Union Expulsion of St. Augustine Residents by Gil Wilson
When the Union army took over St. Augustine it had a problem of loyalty with some of the residents. Who was loyal? Several loyality oaths were given. The Provost Marshal was in charge of the local population and had to deal with the military information given by the population through the lines to the Confederate army. One early attempt at expulsion had not worked but at the end of May the order was given and carried out. The loyality oaths would continue and be especially important in St. Augustine from the December, 1863 meeting on Lincoln's Amnesty and Reconstruction plan.
MEMPHIS DAILY APPEAL [ATLANTA, GA], June 13, 1863, p. 2, c. 4 Correspondence of the Charleston Courier.] Tallahassee, Fla., June 8, 1863. We have late accounts from St. Augustine to the effect that all the citizens who had been allowed to remain in St. Augustine, mostly old men, women and children, have been compelled by the Yankees to leave that city. Private telegraphs have to-day confirmed the report. Some of the banished families have arrived at Lake City, on yesterday's train. Mrs. Paul, Mrs. Arnan, Mrs. Andrew and children, together with many others, have been sent out, while others have been sent to Hilton Head. . . .
June 15, 1863, p. 1, c. 3 Arrival of Refugees. From the Savannah News.] We have announced before that Gen. Hunter, the Federal commander at Hilton Head, had ordered that all the citizens of St. Augustine who sympathized with the South, or who had relatives in the Confederate army, should be banished from that city. In pursuance of this barbarous order, on Tuesday, the 28th of May, the Federal steamer Boston was at the wharf at St. Augustine, prepared to receive the exiles. Some thirty or forty citizens, men, women, and children, were embarked on board the steamer, which proceeded on her voyage, the exiles being uniformed of their destination. Many supposed that they would be landed at Fernandina, but, upon their arrival there, they were informed that the order from General Hunter was peremptory for the steamer to proceed to Hilton Head. The steamers accordingly arrived at that port. The prisoners were not taken on shore, but were kept on board one week. They were then taken to Beaufort, and placed in a dwelling there, guarded by Federal troops. This, we learn, was done to protect them from the insults of the Federal troops, frequent complaints having been made by political prisoners of the ill treatment received by them at the hands of the Yankee officers and soldiers. From Beaufort they were conveyed in accommodation wagons to the Confederate lines, and by railroad a portion of them arrived in this city on Wednesday night by the Charleston train.
On their arrival within our lines, they separated in different directions, in search of relatives and friends, many of them being comparatively destitute, having been robbed of their property and driven from their homes with scant means.
We learn that the following are among those who have arrived in this city: The three Misses Buffington and brother, Mrs. Putnam, Mrs. Smith, Mr. Panotty, wife and daughter. Also, the mother of Gen. Kirby Smith, who is seventy-six years of age. Mr. Quincy, an old gentleman of eighty years of age, with his wife, two daughters and two sons, took the train for Charleston. Mr. Buffington was detained as a prisoner at Hilton Head. . . .