| 2nd Florida Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | July 1861 – April 10, 1865 |
| Country |  Confederate States of America |
| Allegiance |  Florida |
| Branch |  Confederate States Army |
| Role | Infantry |
| Part of | Army of Northern Virginia |
| Engagements | American Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | George Taliafero Ward Edward A. Perry |
The 2nd Florida Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment that fought in service of the Confederate States Army in the American Civil War.
The 2nd Florida was organized near Jacksonville, Florida on July 13, 1861, and mustered into Confederate service for a twelve-month term of enlistment with a total of one 1,185 officers and enlisted men. The regiment fielded twelve companies in total, two more than were typically authorized for an infantry regiment.The unit elected George T. Ward as its commander. Records indicate that the unit, at its founding, had an average age of twenty-three. Roughly 3% of the unit was Northern-born, including future regimental commander, Edward A. Perry. About 7% were Foreign-born; fourteen from Ireland, seven from Germany or Prussia, three from England, and one each from Canada, Cuba, Italy, Norway, and Russia. A further 3% were of Hispanic descent. [1]
In the summer of 1861, the regiment was sent to the Eastern Theater of the war and placed in the Confederacy's main army in Virginia. After arriving in Richmond on July 21, 1861, the 2nd Florida spent the next few weeks drilling and guarding Union soldiers captured after the First Battle of Manassas.
Lewis Powell, one of John Wilkes Booth's co-conspirators, lied and stated that he was 19 years old (rather than his true age of 17) in order to enlist with the Jasper Blues, Company I of the regiment. It was during their deployment in Richmond that Powell is believed to have met Booth. He secured a pass one evening and went into the city to see a play in which Booth was one of the actors. [2]
The regiment first saw combat the following year during the Peninsula Campaign. It was at the Williamsburg, on May 5, 1862, that Col. Ward was shot and killed. Several days later, the unit voted to elect Edward A. Perry as their commander. [3] The unit also participated in the battles of Seven Pines, Gaines Mill, and Malvern Hill.
Following the Peninsula Campaign, the 2nd Florida was assigned to the newly formed Florida Brigade alongside the 5th and 8th Florida. The 2nd Florida's Colonel Perry was promoted to brigadier general and given command of the brigade. Perry's Brigade served under Anderson's Division of Longstreet's First Corps, of the Army of Northern Virginia. [4]
As a component of Perry's Brigade, the 2nd Florida continued to serve through the Army of Northern Virginia's campaigns. Through the remainder of 1862, the regiment participated in the Battles of Second Manassas in August, Battle of Antietam in September, and Fredericksburg in December. In May 1863, the 2nd Florida fought in the Battle of Chancellorsville. As the Army of Northern Virginia began preparations for its invasion of Pennsylvania, Brig. Gen. Perry fell ill with typhoid and command of the Florida Brigade devolved to Colonel David Lang of the 8th. The Florida Brigade was engaged at the Battle of Gettysburg and participated in Pickett's Charge on the battle's third and final day.
After the Battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania in 1864, the Brigade was joined by the victors of the Battle of Olustee, the 9th, 10th, and 11th Regiments. Brigadier General Joseph Finegan, the commander of Florida forces at Olustee, took command of the Florida Brigade. [5]
The remainder of 1864 saw the 2nd Florida fight at the Battle of Cold Harbor in June and settle into static defenses at the Siege of Petersburg. Following the fall of Petersburg and Richmond the following spring, the Florida Brigade retreated with the Army of Northern Virginia and surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. By the time of surrender, the regiments of the brigade were dramatically understrength. The 2nd, 5th, and 8th surrendered 68, 53, and 32 men respectively. The 9th, 10th, and 11th surrendered 124, 162, and 23. Most of the 11th had been cut off in the Army's retreat and had previously surrendered. [6]
On May 2, 1905, Florida held a celebration to honor the U.S. government returning the 2nd Florida's battle flag to the state. [7]
| Company | County | Nickname | Commanders |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Escambia | Pensacola Rifle Rangers | Captains Edward A. Perry and W.D. Ballantine |
| B | Alachua | Alachua Guards | Captains Lew. Williams and R.G. Jerkins |
| C | Columbia | Columbia Rifles | Captains Walter R. Moore and H.E. Stokes |
| D | Leon | Leon Rifles | Captains Theodore W. Brevard Jr. and M.J.C. Musgrove |
| E | Marion | Hammock Guards | Captains John D. Hopkins, William E. McCaslin, James H. Johnson, and Patrick P.L. Todd |
| F | Jackson | Gulf States Guards | Captains James F. McClellan, J. Henry Pooser, Tillinghast Harrison, and Ben F. Watts |
| G | St. John | St. John's Grays | Captains J. Jacquelin Daniels, Charles F. Flagg, Thomas M. Brown, and C. Seton Fleming |
| H | Putnam | St. Augustine Rifles | Captains John W. Starke, Alexander Moseley, and A. M. Carlisle |
| I | Hamilton | Jasper Blues | Captains Henry J. Stewart and Moses L. Duncan |
| K | Nassau | Davis Guards | Captains George W. Call, A.C. Butler, and John B.G. Oneil |
| L | Madison | Madison Rangers | Captains William P. Pillans, Thomas A. Perry, W. H. H. Rogers, and W. H. Croom |
| M | Hamilton | Howell Guards | Captains George W. Parkhill, Richard C. Parkhill, Elliott L. Hampton, Amos Whitehead, John Day Perkins, and Julian Betton |
1862
1863
1864-1865
| Officers of the 2nd Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Rank | Name |
| Colonel | George Taliafero Ward (Leon Co.) |
| Colonel | Edward A. Perry (Escambia Co.) |
| Lt. Col. | Samuel St. George Rogers (Marion Co.) |
| Major | William T. Ballantine |
| Major | George W. Call (Madison Co.) |
| Major | Walter R. Moore (Columbia Co.) |
| Major | Lewis G. Pyles (Alachua Co.) |
The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was also the primary command structure of the Department of Northern Virginia. It was most often arrayed against the Union Army of the Potomac.
