Saturday, May 6, 2023

Official Reports of Operations near Jacksonville, Fla., March 23-31, 1863: No. 2. — Report of Brig. Gen. Joseph Finegan, C. S. Army.

No. 2.

Report of Brig. Gen. Joseph Finegan, C. S. Army.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA,        
Lake City, Fla., March 31, 1863.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that on the night of the 24th instant I directed Lieutenant [T. E.] Buckman, chief of ordnance, to proceed with the rifled 32-pounder furnished me by Brigadier-General [H.] Cobb, mounted on a platform car on the railroad, and a sufficient infantry support for the gun, to within range of the town, and open on it with shot and shell. In obedience to this order Lieutenant Buckman proceeded to within 1½ miles of the town and opened on it with effect, throwing shell with great accuracy into those parts of the town where the enemy were located. The gun was admirably served, and great credit is due to Lieutenant Buckman and to Private Francis Soulé, of Captain [Edwin] West's company, First Special Battalion Florida Volunteers, commanding gun detachment, for its effective service. The firing of the enemy from a large number of heavy guns on their gunboats and some in battery soon became concentrated and accurate, and the gun, in pursuance of orders, was withdrawn after inflicting some damage on the enemy and without loss on our side.

On the succeeding morning the enemy advanced in force, about 1,500 strong, in three columns, driving in pickets with skirmishers, and formed in line of battle about 3 miles from town. My entire force was immediately ordered with all possible expedition to proceed to the ground where they were drawn up and engage them. The rifled 32-pounder, under command of Lieutenant Buckman, with a strong support of infantry and cavalry on left flank, protected on the right by the main body of our troops, was sent down on the railroad, and opened on the enemy as soon as they came within range, gradually approaching them until within full view of a considerable force protected by a 12-pounder Parrott gun, and engaged in destroying a culvert over which it was necessary for our gun to pass in order to shell the town. Lieutenant Buckman opened on them with effect, throwing shell with great accuracy and dispersing the party.

In the mean time a section of Captain [R. H.] Gamble's battery of Florida artillery was ordered some little distance in advance of our main body, and under command of Captain Gamble and Lieutenant [F. L.] Villepigue opened on the enemy a cross-fire in the direction where they were supposed to be lying concealed in some force. The enemy had in this fight, in addition to the Parrott gun on the railroad car, a small hand piece, with which he opened in the direction of the firing from Captain Gamble's section. He did not await the advance of the main body of our troops, but retired precipitately soon after the 32-pounder gun had opened on him. I continued to throw shell into their column for some distance on their retreat, and found evidence of considerable loss on their part--a number of guns, caps, haversacks, canteens, and fragments of human bodies and portions of skulls were found on the several roads occupied by their columns.

The conduct and services on this occasion of Lieut. T. E. Buckman, chief of ordnance, and of Private Francis Soulé, of Captain West's company (First Special Battalion), commanding gun detachment of 32-pounder rifled gun, is again entitled to special commendation.

The enemy having retired, I sent forward a strong body of infantry, under command of Major [T. W.] Brevard, First Partisan Rangers, with orders to hold them in reserve under cover from the enemy's guns, and to send forward a body of skirmishers to approach cautiously and ascertain the position of the enemy in the immediate vicinity of the town and endeavor to draw them out in force. The order was executed by Major Brevard with promptness, gallantry, and discretion. The skirmishers, under command of Major Brevard in person, advanced to within a short distance of the town. Finding the enemy's pickets drawn into their outer battery (a strong position on the brow of a hill), a ravine in front, and a strong force well posted for its defense and under good cover on either flank, and having no further object to gain, I ordered Major Brevard's command to retire, and replacing and strengthening my pickets, returned with the main body of my force to camp, having inflicted on the enemy, as I have reason to believe, a probable loss of 10 or 15 men, without any casualties to my own troops.

