Near Olustee in Baker County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Retreat
Photographed By Mark Hilton
1. Retreat Marker
Inscription.
Retreat. . "After three hours of fighting, every regiment excepting the 115th New York had been compelled to leave the field. Our boys occupied precisely the same position which they did at the opening of the battle. They stood battling over the bodies of their fallen comrades...At last the shades of night covered the field of blood, and we were then ordered to the rear. After giving three ringing cheers of defiance to the rebels, the regiment slowly and sadly dragged themselves away. Over one half were killed and wounded, and the remainder were black with powder and the smoke of battle, and could hardly move."
– James H. Clark; “The Iron Hearted Regiment," , 115th New York, 1865
"I grew fainter and fainter... In this state two young Confederate soldiers came to me, and by holding a lighted match to my face they recognized me as one of the Forty-eighth Regiment...At last one of them said to the other, 'I would like to make the Yank a fire: look how he is shivering! He will not stand the frost to-night.' So they kindled me a blazing fire, which revived my benumbed limbs; then one of them unbuckled his blanket, covered me with it, brought me some water, then bidding me 'goodby', they left me-not, however, till the younger of them had given me a plug of good tobacco."
– Sergeant Lang, 48th New York
[Portrait} , Lorenzo E. Lyon , 48th New York , Shot through the elbow at Olustee, , and walked 20 miles after being wounded.
"After three hours of fighting, every regiment
excepting the 115th New York had been compelled
to leave the field. Our boys occupied precisely the same
position which they did at the opening of the battle.
They stood battling over the bodies of their fallen
comrades...At last the shades of night covered the field of
blood, and we were then ordered to the rear. After giving
three ringing cheers of defiance to the rebels, the
regiment slowly and sadly dragged themselves away.
Over one half were killed and wounded, and the
remainder were black with powder and the smoke of
battle, and could hardly move."
– James H. Clark; “The Iron Hearted Regiment,"
115th New York, 1865
"I grew fainter and fainter... In this state two young
Confederate soldiers came to me, and by holding a
lighted match to my face they recognized me as
one of the Forty-eighth Regiment...At last one of
them said to the other, 'I would like to make the
Yank a fire: look how he is shivering! He will not
stand the frost to-night.' So they kindled me a
blazing fire, which revived my benumbed limbs;
then one of them unbuckled his blanket, covered
me with it, brought me some water, then bidding
me 'goodby', they left me-not, however, till the
younger of them had given me a plug of good
tobacco."
– Sergeant
Click or scan to see this page online
Lang, 48th New York
[Portrait} Lorenzo E. Lyon
48th New York
Shot through the elbow at Olustee,
and walked 20 miles after being wounded.
Erected by Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1865.
Location. 30° 13.009′ N, 82° 23.535′ W. Marker is near Olustee, Florida, in Baker County. Marker can be reached from Battlefield Trail, 0.3 miles north of U.S. 90. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5815 Battlefield Trail, Olustee FL 32072, United States of America. Touch for directions.
3. Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park entrance.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 8, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 8, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 155 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on March 8, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
