rpHE fourth year of the war was also the year-L for the election of a President of the UnitedStates , and it would have been strange if an eventof so much importance had not in some measureshaped the conduct of the campaigns of that year.If anyone of the Southern States could be broughtso effectually under the control of the Union armyas to give plausible pretext to any considerableportion of the inhabitants, white and black, to forma quasi State government recognizing the author-ity of the United States , it would not only bereceived as an earnest of the success of the Unionarms, but the State could be represented in theapproaching convention for the nomination of acandidate for President, and take part in the elec-tion to follow.
Florida appeared to offer better prospect ofsuccess in such an undertaking than any otherSouthern State. Its great extent of coast and itsintersection by a broad and deep river, navigableby vessels of war, exposed a great part of the Stateto the control of the Union forces whenever itshould be thought desirable to occupy it. The ex-igencies of the Confederate service had in a greatmeasure stripped Florida of troops. If a columnof Union troops could penetrate the country west-ward from Jacksonville , occupy a point in the in-terior, and break up communication between east,middle, and west Florida by the destruction of therailroad and bridges about the Suwanee River , theSouthern Confederacy would not only be deprivedof a large quantity of the food drawn from eastand south Florida , but a point (Vappni would beestablished for any of the inhabitants who mightbe disposed to attempt the organization of a Stateacknowledging allegiance to the United States .
President Lincoln’s views on the subject areexpressed in the following letter :
“ Executive Mansion, Washington,"January 13th, 1804.
“ Major-General Gillmore :
“ I understand an effort is being made by some worthygentlemen to reconstruct a loyal State government inFlorida. Florida is in your department, and it is notunlikely that you may bo there in person. I have givenMr. Hay a commission of major, and sent him to youwith some blank-books and other blanks to aid in thereconstruction. He will explain ns to the manner ofusing the blanks, and also my general views on the sub-ject. It is desirable for all to cooperate ; but if irre-concilable differences of opinion shall arise, you aremaster. I wish the thing done in the most speedy waypossible, so that when done it will be within the rangeof the late proclamation on the subject. The detaillabor of course will have to be done by others; but Ishall be greatly obliged if you will give it such generalsupervision as you can find convenient with your morestrictly military duties. Yours very truly,
Under these instructions General Gillmore, onthe 5tli of February, ordered General TrumanSeymour to proceed with a division of troops fromHilton Head to Jacksonville, Florida. AdmiralDahlgren , who seems to have been always readyto cooperate with the land forces, sailed with theexpedition with a squadron of five gun-boats, and
was in readiness, if needed, to cover the landing.No opposition was met with, however, and on the7th General Seymour’s force of about seven thou-sand men landed at Jacksonville .
The objects of the expedition as reported by Gen-eral Gillmore to the general-in-chief (who did notapprove it) were : First. To procure an outlet forcotton, lumber, timber, etc. Second. To cut offone source of the enemy’s commissary stores.Third. To obtain recruits for the negro regiments.Fourth. “To inaugurate measures for the speedyrestoration of Florida to her allegiance,” etc.
It was known that the few Confederate troops ineast Florida were widely scattered, and no oppo-sition was anticipated until reenforcements couldarrive. Celerity of movement was therefore im-portant. General Seymour promptly marched in-land,—Colonel McCormick , commanding a picketat McGirt’s Creek, retiring,— captured live field-pieces which the Confederates could not move forwant of horses, and reached Baldwin, twenty milesfrom Jacksonville , February Otli, where he wasjoined by General Gillmore. Colonel Guy V. Henry ,commanding a small brigade of cavalry andmounted infantry, marched westward, encountereda picket of about 150 men at the crossing of thesouth fork of the St. Mary’s River, which, with theloss of twenty-live of his men, killed and wounded,and without loss to the Confederates, ho dislodged,and proceeded to within three miles of Lake City,when he was recalled, and on the 11th joined themain body, which had reached Barber’s plantationon the south fork of the St. Mary’s. Here thecommand was delayed for tho lack of transporta-tion. The railroad had been relied on for trans-portation, but there was only one engine on theroad, and that in such wretched condition that itcould not bo used within several days, if at all.
From Baldwin General Gillmore returned toJacksonville, and on tho 1 ttt.h to Hilton Head ,whence he issued a proclamation announcing hisoccupancy of Florida , calling on the people to takethe oath of allegiance to the Union, assuring themthat the Stato had been recovered from rebel rule,and would not again bo abandoned, tho UnitedStates being able to protect all loyal citizens.
There seems to have been some vacillation in theexecution of the expedition. General Seymour , onwhom the execution of General Gillinoro’s plansdevolved, wholly disapproved it. The movementon Lako City ho regarded as in opposition to soundstrategy, and inadvisable, and he had discoveredthat what had been said of the desire of Florida tocome back into the Union was a delusion. “Donot,” he writes to Gillmore, “fritter away yourinfantry in the interior,” but at once withdraw thewhole force back to Jacksonville and Palat.ka, pointswhich could be easily held and would serve asrendezvous for such Floridians (if any) as shoulddesire to form a new State government under theUnion flag. To this Gillmore replied telling him notto risk a repulse by an advance on Lake City ; if homet serious opposition ho should concentrate at
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