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The Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida
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The Battle of Natural Bridge:
Phase Two
Phase Two
After a day of fighting, Newton was finally forced to
admit he could not force his way across the St.
Marks at Natural Bridge.
A portion of his men was ordered to begin preparing
entrenchments on the east bank of the St. Marks
River, while the rest of the force continued to
engage the Confederates from the tree cover
around the Natural Bridge. Once these works were
completed, the Federal troops fell back from the
bridge and took positions in them.
Brig. Gen. William Miller now ordered the 2nd
Florida (C.S.) Cavalry and some additional troops to
advance across the bridge and find out whether the
Federals had withdrawn. The Union troops opened
fire on them from within their new works and sharp
fighting opened on the east bank of the river.
The Confederates charged the initial line of Union
entrenchments, but the Federals withdrew to
successive lines from which they opened a
withering fire on the Southern troops. Miller's attack
was temporarily checked and the Union troops took
advantage of the pause in the fighting to withdraw
from the battlefield. They felled trees across the
road in their wake to slow any attempt at pursuit.
The Battle of Natural Bridge was over. Confederate
casualties had been remarkably light, 3 killed and
around 22 wounded. Most of the wounded fell
during the final attacks on the Union entrenchments
east of the river. The Federals suffered much more
severely. Newton lost an estimated 21 killed, 89
wounded and 38 captured.
admit he could not force his way across the St.
Marks at Natural Bridge.
A portion of his men was ordered to begin preparing
entrenchments on the east bank of the St. Marks
River, while the rest of the force continued to
engage the Confederates from the tree cover
around the Natural Bridge. Once these works were
completed, the Federal troops fell back from the
bridge and took positions in them.
Brig. Gen. William Miller now ordered the 2nd
Florida (C.S.) Cavalry and some additional troops to
advance across the bridge and find out whether the
Federals had withdrawn. The Union troops opened
fire on them from within their new works and sharp
fighting opened on the east bank of the river.
The Confederates charged the initial line of Union
entrenchments, but the Federals withdrew to
successive lines from which they opened a
withering fire on the Southern troops. Miller's attack
was temporarily checked and the Union troops took
advantage of the pause in the fighting to withdraw
from the battlefield. They felled trees across the
road in their wake to slow any attempt at pursuit.
The Battle of Natural Bridge was over. Confederate
casualties had been remarkably light, 3 killed and
around 22 wounded. Most of the wounded fell
during the final attacks on the Union entrenchments
east of the river. The Federals suffered much more
severely. Newton lost an estimated 21 killed, 89
wounded and 38 captured.
| Monument to Southern Troops Natural Bridge Battlefield State Park |
| Interpretive Panels Natural Bridge Battlefield State Park |
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The Battle of Natural
Bridge, Florida
by
Dale Cox
Bridge, Florida
by
Dale Cox
$15