San Lorenzo Cemetery Civil War Memorial

San Lorenzo Cemetery Civil War Memorial. . Erected in memory of the Minorcans from St. Augustine who served honorably during the War Between the States, Dedicated to the ten Confederate Soldiers buried in unmarked graves in San Lorenzo Cemetery, Andreu, Claudio D. PVT Company B, 1st Fl. Inf. Reg. , Armau, Francisco C. PVT Company B, 3rd Fl. Inf. Reg. , Canova, Isadore MUSCIAN Company C, 4th Fl. Inf. Reg. , Capo, Joseph PVT Company B, 3rd Fl. Inf. Reg. , Hernandez, Benj. Venantio PVT Company B, 25th S. C. Inf. Reg. , Pacetti, Thomas A. G. CPT C. S. N. , Perpall, Charles Furman PVT Company A, 3rd Fl. Inf. Reg. , Pomar, Cristobal PVT Manufactured Gun Carriages , Pomar, Peter Rafino PVT Company I, 10th Fl. Inf. Reg. , Triay, Juan A. PVT Company A, 1st Bn. Ga. Inf., Company G, (St. John's Grays) , 2nd Florida Infantry , The men of the unit were recruited, in early 1861, from St. Augustine and St. Johns County, Florida., In the early days of June 1861, the St. Johns Grays and nine other companies were ordered to rendezvous near the Brick Church, just west of Jacksonville, now known as LaVilla. On July 13, 1861 the Regiment was mustered into Confederate service. On Monday, July 15th, the Regiment left by rail for Virginia, arriving in Richmond Sunday afternoon, July 21, 1861., The Regiment was in Camp of Instruction, in the neighborhood of Richmond and on September 17, 1861 left Richmond for Yorktown. During the fall of 1861 and the winter following the Regiment was encamped near Yorktown, forming a part of Major General J. B. Magruder's Command. It was at the siege of Yorktown that the Regiment received its "baptism of fire" and on May 5, 1862, at Williamsburg, the Regiment again distinguished itself by its gallant resistance to McClellan's advance., On May 3, 1862 the Regiment was engaged in the battle of Seven Pines where it lost 6 officers, 4 non-commissioned officers and 24 privates killed. Wounded were, 17 officers, 21 non- commissioned officers and 106 privates; total casualties, 178., After the battle of Seven Pines followed in quick succession the battles of Cold Harbor, Gaines' Mill, Savage Station, Frazier's Farm and Malvern Hill. In the battles of Ellison's Mill and Frazier's Farm, June 26 and 27, 1862, the Regiment lost 8 killed and 52 wounded. At the battle of Frazier's Farm on June 30, the Regiment lost: killed, 2 officers, 1 non-commissioned officer and 11 privates; wounded, 3 officers, 2 non-commissioned officers and 62 privates Following the battle of Frazier's Farm came the Maryland campaign. On December 13 the battle of Fredericksburg was fought. The Regiment lost: killed, 1 non- commissioned officer and 3 privates; wounded, 4 officers, 5 non- commissioned officers and 25 privates. A partial report of the casualties at Chancellorsville show 3 officers and 17 privates wounded, and 3 privates killed. In the battle of Gettysburg: killed, 6 officers, 4 non-commissioned officers and 5 privates; wounded, 6 officers, 6 non-commissioned officers and 54 privates; total casualties, 81. There is no report accessible of the casualties during the year 1864 and 1865, and it was during these years that some of the most desperate and bloody battles were fought; and in all of them the 2nd Florida did its full measure of duty. It was but a skeleton of the regiment that surrendered at Appomattox Court House, only 7 officers and 59 men., Company B, (St. Augustine Blues) , 3rd Florida Infantry , On May 12, 1860, a group of about seventy men of prominent St. Augustine citizens met for the purpose of forming a volunteer company to defend the city., Three officers were elected for the unit. John Lott Phillips was chosen Captain, Lawrence M. Antlreu, First Lieutenant, and Charles L. Ridgley, Second Lieutenant. The men chose the name "Florida Independent Blues" and they were often referred to as the "St. Augustine Blues" or, more simply, "The Blues.", In August 1861 the Blues were assigned to the recently organized Third Florida Infantry as its Company B., The Blues transformation from militiamen to active-duty Confederate Soldiers had no immediate effect on their duties. Throughout the late summer and fall of 1861 they remained at St. Augustine, keeping vigil against a possible Union naval attack. The Blues remained in St. Augustine until the evacuation of the town in March of 1862. On March 12th the Blues were ordered to Volusia, a village on the east bank of the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers. On April 25th, 1862, the Blues received orders to proceed to Midway, Florida, a small hamlet 10 miles west of Tallahassee. While in Midway, the Blues received a new battle flag made by the women of Jefferson County, and emblazoned with the motto "We Yield But In Death"., On May 14th, the regiment traveled by rail to Montgomery, Alabama, and then on to Mobile where they spent the next two months in and around the city. On July 24th, the regiment boarded trains for Chattanooga, Tennessee, where they went to join the Confederate Army of Tennessee under the command of General Braxton Bragg. The Blues fought in all the major battles of the Western Theater., The Blues suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The following spring and summer, they marched into Mississippi, in an effort to relieve a beleaguered Vicksburg. In the fall of 1863, they fought in the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga. The spring of 1865 found the Floridians in the Carolinas desperately attempting to slow down the advance of General William T. Sherman., The Blues long four-year struggle ended on April 26. when General Joseph Johnston surrendered his small army to General Sherman near Greensboro, North Carolina. At least 17 Blues died during the war, scores more were, wounded, captured, or -discharged for disability. Approximately 120 men served in the unit, but only 8 surrendered with the company in 1865.