The 1st Florida Battalion at Shiloh

Ole Miss

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Regtl. Staff Shiloh 2020
Asst. Regtl. QM Stones River / Franklin 2022
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Dec 9, 2017
Location
North Mississippi
The 1st​ Florida Battalion, under the command of Maj Thaddens A. McDonell, was part of Brigadier General James Patton Anderson’s 2nd​ Brigade in General Daniel Ruggles’ 1st​ Division of General Braxton Bragg’s Corps. This brave group of Floridians were the 1st​ soldiers of their state to see action outside of Florida.

The boys of Florida began their battle on Sunday morning by driving Sherman’s men up the Corinth Road towards Sarah Bell’s Peach Orchard later that afternoon and assisted in capturing Union soldiers after the fall of the Hornet's Nest. The battalion advanced as far as the mouth of Dill Branch but soon withdrew under the withering fire of the Union gunboats. On Monday they fell back along the same route they had advanced the day before. Of the 250 present for the battle, the battalion loss 14 KIA and 57 WIA a casualty rate of 28%.
Regards
David

Here is an excerpt from Brigadier General Anderson's Official Report:

HEADQUARTERS SECOND BRIGADE, RUGGLES' DIVISION,
SECOND ARMY CORPS, ARMY OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Corinth, Miss., April
17, 1862.
Capt. ROY MASON HOOE,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Division Headquarters.
Excerpt

...”Maj. T. A. McDonell, commanding the Florida Battalion, was borne wounded from the field before the action had fairly begun. The command devolved upon Capt. W. G. Poole, who bore himself most gallantly throughout the two days' conflict. The skill with which he handled his command reflected the highest credit upon him as an officer, while the desperation with which his troops fought brings new luster to the arms of the State they represented, and paints imperishable fame upon the colors they so proudly bore.”
Page 502*


Report of Capt. W. G. Poole, Florida Battalion.
Headquarters Florida Battalion,
April 12,1862.

"General: In accordance with your circular of the 11th of this month I have the honor to make the following report:
In the first place it becomes a painful duty to record the fall of Maj. T. A. McDonell, being seriously wounded early in the action of the 6th, whereupon the command immediately devolved upon me.
Pressing forward, we gained the valley opposite and close to the first camp of the enemy, and in the first charge lost several of my command in killed and wounded. I then joined the brigade at the second camp and was ordered forward to support a portion of our advance columns. The advance having fallen back placed us in front, where for some time we were exposed to a galling fire from the enemy. It was at this time that our battalion suffered most. First Lieut. L. M. Anderson, of Company A (commanding), was shot in the forehead and instantly killed, and, the company being without a commander, I ordered Second Lieut. E. C. Stevens, of Company B, to the command. In a very few minutes he was also severely wounded. I then ordered First Lieut. Joseph D. Turner, of Company C, to take command.
Capt. T. S. Means and First Lieut. J. T. Miller, of Company B, and Second Lieutenant Tucker, of Company C, and Lieut. O. P. Hull, commanding Company D (since dead), were wounded. Several non-commissioned officers and privates were also killed and wounded while under this fire.
I then withdrew the battalion, by order, to the protection of a section of the Washington Artillery Battery. Forming with the brigade we again advanced and assisted in routing a portion of the enemy’s forces that had taken position in an encampment on our left. My command then, with a portion of the brigade, proceeded forward as far as within range of the heavy guns on the Tennessee River, where we were for some time exposed to the enemy’s shells. One or two of my command were either killed or mortally wounded while under this fire. We then fell back to the enemy’s camp and bivouacked during the night.
On the morning of the 7th, being too hoarse to take command of the battalion, I turned it over to Capt. W. C. Bird, of Company C.
Accompanying this report will be found a list of the killed, wounded, and missing of each company.*
All of which is most respectfully submitted."

W. G. POOLE,
Senior Captain, Commanding Florida Battalion.**

* Official Records of the RIbidebellion
Series 1, Volume X, Part 1
Pages 502
** ibid Pages 504-505
 
I am sure those men were among the 10,000 men trained by Braxton Bragg in Florida. Don't recall specifically whether he had any training camps in Alabama. From what I have read, those troops served admirably.
 
Bobby I don't know for sure but as Pensacola is so close to Alabama, less than 20 miles, that I suspect Bragg trained troops there.
Regards
David
 
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