Florida participated in the American Civil War as a member of the Confederate States of America. It had been admitted to the United States as a slave state in 1845. In January 1861, Florida became the third Southern state to secede from the Union after the November 1860 presidential election victory of Abraham Lincoln. It was one of the initial seven slave states which formed the Confederacy on February 8, 1861, in advance of the American Civil War.
The Texas Brigade was an infantry formation of the Confederate Army that distinguished itself in the American Civil War. Along with the Stonewall Brigade, they were considered the Confederate Army's shock troops. It fought in every major battle of the Eastern Theater except Chancellorsville.
The 17th Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
The First New Jersey Brigade is the common name for an American Civil War brigade of New Jersey infantry regiments in the Union Army of the Potomac. Its official designation through most of its service was as the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, VI Corps.
The 1st Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Differing from 1st (Ramsey's) Infantry and 1st (Mercer's-Olmstead's) Infantry Regiments; it was also known as the 1st Georgia Regulars.
The 15th South Carolina Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
The 7th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was raised in the state of New Hampshire, serving from December 13, 1861, to July 17, 1865. Because it was in the same brigade as the 7th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, both regiments together were often jointly called the 77th New England.
The 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment was a regiment of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, and the most celebrated unit from the state. Formed and initially commanded by Colonel Albert Rust, and later falling under the command of Colonel Van. H. Manning, the regiment was part of the Army of Northern Virginia, serving under General Robert E. Lee. The 3rd Arkansas Infantry Regiment served for the duration of the war, from the late months of 1861, through to its surrender at Appomattox Court House in 1865. It was the only regiment from the state of Arkansas to serve the entire war in the Eastern Theater, where most of the major Civil War battles were fought. It was also the only Arkansas regiment to initially sign up for the duration of the Civil War, with all other regiments from the state signing on for a one-year enlistment.
The 24th Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was part of Thomas Cobb's brigade at the Battle of Fredericksburg.
The 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Originally brigaded with the three Texas regiments of John Bell Hood's Texas Brigade, it was transferred to Thomas R.R. Cobb's Georgia Brigade after the Battle of Antietam in late 1862. After General Cobb was mortally wounded at the Battle of Fredericksburg, the original colonel of the 18th Georgia, William T. Wofford, became Brigadier General of the Georgia Brigade.
The 1st Maryland Infantry Regiment, Potomac Home Brigade was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
Also known as Law’s Brigade, the Alabama Brigade was a military formation of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It was created in 1863 and participated in major combat operations such as the Battle of Gettysburg, the Battle of Chickamauga, the Battle of the Wilderness and the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign. It was considered one of the great fighting brigades of the Army of Northern Virginia.
The 5th Florida Infantry Regiment served in E.A. Perry's Florida Brigade alongside the 2nd and 8th Florida. Perry's Brigade served under Anderson’s Division of Longstreet’s First Corps, of the Army of Northern Virginia.
The 8th Florida Infantry Regiment was a unit of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Serving in the Army of Northern Virginia throughout the war; it fought in most battles of the Eastern Theater.
The 47th New York Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 48th New York Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
The 40th Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment was a three-year infantry regiment of the Union Army that served in the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, the Army of the Potomac, and the Department of the South during the American Civil War.
The 2nd South Carolina Infantry Regiment, also known as 2nd Palmetto Regiment, was a Confederate States Army regiment in the American Civil War.
The Florida Brigade, also known as The Flowers or Perry's Brigade, was a unit that fought for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. The brigade was initially composed of three regiments raised out of the state of Florida: the 2nd, 5th, and 8th Florida Infantry. Overtime, the brigade would be reinforced and replenished with other units raised from Florida. The brigade was first led by Edward A. Perry. It fought as part of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.