Battle of Santa Rosa Island

Battle of Santa Rosa Island Part of the American Civil War Fort Pickens, the site of the Battle of Santa Rosa Island Date October 9, 1861 (1861-10-09) Location Santa Rosa Island (Florida) Result Union victory Belligerents United States (Union) CSA (Confederacy) Commanders and leaders Harvey Brown Richard H. Anderson Strength 600 1,200 Casualties and losses 67 total 14 killed 29 wounded 24 captured or missing 87 total 30-40 killed

Operations of the Gulf Blockading Squadron Santa Rosa Island Lower Seaboard Theater Fort Sumter USS St. Lawrence Head of Passes Santa Rosa Island Port Royal Fort Pulaski Forts Jackson and St. Philip New Orleans 1st Pocotaligo Secessionville Simmon's Bluff Tampa Baton Rouge 1st Donaldsonville St. Johns Bluff 2nd Pocotaligo Georgia Landing 1st Fort McAllister Fort Bisland Irish Bend Vermillion Bayou 1st Charleston Harbor Wassaw Sound 1st Fort Wagner Grimball's Landing 2nd Fort Wagner 2nd Charleston Harbor 2nd Fort Sumter Plains Store Port Hudson LaFourche Crossing 2nd Donaldsonville Kock's Plantation Stirling's Plantation USS New Ironsides Fort Brooke Gainesville Olustee USS Housatonic Vernon Grimball's Causeway Natural Bridge

The harbor of Pensacola, Florida in 1861.

Map of Santa Rosa Island Battlefield core and study areas by the American Battlefield Protection Program.

The Battle of Santa Rosa Island (October 9, 1861) was an unsuccessful Confederate attempt to take Union-held Fort Pickens on Santa Rosa Island, Florida.

Background

Santa Rosa Island is a 40-mile barrier island in the U.S. state of Florida, thirty miles from the Alabama state border. At the western end stands Fort Pickens, which in the fall of 1861 was garrisoned by parts of the 1st, 2nd, and 5th U. S. artillery and the 3rd U.S. Infantry, under command of Col. Harvey Brown, of the 5th artillery. The 6th New York Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Col. William Wilson, was encamped outside the fort, a short distance east of it.

Battle

After midnight on October 9, Brig. Gen. Richard Anderson crossed from the mainland to Santa Rosa Island with 1,200 men in two small steamers to surprise the Union camps and capture Fort Pickens. He landed on the north beach about four miles east of Fort Pickens and divided his command into three columns. After proceeding about three miles, the Confederates surprised the 6th Regiment, New York Volunteers, in its camp and routed the regiment. Gen. Anderson then adopted a defensive stance to entice the Federals to leave the fort and attack. Receiving reinforcements, Col. Harvey Brown sallied against the Confederates, who reembarked and returned to the mainland.

The Union loss was 14 killed, 29 wounded and 24 captured or missing. General Braxton Bragg and Lieutenant Hamel, commanding the Confederate forces at Pensacola, reported their loss as "30 or 40 killed and wounded," but a Confederate newspaper, found by Lieut. Seeley a few days after the occurrence, gave the total casualties as 175. Maj. Israel Vodges, of the 1st artillery, was captured, and on the Confederate side Gen. Anderson was severely wounded. The camp of the 6th N. Y. was partially destroyed.

Fort Pickens and the battle site are preserved within the Gulf Islands National Seashore.^[1]

Order of battle

Union Forces

Department of Florida: Col. Harvey Brown

• 6th New York Zouave Infantry, Col. William Wilson
• Vodges' Command – Major Israel Vogdes (c), Capt. John McL. Hildt
  • Company A, 1st Artillery – Lieutenant F. E. Taylor
  • Company E, 3rd Infantry – Captain John McL. Hildt
  • Company G, 3rd New York Infantry – Captain Dobie
• Arnold’s Command – Major Lewis Golding Arnold
  • Company C, 3rd Infantry – Lieutenant Shipley
  • Company H, 2nd Artillery – Captain James M. Robertson

Confederate Forces

Brig. Gen. Richard Heron Anderson

• Demolition Team --- Lieutenant J. H. Hallonquist
• 1st Battalion – Colonel James R. Chalmers

Detachment, 10th Mississippi Infantry

Detachment, 1st Alabama Infantry

• 2nd Battalion – Colonel J. Patton Anderson

3 Companies, 7th Alabama Infantry

2 Companies, Louisiana Infantry

2 Companies, 1st Florida Infantry

• 3rd Battalion - Colonel John K. Jackson

Detachment, 5th Georgia Infantry

Detachment, Georgia Infantry Battalion

• Artillery

Homer’s Artillery Company - Lieutenant Hollonquist

• Confederate Naval Forces

CSS Neaffie

See also

• History of Pensacola, Florida
• The Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division (The Battle of Santa Rosa Island)

References

• Santa Rosa Island - A History
• CWSAC Report Update and Resurvey: Individual Battlefield Profiles

Florida in the American Civil War
1861	Fort Pickens Fort Barrancas Port of Apalachicola Battle of Pensacola Battle of Santa Rosa Island
1862	Battle of Tampa Battle of Saint John's Bluff
1863	Battle of Fort Brooke Battle of Ballast Point
1864	Battle of Olustee Battle of Gainesville Battle of Marianna Battle of Vernon
1865	Sherman's Special Field Orders, No. 15 Battle of Fort Myers Battle of Natural Bridge
Cities	St. Augustine
Units	Confederate organizations from the State of Florida Federal organizations from the State of Florida

Coordinates: 30°19′27″N 87°16′54″W / 30.3242°N 87.2817°W / 30.3242; -87.2817