These later Florida regiments begin to show how the Confederacy was hemorrhaging men by this point. New regiments were formed by consolidating regiments that were no longer able to function as a regiment due to significant loss of men. In working to understand your ancestor’s experiences of the War it is critical that you trace him thoroughly through the existing records, reading the fine print at the bottom of Compiled Service Records to ensure you know if you should look further for additional records of his service.  So many headstones and secondary sources failed to do this and therefore presents only a partial picture of these men’s service.

Don’t forget to check to see if any direct ancestor, or collateral ancestor, served with one of the Union Regiments formed in Florida in the last 24 months of the War. While some insist on discounting these regiments, they were considered a part of the Union Army, including being issued uniforms and equipment. Horses were another matter, but they were in short supply everywhere as the War wore on.

Confederate Regiments

9^th Regiment, Florida Infantry

The 9^th Florida Regiment was organized at Hanover Junction, Virginia in June 1864, using the 6^th Florida Infantry Battalion as its core. It was assigned to Finegan’s Brigade. They served with the Army of Northern Virginia at Cold Harbor in 1864, then were sent to the trenches of Petersburg. Its last engagement was Appomattox when they surrendered on 9 April 1865. At that time the regiment had remaining 15 officers and 108 men.

10^th Regiment, Florida Infantry

The 10^th Florida Regiment was organized in June 1864 by consolidation of six companies of the 1^st Florida Infantry and four companies of the 2^nd Florida Infantry Battalion. It too became a part of Finegan’s Brigade with the Army of Northern Virginia. They took part in Cold Harbor in 1864, were part of the Petersburg Siege in the trenches south of the James River and were surrendered at Appomattox in April 1865. At that time they had remaining 18 officers and 154 men.

11^th Regiment, Florida Infantry

The 11^th Florida Regiment was organized in June 1864 by consolidation of part of the 2^nd and the 4^th Florida Infantry. New recruits from Florida and South Alabama were also added to the 11^th Florida Regiment numbers, at least those who made it to Virginia from Florida. A significant number of men who were drafted into the 11^th in late 1863 deserted as quickly as they could and some joined the 1^st Florida Cavalry, Union Volunteers in late 1863 and early 1864. The 11^th Florida Regiment was assigned to Finegan’s Brigade and served at Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Appomattox. They were surrendered in April 1865 with 4 officers and 19 men.

15^th Confederate Cavalry

While the 15^th was not a Florida Regiment, but one created by the Confederate government, it did include a lot of Florida men who were consolidated into the 15^th from Florida Battalions and Regiments who were no longer at full staff.  It was also known as the 1^st Regiment Alabama and Florida Cavalry. It completed its organization around 24 September 1863 with the consolidation of Murphy’s Battalion Alabama Cavalry, the 3^rd Battalion Florida Cavalry, Captains Arrington’s and Barlow’s Companies of Alabama Cavalry, and Captain Smith’s Company of Florida Cavalry. They were stationed in and around the Florida panhandle and a number of times were engaged in battle with the men of the 1^st Florida Cavalry, Union Volunteers.

Union Regiments

1^st Florida Cavalry, Union Volunteers

The 1^st Florida Cavalry, Union was initiated in November 1863 and enlistment continued through until the end of the war. Most of the local men were recruited between December 1863 and May 1864. A total of 704 men have some record in the Compiled Service Records for this regiment. The men were primarily from the Florida panhandle and south Alabama, with a handful from Georgia. Most of the officers were from northern states. They were stationed at Ft. Barrancas and participated in the Battle of Marianna and the final Battle of Mobile. They also were part of the occupation of Montgomery at the end of the war. They were mustered out of service on 17 November 1865 in Tallahassee, FL.

2^nd Florida Cavalry, Union Volunteers

This is an interesting regiment of men stationed on the west coast of the Florida peninsular. They got their start with the refugee camps that sprang up along the western Florida coast and received assistance from the East Gulf Blockading Squadron. It was decided in 1864 to put these men to better use, enlist them into the Union forces and have them assist more with limiting the movement of food north out of the peninsular (primarily beef) and into the Confederate army. A summary of the recruiting efforts of the regiment presented in the book Blockaders, Refugees & Contrabands: Civil War on Florida’s Gulf Coast, 1861-1865 show 158 men from Ft. Myers, 102 men from Cedar Key, 112 men from St. Vincent, 56 from St. Andrews and 4 from Key West. They were instrumental in assisting the Union with the blockade activities and in disrupting the Confederate movement of men in the peninsula and of food.

Resources

• A Small But Spartan Band: The Florida Brigade in Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, by Zack C. Waters and James C. Edmonds
• The 1^st Florida Cavalry Union Volunteers in the Civil War: The Men and Regimental History and What It Tells Us About Northwest Florida and South Alabama During the War, by Sharon Marsh
• The Battle of Marianna, Florida, by Dale Cox
• Pensacola During the Civil War: A Thorn in the Side of the Confederacy, by George F. Pearce
• Blockaders, Refugees & Contrabands: Civil War on Florida’s Gulf Coast, 1861-1865, by George E. Buker
• The Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida, by William Watson Davis
• Guerrillas, Unionists, and Violence on the Confederate Homefront, by Daniel E. Sutherland