History of the St. Augustine Blues

In the late spring of 1860, national disunion seemed imminent. The growing crisis that had threatened the American nation for decades appeared to be on the verge of erupting into armed conflict.

Throughout the South, military companies organized against this perceived threat. Floridians were quick to join the call to arms. On May 12, 1860, a group of prominent St. Augustine citizens met for the purpose of forming a volunteer "minuet man" unit to defend the ancient city.

About seventy men met that May evening. Included were members of some of the town's best known families. Three officers were elected for the unit. John Lott Phillips was chosen Captain, Lawrence M. Antlreu, First Lieutenant, and Charles L. Ridgley, Second Lieutenant. The men chose the name "Florida Independent Blues" and they were often referred to as the "St. Augustine Blues" or, more simply, "The Blues."

On December 20th, 1860 South Carolina became the first state to leave the Union, followed by Mississippi early in January. On January 6th, a group of about 25 militiaman from Fernandia arrived at St. Augustine with the intention of removing some of Ft. Marion's armaments for their own use. The following day, almost certainly reinforced by members of the Blues, the troops marched to the St. Francis Barracks and obtained the keys to the fort from the lone army sergeant detailed to guard the installation. Several of Ft. Marion's guns were then loaded onto a ship and sent to Fernandina. St. Augustinians learned of Florida's secession on January 12, when citizens brought the word from the Tallahassee Convention. The Blues formed in front of a recently erected flagpole, along with Captain Holmes Steel's Jacksonville Light Infantry. From the time of the occupation of the fort and Barracks on January 7th, the Blues were placed on active state service. Their specific duties during this period are unknown, though they probably patrolled the town and the coast, and strengthened the defense of Ft. Marion. On February 7th, the provisional government of the Confederacy was formed and Florida's brief life as a sovereign republic ended. The state, thinking that the Confederacy would now assume the major role of coastal defense, mustered the Blues out of militia service. For the next several months the unit reverted to its earlier duties of occasional meetings and drills.

On May 24th, 1861, the St Augustine Blues were again mustered into active Florida service. In addition to the Blues, a portion of the Marion Artillery, the St. Augustine Rifles, and various other units were stationed in town.

About the first of July 1861, the St. Augustine Rifles were the first group to leave the town for duty in one of the major theaters of the war. The Rifles were ordered to Jacksonville where the Second Florida Infantry was being formed. Upon leaving St. Augustine the Rifles were escorted from town by the Blues and the Marion Artillery.

The Blues soon followed the Rifles in entering the active Confederate Army. Captain William Stockton enrolled the unit into Confederate service at Ft. Marion on August 5, 1861. The Blues were assigned to the recently organized Third Florida Infantry as its Company B. The regiment was one of two new units authorized by President Jefferson Davis to help defend the Florida Coast. A muster roll showed 99 soldiers in the unit including one captain, three lieutenants, four sergeants, 11 corporals, three musicians and 77 privates. Sixteen of the men were under the age of 17, the youngest being 15. At the other end of the spectrum, 14 were over 40, two were 50 and two were 52. Virtually all Blues were Floridians, and most from St. Augustine.

The Blues transformation from militiaman to active-duty Confederate Soldiers had no immediate effect on their duties. Throughout the late summer and fall of 1861 they remained at St. Augustine, keeping vigil against a possible Union naval thrust. The Blues remained in St. Augustine until the evacuation of the town in March of 1862. On March 12th the Blues were ordered to Volusia, a village on the east bank of the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers. On April 25th, 1862, the Blues received orders to proceed to Midway, Florida, a small hamlet 10 miles west of Tallahassee. While in Midway, the Blues received a new battle flag made by the women of Jefferson County, and emblazoned with the motto "We Yield But In Death".

On May 14th, the regiment traveled by rail to Montgomery, Alabama, and then on to Mobile where they spent the next two months in and around the city. On July 24th, the regiment boarded trains for Chattanooga, Tennessee, where they went to join the Confederate Army under the command of General Braxton Bragg. Before leaving Chattanooga; the unit joined up with their sister regiment, the First Florida Infantry, and Third Louisiana, and the Forty-first Mississippi. On September 10th, the Third Florida crossed the Cumberland River into Kentucky and advanced on Munfordville. The Blues captured a Union officer that they found riding through the countryside. The Blues suffered many losses and after the battle never regained their original numbers. The Third Florida had been so decimated by it losses in Kentucky, that they were consolidated with the First Florida. Together the units fought in all the major battles of the Western Theater.

The Blues suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The following spring and summer, they marched into Mississippi in an effort to relieve a beleaguered Vicksburg. In the fall of 1863, they fought in the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga. The spring of 1865 found the Floridians in the Carolinas desperately attempting to slow down the advance of General William T. Sherman.

The Blues long four-year struggle ended on April 26 when General Joseph Johnston surrendered his small army to General Sherman near Greensboro, North Carolina. At least 17 Blues died during the war, scores more were wounded, captured, or discharged for disability. Approximately 120 men served in the unit, but only 8 surrendered with the company in 1865.