OLUSTEE CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD

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LOCATION:

STORY:

Haunted Site

Lake City, Florida USA

The Battle of Olustee was the the largest and bloodiest Civil War Battle in Florida. Union General Truman A. Seymour and his troops left Hilton Head, South Carolina with the sole purpose of occupying Jacksonville, Florida. Brigadier General Joseph Finegan and Brigadier General Alfred Colquitt were assigned the task of defending Florida for the Confederacy.

Union and Confederate troops came out of the pine trees to engage in an open field in north Florida. The battle lasted four hours with nearly 5000 Confederate troops and 5,500 Union troops fighting. When it was over, there were 1,861 Union soldiers dead and 946 Confederate men killed.

Every year in February, a huge gathering of dedicated civil war enthusiasts gather to re-enact the entire battle. Campers who stay overnight have reported being awoken by gunfire, the loud rush of horses and men yelling orders. Upon inspection for the source of the noise, the battlefield is always empty.