The conduct and spirit of both officers and men of the entire command were excellent, and I desire to mention favorably to the commanding general Col. Duncan L. Clinch, Fourth Georgia Cavalry; Lieutenant-Colonel [A. H.] McCormick, Second Florida Cavalry; Major R. B.] Thomas, inspector-general and acting chief of artillery; Maj.[R. B.] Brevard, First Battalion Partisan Rangers; Major [Robert] Harrison, Second Florida Cavalry; Major [J. C.] McDonald, Fourth Georgia Cavalry; Captain [Edwin] West, First Special Battalion; Captains [John] Westcott, [Samuel W.] Mays, P. B. Bird, and J. Q. Stewart, of Brevard's battalion of Partisan Rangers, and Lieut. ——— Tucker, commanding company from camp of instruction, and his officers and men.

On the succeeding day (the 26th instant) I placed early in the morning a strong force of infantry, with a battery of artillery, under Major Brevard, First Battalion Partisan Rangers, under cover some woods to the right of where the enemy were posted on the 25th instant, with the design of getting in their rear should they again venture out. During the day information reached me that they were out in force, and I again marched to meet them, with the intention of cutting them off, but they retired before we got near them. On the night of the 26th [instant] they were out in some force attempting to destroy the railroad track about 1 mile from town. Lieutenant Buckman was again ordered with the rifled 32-pounder and an infantry support to drive them in. This he accomplished with a few rounds. On each succeeding day I posted a large body of infantry under cover for the purpose of cutting off any force that might come out; but the enemy kept closely within their lines in the suburbs of the town and under the immediate fire of their gunboats and batteries.

On Sunday, the 29th instant, while reconnoitering the town from a position on the river, I discovered it was on fire in several places and that the transports were being loaded with troops. I immediately conjectured that the enemy were leaving, and pressed on into the town, arriving just after the departure of the last gunboat. I found the town in great part consumed, but succeeded in extinguishing the fire in some valuable buildings. There were evidences of precipitate departure by the enemy, and some quartermaster's stores were left by them, which were taken and turned over to the proper officers.

I regret to report that on the night of the 27th instant Lieutenant [O. F.] Braddock, of Captain [John] Westcott's company Partisan Rangers, who had obtained, through the solicitation of his officers, permission to proceed to the east bank of the Saint John's River to bring across the wives and children of men in the service who were there destitute and exposed to the outrages of the negro troops of the enemy, after having  <ar20_236> crossed the river, some 12 miles above my camp, and met the wagons sent by his captain to convey the women and children, was captured, with 15 men, 2 wagons, and 8 mules, by a three of the enemy under Col. ——— Montgomery. The mules were recovered by a force which I sent in pursuit, but the wagons were burned by the enemy and the women and children carried off. I have ordered the arrest of this officer (who subsequently escaped from his captors), and will ask for his trial by court-martial whenever the proper witnesses can be produced. The fortifications erected by the enemy around Jacksonville were formidable.

I desire to bring to the notice of the commanding general in the highest terms of praise the conduct and services of both officers and men of the command in the recent operations, and herewith transmit a copy of General Orders, No. 12, issued by me, to which I beg to refer the commanding general for special mention of instances of individual merit. I will, however, here mention as pro-eminently entitled to consideration the services and conduct of Lieut. T. E. Buckman, chief of ordnance on my staff, a most accomplished, brave, ingenious, and energetic officer, and Privates Francis Soulé, of Captain West's company, First Special Battalion, and James Chestnut, of Captain Chambers' company, Second Florida Cavalry; also Capts. W. E. Chambers and Winston Stephens of the Second Florida Cavalry, and their officers and men.

I have ascertained that the enemy's force in Jacksonville was as follows: Eighth Maine, 1,100 strong; Sixth Connecticut, 800 strong (whites); First South Carolina Volunteers (black troops), commanded by Col. T. W. Higginson, a full regiment, estimated from 900 to 1,500; Second South Carolina Volunteers (blacks), Colonel Montgomery commanding, not full.

I have the honor to be, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOS. FINEGAN,        
Brigadier-General, Commanding.
Brig. Gen. THOMAS JORDAN,
        Chief of Staff, Charleston, S.C.

SOURCE: The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume 14 (Serial No. 20), p. 234-6

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