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The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida
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The Retreat to the Gulf
Exhausted from marching and fighting, the
Union troops began their retreat back to the
Gulf as quickly as they could. Confederate
troops tried to pursue, but had to clear fallen
trees and logs from the road .
About 100 Confederate cavalrymen brushed
with the Federal rear guard just north of
Newport, but were unable to do much
damage as night had now fallen. Another
detachment of Southern troops cut off and
captured a Union lieutenant and several of his
men who had been assigned to guard a
crossing one mile south of the Natural Bridge
but had been forgotten in the withdrawal.
The Union troops marched on to the East
River Bridge, which a party of sailors
destroyed behind them. The Navy had failed
in its effort to get warships up the shallow
river to attack Fort Ward, but had shown
considerable foresight in sending a party
ashore to protect the bridge pending the
return of the main body.
The Confederate infantry pursued to a point
south of Newport, but was unable to catch the
retreating Federals before the men of both
sides collapsed from exhaustion.
The Union column continued its return to the
lighthouse the next morning with no additional
Confederate pursuit. They soon set sail on
the return voyage to their bases at Cedar Key
and Key West.
Union troops began their retreat back to the
Gulf as quickly as they could. Confederate
troops tried to pursue, but had to clear fallen
trees and logs from the road .
About 100 Confederate cavalrymen brushed
with the Federal rear guard just north of
Newport, but were unable to do much
damage as night had now fallen. Another
detachment of Southern troops cut off and
captured a Union lieutenant and several of his
men who had been assigned to guard a
crossing one mile south of the Natural Bridge
but had been forgotten in the withdrawal.
The Union troops marched on to the East
River Bridge, which a party of sailors
destroyed behind them. The Navy had failed
in its effort to get warships up the shallow
river to attack Fort Ward, but had shown
considerable foresight in sending a party
ashore to protect the bridge pending the
return of the main body.
The Confederate infantry pursued to a point
south of Newport, but was unable to catch the
retreating Federals before the men of both
sides collapsed from exhaustion.
The Union column continued its return to the
lighthouse the next morning with no additional
Confederate pursuit. They soon set sail on
the return voyage to their bases at Cedar Key
and Key West.
| St. Marks Lighthouse St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge |
Related Sites:
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The Battle of Natural
Bridge, Florida
by
Dale Cox
Bridge, Florida
by
Dale Cox
$19.95