Report of Col. Edward N. Hallowell
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry,
on the engagement at Olustee, Florida
HDQRS. FIFTY-FOURTH MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS,
Jacksonville, Fla., March 1, 1864.
LIEUTENANT: At 8.30 o'clock on the morning of February 20, 1864, the Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers left Barber's with its colonel, lieutenant-colonel, 13 line officers, and about 480 enlisted men, the rest of the regiment having been detailed for other duty. It marched in charge of wagon train to Olustee, at which place the train was stopped and the regiment moved forward at the double-quick about 2 miles, where it was formed in line between the railroad and dirt road, under a sharp fire from the enemy. In this formation it advanced some 200 yards through a swamp, driving the enemy from some guns, and checking the advance of a column of the enemy's infantry. After firing about 20,000 cartridges, the melt of the regiment were ordered to retreat by Col. James Montgomery, commanding brigade. A new line was formed on the right of the dirt road, where the regiment staid till after dark, when it was ordered, through Colonel Barton, to march back to Barber's, where it arrived one hour after midnight.
Their loss in officers was 3 wounded--Capt. R. H. L. Jewett, First Lieut. H. W. Littlefield, and First Lieut. E.G. Tomlinson--in enlisted men, killed, 13; wounded, 63; missing, 8; total, 87.
The State color three times fell and each time was caught up by another corporal. Sergt. Stephen A. Swails, acting sergeant-major, deserves special praise for his coolness, bravery, and efficiency during the action; he received a severe but not mortal wound in the head.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
E. N. HALLOWELL,
Colonel Fifty-fourth Massachusetts Volunteers.
Lieut. R. M. HALL,
Acting Assistant Adjutant-General. [6]
Sources:
1. Massachusetts Adjutant General�s Office, Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines in the Civil War, 8 vols. (Norwood, Mass: Norwood Press), vol. 4: 658-714.
From: http://www.geocities.com/afroyankees/Military/all54th.html [Back]
2. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System, an online database created by the National Parks System, is now back online and may be accessed by clicking on this link. [Back]
3. http://www.54thmass.org/54rosinit.html [Back]
4. http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/olustee/letters/b-herald.htm [Back]
5. http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/olustee/reports/seymour4.htm [Back]
6. http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/olustee/reports/hallowell.htm [Back]
Notes and Acknowledgement:
I wish I knew more about John than this, but it's all I've been able to find on him. If anyone has access to the 1850 census for Poughkeepsie, New York and wants to do a little digging, I'd appreciate hearing about the results of your search. We can all benefit from more complete information, which I would be happy to include on this webpage in some future update. If you'd like to contribute, I can be reached at
[email protected].
For those of you who wish to learn more about the Battle of Olustee I recommend the following terrific websites:
The Battle of Olustee, (Ocean Pond.)
http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/olustee/54th_MS_inf.html
http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/olustee/54th_MS_inf.html
I would particularly like to thank my great friend, (and cousin), Deb Boden,
[email protected], for first bringing John R. Wyncoop to my attention back at the turn of this century. Deb, I know I've been a little slow lately, but if I keep at it I'll get to these things eventually. I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate all of the support and interest you've shown over the years. It means a lot to me.
All my best,
Chris