Military action returned to the forefront during the week, as armies clashed in Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, while President Lincoln elevated an officer to a newly restored rank. Embarking on a quasi-political and military mission, Major General Quincy Gilmore’s Federal troops penetrated into the heart of Florida, where they hoped to recruit African-American soldiers, inflict damage to Confederate supply lines, and open up new areas to establish Northern strongholds. Their hopes met a decisive rebuttal on February 20; Brigadier General Joseph Finegan maneuvered his 5,000 Confederate troops into a position near Olustee, where they confronted the advance force of Brigadier General Truman Seymour. The Federals attacked in an uncoordinated manner and enabled Finegan to force them to retreat toward Jacksonville. Seymour suffered almost 1,900 casualties, while Finegan counted 946 killed, wounded, or missing. Washington County residents read of this affair, as the local newspaper carried a brief summary of the action from Florida, recounting the only major battle to take place in the state during the war. Finegan explained how his men had captured “…five pieces of artillery and a large number of small arms,” before noting his soldiers had “…behaved with great gallantry, and deserve my thanks.”
