Battle of Olustee

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Battle of Olustee

Date	February 20, 1864
Location	Baker County, Florida
Result	Confederate victory

Combatants

United States of America

Confederate States of America

Commanders

Truman Seymour

Joseph Finegan

Strength

Division (5,500)

District of East Florida (5,000)

Casualties

1,861

946

Battle of Olustee

Lower Seaboard Theater
Fort Sumter - Santa Rosa Island - Fort Pulaski - Forts Jackson and St. Philip – New Orleans – Secessionville – Simmon's Bluff – Tampa – Baton Rouge – 1st Donaldsonville - St. John's Bluff - Georgia Landing - 1st Fort McAllister - Fort Bisland – Irish Bend – Vermillion Bayou - 1st Charleston Harbor – 1st Fort Wagner – Grimball's Landing – 2nd Fort Wagner – 2nd Fort Sumter – 2nd Charleston Harbor - Plains Store – Port Hudson - LaFourche Crossing – 2nd Donaldsonville – Kock's Plantation – Stirling's Plantation - Fort Brooke - Gainesville - Olustee - Natural Bridge

The Battle of Olustee or Battle of Ocean Pond was fought near Lake City, Florida, on February 20, 1864, during the American Civil War. It was the largest battle fought in Florida during the war. In February 1864, the commander of the Department of the South, Maj. Gen. Quincy A. Gillmore, launched an expedition into Florida to secure Union enclaves, sever Confederate supply routes, and recruit black soldiers. Brig. Gen. Truman Seymour moved deep into the state, occupying, destroying, and liberating, but meeting little resistance. On February 20, his 5,500 men approached Brig. Gen. Joseph Finegan's 5,000 Confederates entrenched near Olustee. One infantry brigade pushed out to meet Seymour's advance units. The Union forces attacked but were repulsed. The battle raged, and as Finegan committed the last of his reserves, the Union line broke and began to retreat. Finegan did not exploit the retreat, allowing most of the fleeing Union forces to reach Jacksonville.

Union casualties were 203 killed, 1,152 wounded, and 506 missing, a total of 1,861 men. Confederate losses were considerably lower: 93 killed, 847 wounded, and 6 missing, a total of 946 casualties in all. The high Union losses caused Northern lawmakers and citizens to question the necessity of further Union involvement in the militarily insignificant state of Florida.

There is an annual historical reenactment and festival that takes place on the site of the battle at Olustee State Park in central Florida.

The battlefield is part of the Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park, on U.S. 90.