered that any person showing any evidence of treason by word or act, will be arrested at once, and placed in Confinement as Traitors, by orders from Headquarters. Rebel flags having been waved by children before houses in the City, it is ordered upon another occurance of this kind, the house will be immediately seized, and all the inmates placed in confinement. The immediate cause of this order is said to have been that some young girls (native Floridians) kissed some splinters of the old Flag Staff upon the Square, and took some of the ashes, where the Yankees had been burning the stump, and some little children up town, were seen playing with their little flags or remnants of them On March 12, 1863 an advanced picket guard 2 miles north of town was attacked by 80 horesmen under Capt Dickinson. A sargent and 4 men were captured. Letter from Headquarters 1863 From Lt Col Asst. Adjtant Gen'l to 10 Army Corps of Dept South written to Mrs. Frances Webster Mrs. Francis M. Webster Geneva, Ontario County, NY Madam: I am instructed by the Major General Commanding Dept. to acknowledge the receipt of your note dated 9th inst. relative to the case of your mother, Mrs. Josie Smith, of St. Augustine Fla; and in reply to acquaint you: That there was not the slightest disposition on the part of the Officer Commanding St. Augustine to molest or deport any of the peaceful, or non-combatant, residents of that place; until it was found, that, by the abuse of your injudicious license of speech, defamatory of the government, serious difficulties were likely to arise among the more ignorant and turbulent of the population; and until it had also been found, that communication with the enemy, of a nature prejudicial to the public interests, was being kept up from within the lines of St. Augustine. In this illegitimate correspondence it was found that Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Putnam and others were involved, and the order for them to quit the lines & to live amongst those with who they sympathized was thereupon issued. Nevertheless, as a mark of respect, the only one he was at present with power of paying, to the memory of your late gallant husband., Lt. Col. Webster, and also in deference to the memories of the gallant Kirby Smith, who fell in Mexico, and that other Kirby Smith who more recently fell at Cornith, I am instructed by the Major General Commanding to announce to you that Mrs. Smith will not be molested, nor deported, and to issue orders accordingly to the Commanding Officer at St. Augustine. * * * From Mrs. J Smith April 2 1863 Thursday, April 2nd, this a dark dark day. At 4 o'clock this afternoon, my Sister Helen, Mrs. Putnam, left her home. Her own happy comfortable home, expelled from it by order of Gen'l Hunter, Comd S. Dept. because her husband is a Southern man. Called a secessionist. He has not born arms against the Union, has not been in this place since before the Northern Troops were in possession, was absent in the country when they came in -- She left in the steamer Neptune, Capt. destination Hilton Head, a prisoner, escort Lieut. Davis 7th New Hampshire Vol. Altho I have been under orders myself for because I have a son in The Confederate Army, Gen'l Kirby Smith on information of friends, and statement of physicians, I am exempted permitted to remain on account of age. 77 years, infirmity and ill health. St. Augustine's African-American Union Soldiers The African-American population of St. Augustine celebrated their liberation on January 1, 1863 (one of the few slave populations that were able to take advantage of the Emancipation Proclamation of Abraham Lincoln). The newly freed slaves and the population of African-Americans that had already been free blacks responded by volunteering for the U. S. army. The 21st, 33rd, and 34th USCT regiments were filled with the freed men of St. Augustine. The following is a sampling of the pension records of these men: Joseph Cryer, Pablo Gray, James Sanchez, Simon Williams. (Organization of the 33rd USCT) (Organization of the 21st USCT) Guarding St. Augustine Soldiers from New England guarded St. Augustine. (letters from 2nd Lieut Ever C. Shedd Co. A. 7th Regt. N. H. Vol.) St. Augustine's Confederate Soldiers The Confederate forces of St. Augustine were recruited into the St. Augustine Blues and the St. Johns Greys. On the plaza you will find the monument to the Confederate War dead. It is the oldest Confederate monument in the State of Florida. Domingo B. Usina fought in Company "B" Third Florida Volunteers. There were three African-American soldiers in the Confederate army: Antonio Welters, Isaac Papino, and Emanuel Osborn. They served as musicians until they were discharged in 1862. Remembering the United States Soldiers of St. Augustine is more difficult. General William Wing Loring On the west side of the plaza you will find a monument to Confederate General William Wing Loring. He was one of the three generals in the Civil War from St. Augustine. The Sons of the Confederacy Chapter in St. Augustine is named the William Wing Loring Chapter. General Loring died in New York on December 30, 1886 and his ashes were buried at Grace Episcopal church in New York. City Council in St. Augustine gave $100 toward moving him back to St. Augustine and with the help of others the General's ashes arrived by train on March 17, 1887 and lay in an oak coffin in the Plaza, guraded day and night by sentries. He was laid to rest first in Evergreen cemetery but was moved to the west side of the plaza in 1920. General Edmond Kirby Smith Confederate General Edmond Kirby Smith (sculpture of General Kirby Smith and Alexander Darnes) was a West Point graduate (military statue in the U. S. Capitol). He fought in Mexico and served with the 2nd Cavalry in Texas. He commanded the Trans-Mississippi Department after the fall of Vicksburg. His boyhood house is the site of the St. Augustine Historical Society Research Library). General Stephen Vincent Benet The Union General was Stephen Vincent Benet, the grandfather of the famous poet. Stephen Vincent Benet was the son of Peter Benet a Minorcan. Peter was known as the "King of the Minorcans." He served as a police officer, Justice of the Peace, a Church Warden, alderman and was Mayor for one month. He was the Collector, Assistant Surveyor, and Surveyor of the Port of St. Augustine for the Federal government. Stephen Vicent Benet was Florida's first appointee to the Military Academy at West Point in May of 1845 and graduated 3 in his class. He served as Brevet Second Lieutenant of Ordnance to the Chief of Ordnance in the U. S. Army. he invented and perfected the first centerfire metallic infantry cartridge that helped in the creation of the Gatling Gun. African-American Education During the war education comes to St. Augustine (picture of potential school site) with the U.S. Army. Teachers across the north volunteered to teach the newly freed slaves. Two associations are located in St. Augustine during this time: the New York Freedman's Association and the American Missionary Association. The first AMA teacher in Florida Carrie E Jocelyn, began her work in St. Augustine in 1863 and was soon joined by Rev.(Report to AMA) and Mrs. George Greeley (Report to AMA). (Joe M Richardson. Christian Abolitionism: The American Missionary Association and the Florida Negro." (unpublished) (Rev Greeley's report from Jacksonville settlement) Mrs. Greely, in seeking food and clothing for pupils who ranged in ages from 20 to 75, said, "They were the most destitute objects I ever saw, many of them almost naked." The Ex-Slaves The WPA and others in the 1930s begin to record oral biographies of the ex-slaves. Some of these are tainted by simple childhood memories but the ones recovered for St. Augustine include: Ed Lycurgas, Cloe Job, Mary Ann Murray. The St. Augustine newspaper also did stories about ex-slaves in the 1930s: Christine Mitchell and George Edwards Go to Reconstruction |
| St. Augustine in the Civil War by Gil Wilson (Introduction) 1861-1865 ab urbe condita - 296 to 300 |
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| General Edmond Kirby Smith Library of Congress |
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| General Stephen Vincent Benet Library of Congress |
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| William Wing Loring Florida State Archives |