Part Two – Union Control

Submitted by Gray Edenfield
Education Director
Amelia Island Museum of History
April 6, 2016 6:29 a.m.

This is the second article of a 3-part series entitled “Across One Hundred and Fifty-Five Aprils: Fernandina during the Civil War”

On March 3^rd, 1862, a flotilla of 28 Federal gunboats sailed into Fernandina’s harbor. They were greeted by two or three cannonballs and a few rounds of disorganized musket fire. The majority of Confederate personnel had marched to the mainland hours before the sun came up that same day. Civilians had begun being evacuated by train the day before. This exodus was a disorganized affair, and many Fernandina residents put off their departure until the last minute (though many managed to carry off their furniture and personal effects).

One of the most exciting accounts from the annals of local history is the tale of the flight of the last train to leave Fernandina before the Federal occupation, a train which was said to carry Senator David Yulee and several other prominent residents. As the train sped out of town along a section of track that ran parallel to the river, it was pursued by the U.S. Gunboat Ottawa, which fired warning shots to compel the engineer to stop the train. Reportedly, the passengers “hooted, jeered and waved handkerchiefs derisively from the car windows.” Some sources record that one of the Ottawa’s shells struck a flat car and killed two men, but nevertheless the train escaped to the mainland. Confederate forces would destroy or confiscate a significant amount of the track system from David Yulee’s Florida Railroad, rendering it useless for the rest of the war.

Also on March 3^rd, the Confederate side-wheel steamer Darlington was spotted trying to depart Amelia Island loaded with Confederate personnel and supplies, along with fleeing refugees. The U.S.S. Pawnee gave chase and fired upon the Darlington, which resulted in the Confederate ship running aground. The Darlington’s captain, Jakob Brock was arrested, and the ship itself was confiscated and repurposed by the Union. The U.S.S. Darlington became an Army transport ship.

The Union ships Mohican and Wabash landed at Fort Clinch, as troops from the 4^th New Hampshire, 9^th Maine, and the 97^th Pennsylvania set about securing the city. Roughly 200 residents (a large portion of whom were African American) elected not to evacuate, and remained in Fernandina. Several Northern newspapers quoted soldiers who were present at the Union occupation. One Union soldier described the scene by saying, “the town was in the utmost confusion. The regiments already landed were plundering in all directions and were ably assisted by sailors and marines from the fleet who seemed to have reduced the system of pillage to an exact science. Drunken men were seen everywhere, and the few inhabitants remaining, were waiting in their homes, terrified.” Another account referenced the locals left behind, saying: “some of the ladies were arrogant and ill-natured, while others appeared to be innocent dupes of more aristocratic and rebellious neighbors.”

General Horatio Wright, the commanding officer of Union forces,   commandeered the private residence of David Yulee, for use as his staff headquarters. Major Pangborn, the Federal Paymaster, took the home of former Florida Governor James E. Broome (then a State Senator known as an outspoken advocated of states’ rights), while the abode of Confederate Brigadier General Joseph Finnegan – a railroad man and business partner of David Yulee – was turned over to the Freedmen’s Bureau, who used it as an orphanage and school for the children of former slaves.

The Union presence was established on Amelia Island with little conflict. In his report to U.S. Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, Samuel Du Pont summed up taking Fernandina by saying “We captured Port Royal, but Fernandina and Fort Clinch were given to us.” By March 4^th, the American flag once again flew over Fort Clinch, and the 1^st New York Engineers were tasked with continuing its construction (though the structure was still incomplete long after the conclusion of the “Late [Great] Unpleasantness”). A succession of Union Troops were brought to Amelia Island as carpenters, brick masons, and for picket or guard duty.

As a coaling station for Federal ships, Fernandina was a somewhat important port strategically, but being stationed at Fort Clinch was a relatively quiet posting – far from the horrors of combat. However, life at the remote Florida outpost presented unique challenges, particularly for those not accustomed to the climate and the living conditions of 19^th century Florida. Samuel Wolcott of the 7^th Connecticut wrote “there are any quantity of gnats and mosquitoes here… a pair of drawers and pants, with rubber and woolen blankets are nothing for them to bight [sic] through.” Another soldier wrote “we found the sand at this place full, jammed full, and rammed full of fleas, which annoyed the men very much.” Drunkenness and desertion provided constant headaches for Union Provost Marshalls, and the brothels along 2^nd Street and Ladies Street stayed busy. There are accounts of brawls breaking out between Union Army soldiers and Navy sailors vying for the attention of the enterprising ladies within.

Gray Edenfield is a historian and author born and raised in Fernandina Beach, Florida. His mother is a teacher, with over 30 years experience in Nassau County, and his father is a musician. He attended Florida State University (Tallahassee, Fl) , where he graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a minor in History. After completing his education, Gray returned to Fernandina Beach and joined the staff at the Amelia Island Museum of History. He published his first book, Amelia Island: Birthplace of the Modern Shrimping Industry in 2015.