The saga of the War Between the States in Florida is not well known beyond the borders of the "Sunshine State," except the actions within the third state to secede from the Union were quite prominent: the battles of Olustee and Natural Bridge; the sinking of the USS Columbine on the St. Johns River; Gen. William Birney's Raid; the intrepid Cow Cavalry; Confederate spy sisters Lola, Panchita, and Eugenia Sánchez; and the "flight into oblivion" of the Confederate cabinet members. Following the war, in the midst of Reconstruction, many veterans from both sides of the Mason-Dixon packed what remained of their lives and traveled to the warm climate of the "Eastern Frontier" to begin a new life. This book serves as a memorial and tribute to those courageous veterans and their families who endured through this tumultuous time in American history. In the eloquent words of Capt. John Jackson Dickison, "Florida may be justly proud of her gallant sons; wherever her standard has been borne, they have covered it with glory, and, with their heart's blood, secured for her an honorable position among her sister states."

The saga of the War Between the States in Florida is not well known beyond the borders of the Sunshine State, except the actions within the third state to secede from the Union were quite prominent: the battles of Olustee and Natural Bridge; the sinking of the USS Columbine on the St. Johns River; Gen. William Birneys Raid; the intrepid Cow Cavalry; Confederate spy sisters Lola, Panchita, and Eugenia Snchez; and the flight into oblivion of the Confederate cabinet members. Following the war, in the midst of Reconstruction, many veterans from both sides of the Mason-Dixon packed what remained of their lives and traveled to the warm climate of the Eastern Frontier to begin a new life. This book serves as a memorial and tribute to those courageous veterans and their families who endured through this tumultuous time in American history. In the eloquent words of Capt. John Jackson Dickison, Florida may be justly proud of her gallant sons; wherever her standard has been borne, they have covered it with glory, and, with their hearts blood, secured for her an honorable position among her sister states.

Documents in words and pictures the triumphs and tragedies faced by Florida and Floridians during the Civil War.

"This ... narrative explores the impact of the Civil War on Florida's St. John's River region. Moving chronologically through the war years, Thunder on the river brings to light the story of the city of Jacksonville, including the surrounding countryside and its residents, be they white or black, supporters of the Confederacy or of the Union ... Based on a thorough review of a broad selection of primary sources, Thunder on the river touches on such important themes as secession, contested places, occupation, emancipation, invasions, hard war, and reconstruction. It presents local history in a national context and offers a comprehensive telling of the story of Florida's Civil War experiences from the Missouri Compromise to Reconstruction -- of Confederates and Unionists, of soldiers and civilians, of enlisted men and officers, of die-hards and deserters, of slaves and plantation owners, of ordinary men and women caught up in extraordinary events"--Jacket.

Winner of the Jules and Frances Landry Award Finalist for the 2022 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize In April 1862, the Confederacy faced a dire military situation. Its forces were badly outnumbered, the Union army was threatening on all sides, and the twelve-month enlistment period for original volunteers would soon expire. In response to these circumstances, the Confederate Congress passed the first national conscription law in United States history. This initiative touched off a struggle for healthy white male bodies—both for the army and on the home front, where they oversaw enslaved laborers and helped produce food and supplies for the front lines—that lasted till the end of the war. John M. Sacher’s history of Confederate conscription serves as the first comprehensive examination of the topic in nearly one hundred years, providing fresh insights into and drawing new conclusions about the southern draft program. Often summarily dismissed as a detested policy that violated states’ rights and forced nonslaveholders to fight for planters, the conscription law elicited strong responses from southerners wanting to devise the best way to guarantee what they perceived as shared sacrifice. Most who bristled at the compulsory draft did so believing it did not align with their vision of the Confederacy. As Sacher reveals, white southerners’ desire to protect their families, support their communities, and ensure the continuation of slavery shaped their reaction to conscription. For three years, Confederates tried to achieve victory on the battlefield while simultaneously promoting their vision of individual liberty for whites and states’ rights. While they failed in that quest, Sacher demonstrates that southerners’ response to the 1862 conscription law did not determine their commitment to the Confederate cause. Instead, the implementation of the draft spurred a debate about sacrifice—both physical and ideological—as the Confederacy’s insatiable demand for soldiers only grew in the face of a grueling war.

This book provides readers with an overview of how Americans have commemorated and remembered the Civil War. Most Americans are aware of statues or other outdoor art dedicated to the memory of the Civil War. Indeed, the erection of Civil War monuments permanently changed the landscape of U.S. public parks and cemeteries by the turn of the century. But monuments are only one way that the Civil War is memorialized. This book describes the different ways in which Americans have publicly remembered their Civil War, from the immediate postwar era to the early 21st century. Each chapter covers a specific historical period. Within each chapter, the author highlights important individuals, groups, and social factors, helping readers to understand the process of memory. The author further notes the conflicting tensions between disparate groups as they sought to commemorate "their" war. A final chapter examines the present-day memory of the war and current debates and controversies.

Image of America: Central Florida's World War II Veterans portrays the courageous people of Central Florida who fought for freedom. From those who were witness to that "date which will live in infamy" to those who served in the Allied occupational forces following the victories in Europe and Japan in 1945, Images of America: Central Florida's World War II Veterans pays tribute to the courageous men and women who sacrificed and endured through this phenomenally patriotic time in American history. Represented within these pages is just a small number of the vast roll call of patriots who at one time called Florida home. Heroic, humorous, and heart-warming stories are featured through these vintage photographs of the brave men who landed on the beaches of France and on the shore of Iwo Jima, who marched at the Battle of the Bulge and at Anzio, who flew in the Doolittle Raid, and who were engaged at the pivotal Battle of Midway, as well as those who were prisoners of war and protected the home front. Also featured are the women who served as nurses, worked in the factories, encouraged people to purchase war bonds, and who joined the WAC, the WAVES, and the SPARS.