Today (September 27th) is the anniversary of the 1864 Battle of Marianna, Florida.

This engagement was fought at high noon in the streets of the Northwest Florida City and was of considerable significance to the counties west of Tallahassee.

Confederate forces defending the city came from Norwood's Marianna Home Guards, Robinson's Greenwood Club Cavalry, Godwin's Campbellton Cavalry, Poe's Company C, 1st Florida Infantry Reserves (Mounted) and Chisolm's cavalry company from the Alabama State Militia. A number of citizen volunteers, sick or wounded soldiers and a few men from Captain George Robinson's East Jackson County Home Guard also participated.

Federal forces included three battalions from the 2nd Maine Cavalry, one battalion from the 1st Florida U.S. Cavalry, around 75 picked men from the 82nd and 86th U.S. Colored Infantries and one man from the 7th Vermont Veteran Volunteers.

Eighteen men died as a result of the fighting, several dozen were wounded and 89 taken prisoner. St. Luke's Episcopal Church and two nearby homes in Marianna were burned and massive economic damage was done to the interior counties of Northwest Florida.

Just a reminder on the day it happened.

Best,
Dale Cox