A Photo Journey Back in Time to Florida's Largest Civil War Battle

My father's grandfather had told him the story his own mother, Cynthia, had told him about the day the Civil War came to her back door.

We'd pass by the battlefield occasionally on our road trips, and Daddy would always repeat it to me. We never stopped to visit, though, because my mother didn't like how she felt just driving past it.

I remember being fascinated by the story as a child because of my personal link to the past. In school, I learned about the war in history class, but it was just facts and dates to me. My great great grandmother's story made the Civil War an actual event, and it developed a love of history that I still carry with me.

It's that love of the past, along with my grandmother's story, that finally made me attend the 150th anniversary reenactment in 2014. 

There were so many people in period dress, I kind of felt out of place. I felt like a peeping tom spying into their world.

While walking through the woods, camps, and fields, I let my mind wander to Cynthia. In February 1864, she was 19 with a two year old little girl and pregnant with my great grandfather.

I snapped a picture of the lady above because she made me think of her. Her husband and brothers were states away fighting for the Southern Cause. Pregnant and caring for a small child, while being surrounded by two opposing military forces, must have been very frightening for her.

As is often the case, we romanticize the past and think it was so much better than present day. Sadly, I'm no different. Just like I think wearing corsets and hoop skirts would be fun to do everyday, the thought of cooking over the open fire appeals to me, too.

My grandmother probably would have told me I was crazy and gladly traded her corset for Victoria's Secret, and her cast iron skillet for a microwave.

Walking closer to the battlefield, I encountered the armies' camps. It was interesting to see how soldiers lived, but I wonder how historically accurate it was. Did they actually have beds and furniture, or did they sleep and eat on the ground?

Since my grandmother lived only a few miles from here, I wondered if any soldiers had camped on her land. The 1860 census shows her family owned a 1,000 acre farm. There were over 5,000 confederate troops that fought at Olustee, so it's definitely a possibility. 

I was eager for the battle reenactment to begin. While sitting there waiting, I thought back to what Daddy had told me about Cynthia.

He had told me what his grandfather had told him, but I'm sure through 150 years it's nowhere near an exact quote.

"That afternoon I heard the sounds of cannon and gunfire far off at first, but then it seemed to be getting closer and closer until I thought they would be fighting on top of us. All the rest of the day I heard nothing else but the sounds of war."

As the battle began, scouts seemed to come out to survey the surrounding area. I wondered if soldiers from either side had found their way onto Cynthia's farm in their attempts to feel out the enemy.

How terrifying would it have been for her to see Union troops so close to home?

Would she have felt comforted if she had seen Southern troops instead?

Personally, I think I would have felt safer if I had not seen anyone at all.

The Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park is located on U.S. 90, 15 miles east of Lake City and 50 miles west of Jacksonville.

Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park

5890 Battlefield Trail Road

Olustee, Florida 32087

(386) 758-0400