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Compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Florida, 1861-1865.
Amount:
11.00 microfilm reel 16 mm.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement:
Arranged by unit (First Cavalry and Second Cavalry), then alphabetical by surname.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
It is not commonly known that in addition to the Confederate units that were raised in Florida during the Civil War, two regiments of cavalry were organized in the state to serve in the Union Army. These units, the First and Second Florida Cavalry Regiments, consisted of elements from Florida's sizeable pro-Union minority, along with disaffected ex-Confederates. A large percentage of the men were deserters from Confederate service, while many of the unit's officers came from outside the state. The First Florida Cavalry was organized at Fort Barrancas (Pensacola) from December 1863 to August 1864. The unit operated in west Florida and southern Alabama during its enlistment. Elements of the First Florida Cavalry participated in various scouts and expeditions, among which were actions at Camp Gonzalez and near Pallard, Alabama; the expedition to Marianna, Florida; and the campaign against Mobile, Alabama.
The Second Florida Cavalry was raised primarily at Key West and Cedar Key from December 1863 to June 1864. The unit was assigned to the District of Key West and the Tortugas, and saw continuous duty in east and south Florida. It was involved in expeditions or skirmishes at Pease Creek, Fort Myers, Tampa, Station Number 4, Bayport, Braddock's Farm, and St. Andrews Bay, as well as the St. Marks (Natural Bridge) campaign of March 1865.
Another unit documented in these records is the First East Florida Cavalry. Little is known about this independent, company sized-unit. It was apparently organized around Jacksonville, Florida and at Hilton Head, South Carolina in late 1864. The unit served in northeast Florida for the remainder of the war and was on occupation duty around Tallahassee in the summer of 1865.
In all, 1,290 white Floridians served in the Union Army. Of these, 215 died in service, the overwhelming majority from disease. Eighteen men were killed or mortally wounded in combat, while two unfortunate ex-Confederate members of the Second Florida Cavalry were executed after their capture by the Rebels.
Summary:
The compiled service records consist of a jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served and typically containing (1) card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, hospital rolls, descriptive books, and lists of deserters; and (2) the originals of any papers relating solely to the particular soldier. There are cross-references for soldiers' names that appeared in the records under more than one spelling. Preceding the jacket-envelopes for the individual soldiers in each organizational unit are envelopes containing record of events cards giving the stations, movements, or activities of the unit or a part of it, and sometimes information relating to its organization or composition. There also is a name index to certain original numbered documents filed with regimental papers that are among another series of records of the Adjutant General's Office in the National Archives. These numbered documents, which are not filmed in this microcopy, are similar to the original records (personal papers) filed in the jacket-envelopes of individual soldiers, except that each appears to contain information relating to two or more soldiers and therefore could not be filed with the records of any one soldier.
Following the series of jacket-envelopes for all the organizational units are separate series of card abstracts and personal papers of soldiers whose names were not listed on the regular rolls and consequently there was not enough evidence to justify establishing individual compiled service records for them.
There is a card index that may be used to locate the compiled service record of a Union soldier from Florida. This index, Series 977, contains the names of Florida soldiers for whom there are regular compiled service records.
Finding Aids:
Microfilm listing available.
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Microfilm.
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
National Archives, Washington, D.C., from the Records of the Adjutant General's Office, Record Group 94.
Associated Materials:
National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
National Archives Microfilm Publication M400.
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
United States. Army. --Florida Cavalry Regiment, 1st (1861-1865) United States. Army. --Florida Cavalry Regiment, 2nd (1861-1865) United States. Army. --East Florida Cavalry Regiment, 1st (1861-1865)
Military records. aat
Florida History Civil War, 1861-1865
for detailed listing.