Plant City in Hillsborough County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
Cow Cavalry
In Memory
Co. B 1st Battalion Fl. Special Cavalry C. S. A.
Erected by
Plant City Chapter #1931
United Daughters of the Confederacy
November 17, 2007
(Right face)
1st Lt. William Benton Henderson - 1st Lt. Daniel Sloan,
2nd Lt. William Platt - 2nd Lt. Milton Johnson,
2nd Lt. Thomas William Wilder
NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS,
1st Sgt. A. P. Hampton - 2nd Sgt. Enoch E. Mizell
3rd Sgt. S. L. Hancock - 4th Sgt. Edward Gross Wilder
Surgeon W.A. Lively
PRIVATES
(Rear face)
Franklin, George Franklin, William King Frier, William Futch, James Futch, W. Gaskins, Harmon Gaskins, Henry Giles, Enoch E. Gillett, David W. Gillett, Daniel K. Gillett, William H. Glazier, Ezekiel Gomez, John Hagne, Rubin Hall J. Ham, William J. Hamilton, George Hancock, Daniel Levy Hancock, J. L. Hancock, James Thomas Hancock, Shad Harris, John Hawkins, John Wesley Hickey, Dennis O. Hollingsworth, John Henry Hollingsworth, Stephen Thomas Hollingsworth, Timothy Hollingsworth, William Right Hopkins, A. J. Hopkins, Shad Hopson, Allen J. Howell, Joseph W. Howell, Thomas Hughes, William Jackson, Thomas B. Jamerson, Daniel W. Johnson, Benjamin Johnson, Enoch Johnson, R. W. Jones, J. D. Jones, Mitchell Jones, Redding B. Jordan, Henry Keen, Britton Keen, George F. Keen, J. L. Lanier, H. M. Lanier, J. S. Lanier, James Lanier, James, Jr. Lanier, James H. Lanier, John Lanier, Robert H. Lee, William Mathis, Frank Mathis, Henry Mathis, William McKay, John A. McClelland, J. L. McMullen, Bethel, Dr. Miley, James Miley, Martin M. Miley, W. J. Miranda, Abel Moody, Benjamin Moody, James
(Left face)
Moody, William Mooney, John Moore, T.D. Nettles, Crete Nettles, Isaac Patton, J. S. Pent, John Platt, Berrien *Berry* Platt, Peter Pollock, John Prine, Henry A. Prine, J. E. Raulerson, John R. Raulerson, Noel Rabun, Sr. Raulerson, William Henry Rawls, William Riggs, Joshua Robertson, Carroll E. H. Robertson, Jackson Robertson, James Russell Robertson, William Alonzo Robles, Joshua Robles, Joseph Paul Robles, John Godoff Sermons, William Shannon, E. Sheppard, W. H. Silcox, David Simmons, C. G. Simmons, Marshall V. Sistrunk, Henry Sloan, Alford Sloan, Elbert Sloan, Orville Sloan, Owen Sparkman, E. B. Spencer, Thomas K. Starling, William Henry Summerall, Elhanan Summerall, Henry Summerall, Riley Summerall, Robert Sylvester, John Sylvester, Robert H. Symms, J. Taylor, John S., Jr. Terrell, David Thomas, James Thomas, John Thomas, L. R. Turner, Arthur Campbell Turner, Charles A. Tyne, Benjamin Watson, Solomon Weissbroad, Herman Wells, George W. Wells, John W. Wells, Richard M. Whidden, James L. Wiggins, William Wilder, Hopkins M. Wilder, Thomas Hopkins Wilson, Pleasant Wilson, Reuben M. Wordehoff, Antoine Young, F.
Erected 2007 by Plant City Chapter #1931, United Daughters of the Confederacy.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the United Daughters of the Confederacy series list. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1942.
Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 28° 1.179′ N, 82° 7.444′ W. Marker was in Plant City, Florida, in Hillsborough County. Marker was at the intersection of North Collins Street and East Gilchrist Street, on the left when traveling north on North Collins Street. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 605 North Collins Street, Plant City FL 33566, United States of America.
We have been informed that this sign or monument is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Plant City High School (within shouting distance of this marker); Marine PFC Edward L. Wise (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Veterans Memorial (about 600 feet away); Freedom Rising Monument (about 600 feet away); Veterans Memorial Monument Park (about 700 feet away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (about 700 feet away); Robert E. Roy Parke (about 700 feet away); In Honor and Remembrance (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Plant City.
More about this marker. Marker removed by city council, placed in storage. It was removed one week before announcement that it would be removed.
The Cow Cavalry Memorial is a monument of polished granite in a skewed cube-shape, with text engraved on all four sides. On its top face a round bronze plate features a carved relief depicting a cavalry soldier, a horse, and cattle standing in a field. The monument sits on a raised granite foundation in the center of a larger square paved with red brick, with walkways extending from each side.
The memorial is located on the grounds of the 1914 Plant City High School Community Center, a former public school facility that has been re-purposed to house community and neighborhood programs and events. The center is home to the East Hillsborough Historical Society, which maintains a local history museum and genealogical archives there. The modified Georgian Revival-style building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981, listed as "Plant City High School" (# 81000194). The building is also a Contributing Structure within the North Plant City Residential District (a National Historic District).
Regarding Cow Cavalry. Cattle roamed wild and abundant across Florida during the state's early frontier history. These were not native animals, having been introduced by the Spanish during the colonial period; but they had well-adapted to a feral existence in the many years since.
The Confederate government identified Florida's herds as a vital resource in supplying their armies with food. Harnessing this resource and transporting it safely, however, was a problematic and obstacle-ridden endeavor hindered by incursions from Federal forces and bandit gangs marauding through the sparsely settled Florida wilderness.
With Confederate armies slowly being starved, authorities in Florida decided to take action, forming special cowboy units to guard this supply of food for the front-lines. In all, nine companies with about 900 men formed "The Cow Cavalry", 1st Battalion Florida, Special Cavalry. They protected the herds from Federal raiders and rustlers and oversaw massive cattle drives going as far north as Savannah and Charleston.
One of the companies was Capt. John T. Lesleys Co. B 1st Battalion, Florida Special Cavalry, from Hillsborough County. Stationed in Ichepucksassa, a small settlement which would in later decades help to form Plant City, the company patrolled an area from Lake Okeechobee to Hernando County.
An interesting postscript regarding the post-war career of John T. Lesley is that in 1869, he was elected the 12th Mayor of the City of Tampa. Lesley ran on a single platform that Tampas charter should be revoked by the state legislature due to the Citys destitute post-war condition and financial status. After seven months in office, Mayor Lesley was successful and the City's charter was lost. Subsequently, Lesley resigned his office. Lesley later went on to serve both in Florida's state legislature and senate. Tampa would not formally re-incorporate until 1873.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 25, 2021. It was originally submitted on August 21, 2011, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. This page has been viewed 4,822 times since then and 133 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on August 21, 2011, by Glenn Sheffield of Tampa, Florida. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.