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 Olustee Battlefield - Olustee, FL
N 30° 12.837 W 082° 23.308
17R E 366366 N 3343308
The Battle of Olustee, also known as the Battle of Ocean Pond, was fought in Olustee near Lake City, Florida, on February 20, 1864, during the American Civil War. A reenactment is held each year to commemorate the battle.
Waymark Code: WMC3WJ
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 07/22/2011
Views: 7
OLUSTEE BATTLEFIELD, 45.9 m., was the scene of the most sanguinary conflict fought in Florida during the War between the States. The highway traverses the battlefield, and a part (R) is maintained jointly by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the State. Here on February 20, 1864, twelve regiments of Federal troops led by General Truman Seymour engaged 5,000 Confederates under General Joseph Finnegan and were repulsed with heavy losses. Toward evening, with the arrival of a fresh battalion of the 2nd Florida Cavalry, the Union forces retreated and delayed pursuit by chopping down trees. Two monuments on the site indicate a division of opinion on the name of the battle. One calls it the 'Battle of Olustee'; near by is a smaller monument erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy as a memorial to the 'Battle of Ocean Pond.' ---Florida - A Guide to the Southernmost State, 1939
Both monuments mentioned in the Guide are still present. Although the United Daughters of the Confederacy referred to the battle as the "Battle of Ocean Pond," I've never heard anyone actually refer to it as such. The name "Battle of Olustee" is what it's called. It's well worth a visit to the area during the annual re-enactment of the battle, but be prepared for a large crowd and walking a long distance from wherever you manage to find a place to park, typically somewhere along Highway 90.
Book: Florida
Page Number(s) of Excerpt: 432
Year Originally Published: 1939
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