The Civil War
1861-1865
Part Six
The Battle of Natural Bridge -
Retreat and Pursuit
Such is the case
with the aftermath of many Civil War battles, the pursuit of the retreating enemy
after a defeat on the battlefield was delayed. While the Confederates were momentarily unorganized,
the Federals began their retreat back to the lighthouse. U.S General Newton
ordered his men to cut down trees to make the road impassable behind them
during their retreat, slowing down any would-be pursuers. By the time the southerners
cleared the road, the Union force were a two hours’ march ahead. Lieutenant
Colonel Scott then took around forty mounted men and rode as fast as they ever
had to catch up to the Union column’s rear. Scott caught up with them about two
miles north of Newport around seven o’clock that evening of March 6. The cavalrymen
captured several prisoners, most of whom were wounded Union soldiers left
behind on the battlefield during Newton’s hasty retreat. Also left behind by
Newton were detachments of guards stationed just south of Natural Bridge. These
men were captured near the East River bridge while trying to escape back to the
lighthouse. Miller followed up behind Scott with a number of infantry, though
the men were completely exhausted, and many struggled along the way as the sun
set into night. Several soldiers simply found some where dark to sleep.
The men of the 2nd Florida U.S. Cavalry
(unmounted) who had stayed behind at Newport to guard the bridge, were dug in
on the east bank of the St. Marks River. While the main battle was on at
Natural Bridge, the Florida Unionists kept skirmishing with Confederate
soldiers and citizens from the west bank of the St. Marks River. When the sun
went down on the night of March 6, the firing ceased. Confused and exhausted, a
group of Florida Unionists from the 2nd Florida U.S. Cavalry found a
dark structure, probably a house or a hotel, to sleep in for the night. As the
night went on other soldiers joined them, but since it was so dark, they did
not know who each other was. When the sun rose the next morning of March 7, the
Florida Unionists discovered that the newcomers were tired Confederate soldiers
who had pursued the retreating Union column from Natural Bridge. The men of the
2nd Florida U.S. Cavalry jumped to their feet and ran for the door.
They did not get far before being fired on and captured by the rebels.
Two of the Florida Unionists captured in Newport were
Corporal Asa Fowler and Private Peter Pelt. The two captured soldiers were once
part of the 2nd Florida Cavalry (CSA) before they deserted and joined
the 2nd Florida U.S. Cavalry. Unfortunately for Fowler and Pelt the men who
captured them recognized them as deserters and the punishment for desertion was
death. On the same day they were captured, March 7, they were charged with
desertion and sentenced to be shot. Their sentencing was carried out that very
day, as the two were tied to a fence post to be shot. Confederate surgeon
Charles Hentz was there and described what he saw: “They were halted close to
me, as a hollow square for the execution was formed. Some bandages, pinned
around their eyes, were taken from my haversack; how dreadfully did I
commiserate their awful condition. Pelt, whom I had known as a little boy…, was
trembling in every fiber; his face was the hue of ashes – his lips quivering
compulsively in prayer, his eyes closed and bandaged.”[1]
The firing squad stepped forward, and when given the order, fired into the two
prisoners. Fowler was hit thirteen times and died instantly, but Pelt fell to
the ground in intense pain, and died a few minutes later. The two men’s corpses
were then stripped naked and thrown into a hole. To this day we do not know
where their unmarked grave site in Newport is. This was a truly sad moment in
Wakulla County history, and made even sadder by the fact that the Civil War ended
a little over a month later.
The Home Guard
that was sent back to Newport earlier in the day tried to retake the bridge
from the Federals guarding it but were repulsed. Upon learning that Newton was
returning to the St. Marks lighthouse, the Union Navy sent forty men to secure
the East River bridge. Once Newton’s retreating army crossed the East River
bridge the Federals burned it behind them to stop the Confederates form
pursuing them any further. During the campaign the Union captured several
civilians, which they released during their retreat. One man they made prisoner
was Lewis Franklin Hall who lived on the east side of the St. Marks River,
about a mile and a half south of Natural Bridge. After the battle at Natural
Bridge, Hall was returned to his home on the St. Marks River. Back at the
lighthouse Newton meet with the Navy officers and began the process of
re-embarking, and just five days after the Battle of Natural Bridge, March 11,
1865, Newton and his troops arrived back at Key West.
Confederate casualties during the campaign were four
killed, forty-one wounded, and four captured. On the Union side, casualties
were thirty-four killed, seventy-seven wounded, thirty captured, and thirty-six
missing. Medical care was giving to left behind wounded Union soldiers. The house
of Elizabeth Ann Condelar just south of Natural Bridge was were several wounded
men from the U.S. Colored Infantry were left by Newton. There were rumors that
Confederate soldiers were putting wounded and surrendering black Union soldiers
to the bayonet, but this anecdote is unfounded. Actually, about thirty black
Union soldiers who were captured at Natural Bridge were sent to Andersonville
prison in Georgia. The legend that many of the dead Union troops from the
battlefield were simply tossed into one of the many sinkholes may have some
truth to it. It is said that the smell of the rotting corpses from the sinks
forced locals to retrieve the bodies and bury them elsewhere. Many are buried at
Old City Cemetery in Tallahassee.
The Confederate
wounded, as well as wounded Federals, were taken by train back to Tallahassee
to be cared for. Most of the troops hung out around the Newport area until they
were sure the Federals were retreating back into the Gulf of Mexico. Most of
the soldiers arrived back in Tallahassee a few days later on the March 9, and
were greeted by adoring citizens. In the House of Representatives, Governor
Milton addressed the troops and praised them for their valiancy. Before being
allowed to return home the soldiers were warned that the Federals may attempt
to try their attack again, and to be ready if called upon. The Battle of
Natural Bridge was a Confederate victory, one of the last before the end of the
war, but Newton and his troops managed to inflict great loss to the town of
Newport, especially to Daniel Ladd personally. Ladd’s mill at Newport, as well as
the workshops attached to it were burned by the Federals.
The Confederate victory at Natural Bridge was short
lived, as the war was over by April, 1865. Brigadier General E.M. McCook was
ordered to Tallahassee to take U.S. possession of the capital city. He reached
the town on May 10, 1865, and accepted the surrender of General Jones, ending
Florida’s involvement with the Confederate States of America. The U.S. flag
once again flew over the Florida capitol.
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