2nd Regiment, Florida Infantry

2nd Regiment, Florida Infantry completed its organization at Jacksonville, Florida, in July, 1861. Its twelve companies contained men from Escambia, Columbia, Leon, Marion, Jackson, Alachua, St Johns, Putnam, Hamilton, Nassau, and Madison counties. The regiment was soon ordered to Virginia and in April, 1862, had 530 effectives. It was unattached in the fight at Williamsburg and under the command of General Garland at Seven Pines. Later it was assigned to General Pryor's, E A Perry's, and Finegan's Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia. The 2nd participated in many conflicts from the Seven Days' Battles to Cold Harbor, then was active in the Petersburg siege south of the James River and around Appomattox. This unit was organized with 1,185 officers and men, reported 23 killed and 114 wounded at Gaines’ Mill and Frayser's Farm, sustained 49 casualties during the Maryland Campaign, and had 3 killed and 29 wounded at Chancellorsville. At the Battle of Gettysburg it lost forty-two percent of the 242 engaged, and on April 9, 1865, it surrendered with 7 officers and 59 men.^[1]

Officers: Colonels Walter R Moore, Edward A Perry, Lewis G Pyles, and George T Ward, Lieutenant Colonel S St George Rogers, and Major G W Call.^[1]

The 2nd Florida was organized on April and July 1861 and mustered into Confederate service for 12 months near Jacksonville, Florida. On July 13, 1861, joined Lee's Army of Northern Virginia in the late summer. The 2nd Florida had been the first Florida regiment to reach Virginia. During the Peninsular Campaign of 1862, the 2nd Florida distinguished itself in all the major battles, starting with the defensive action at Williamsburg, and the offensive battles at Seven Pines, Gaines Mill, and Malvern Hill. Soon after the close of that campaign, the 5th and 8th Florida regiments joined the 2nd, forming a Florida Brigade within Anderson’s Division of Longstreets’s First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, by then identified with its new commander, Robert E. Lee.

The Florida, or Perry’s, Brigade, named after its commander, Florida’s own E. A. Perry, distinguished themselves at the Battle of Chancellorsville, in May of 1863. Two months later, the brigade, temporarily led by newly promoted Colonel David Lang, was attached to Picket’s Division and took part in the famous attack on the Union Center on the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Fragments of the Brigade actually reached and penetrated the Federal lines but were eventually driven out. The brigade suffered terrible casualties in the charge and withdrawal that followed. In the last year of war the Florida Brigade fought at Cold Harbor in June 1864 and Petersburg during the winter. The Florida Brigade retreated with the Army of Northern Virginia and surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. By the time of surrender, the regiments were the size of modern day platoons or companies. 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.^[2]

Company A - PENSACOLA RIFLE RANGERS

Company B - ALACHUA GUARDS

Company C - COLUMBIA RIFLES

Company D - LEON RIFLES

Company E - HAMMOCK GUARDS

Company F - GULF STATE GUARDS

Company G - ST JOHN'S GRAYS

Company H - ST. AUGUSTINE RIFLES

Company I - JASPER BLUES

Company J - DAVIS GUARDS

Company L - MADISON RANGERS

Company M - HOWELL GUARDS

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} National Park Service Soldiers and Sailors Database.
2. ↑ Wikipedia:2nd Florida Infantry, Florida’s Soldiers Beyond the Borders 1861-1865