In 1864, the Union suffered its bloodiest defeat in Florida during the Civil War
Deep in the pine forests of Florida, a fierce Civil War clash in 1864 resulted in a staggering one-in-three casualty rate for Union forces, marking their costliest defeat in the Sunshine State.
On February 20, 1864, the Battle of Olustee became the largest Civil War engagement in Florida. Union Brigadier General Truman Seymour led an expedition to disrupt Confederate supply lines and recruit formerly enslaved people, but his troops marched straight into a well-prepared trap near Lake City. The fighting was so intense that the Union suffered over 1,800 casualties out of 5,500 men.
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