Santa Rosa Island
Other Names: None
Location: Escambia County
Campaign: Operations of Gulf Blockading Squadron (1861)
Date(s): October 9, 1861
Principal Commanders: Col. Harvey Brown [US]; Confederate Brig. Gen. Richard H. Anderson [CS]
Forces Engaged: Santa Rosa Island Garrison (approx. 600 men) [US]; infantry and artillery detachments (approx. 1,200 men) [CS]
Estimated Casualties: 154 total (US 67; CS 87)
Description: After midnight on October 9, Brig. Gen. Richard Anderson crossed from the mainland to Santa Rosa Island with 1,200 men in two small steamers to surprise Union camps and capture Fort Pickens. He landed on the north beach about four miles east of Fort Pickens and divided his command into three columns. After proceeding about three miles, the Confederates surprised the 6th Regiment, New York Volunteers, in its camp and routed the regiment. Gen. Anderson then adopted a defensive stance to entice the Federals to leave the fort and attack. Receiving reinforcements, Col. Harvey Brown sallied against the Confederates, who reembarked and returned to the mainland.
Result(s): Union victory
Please link to this page
If you found this page useful and informative, please link to it from your website, blog, etc. or tell others about it so that others may be able to find it and thus benefit from it. To provide a link to this page, simply copy and paste the following link code (in red) and modify to suit your needs:
<a href="http://www.civil-war-battles.com">Civil War Battles: Repository of information about Civil War battles, people, a timeline, and a summary.</a>