St. Augustine and the Civil War

When Florida seceded from the Union in 1861, St. Augustine followed much of the South and widely supported the Confederacy. Many residents rushed to join the Confederate army. Union forces, however, quickly seized the lightly protected town and used it as a rest area for battle—weary troops. Seven Union regiments called the city home during the war. While no major engagement took place in St. Augustine, the city is filled with Civil War history, from supporting the Confederacy to accepting ...