The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida

On March 6, 1865, a ragtag group of 700 old men and cadets from West Florida Seminary (which today is Florida State University, successfully fended off three attacks by 500 Union troops, including members of the 2nd and 99th US Colored Troops. This saved Tallahassee from capture, which became the only Confederate capital east of the Mississippi River not captured by Union forces during the Civil War.

Casualties were comparatively light: 7 Confederates and 21 Union. It was one of the last Confederate victories.

The weekend of February 23-24th, they had a re-enactment at the site.

I should mention that the Battle of Natural Bridge has been placed on the Civil War Preservation Trust's just-released list of Top Ten Endangered Civil War Sites for 2008. The problem is that it is in the suburbs of a rapidly growing Tallahassee. Only seven acres are protected. The owner of 55 acres where some of the fiercest fighting took place is trying to sell it. The State of Florida has been in negotiations with him for quite some time, but no progress has been made.

Save That Bridge!! --Old B-R'er

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