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A Guide to Civil War Records at the State Archives of Florida
The 1861 State Flag of Florida [RC24210]
GOVERNMENT RECORDS
This record group contains the records of the governors from Florida's admission
to the United States as a territory in 1821 through Governor Martin's Administration,
1925-1929.
S
32 Territorial and State Governors letterbooks,1836-1909
83 volumes
Summary:
The series contains the official outgoing correspondence, in bound letterpress
volumes, of Florida's territorial and state governors from 1836-1909. Included
are the Civil War governors John Milton (1861-1865) and A. K. Allison (1865).
All the letterbooks are originals except for Volume 6 (John Milton, 1861-1862)
which is a photocopy. The original is located at the Florida Historical Society’s Tebeau-Field
Library in Cocoa, Florida.
S
577 State governors' incoming correspondence, 1857-1888
3 cubic ft.
Summary:
The series contains the official incoming correspondence of Florida's governors
from 1857-1888. For the Civil War-era, relevant material would include the
incoming correspondence of Governors Madison S. Perry (1857-1861); John Milton
(1861-1865); and David S. Walker (1865-1868).
RG
137 State Board of Pensions
The State Board of Pensions was established by law on February 16, 1885 and
consisted of three members: the Governor, the Comptroller, and the Adjutant
General. The Board dealt solely with Confederate pensions and was also referred
to as the Board of Confederate Pensions. After 1915, the Treasurer took the
place of the Adjutant General as the third member. The Board was responsible
for creating the rules and regulations necessary for carrying out the state's
pension laws and for reviewing the claims of individuals applying for pensions. The
Board was required to report to the Governor prior to the meeting of the Legislature. In
1969, the Board's functions were transferred to the Division of Personnel and
Retirement, Dept. of Administration.
S
407 Minutes,1886-1963
4 volumes
Summary:
This series contains minutes of both regular and special meetings of the State
Board of Pensions from 1886 to 1963. The Board reviewed the claims of those
individuals applying either as pensioners or widows. Information in the minutes
include the name of the applicant, military unit served in, facts supporting
the need for pension, date and place of marriage, and whether or not pension
was awarded. Also included are legal opinions and resolutions concerning pension
administration.
S
452 Correspondence, 1885-1960
3.5 cubic ft.
Summary:
The series contains correspondence, reports, lists, and other related materials
which document the functions of the State Board of Pensions from 1885 to 1960. The
correspondence is divided into five major areas: 1) general correspondence,
2) Adjutant General correspondence, 3) living widows correspondence, 4) National
Archives correspondence, and 5) miscellaneous correspondence.
The general incoming correspondence from 1885 to 1959 is mainly from applicants
or pensioners concerning eligibility, proof of service, requests for application,
and requests for increases in the pension stipend. In some instances the individual
letter has a summary typed on the back, the date of reply by the Board, and
the corresponding page number in the letterbooks (Series 1295).
The Adjutant General correspondence from c. 1908 to 1956 contains mostly form
letters from the State Board of Pensions to the United States Adjutant General's
Office requesting proof of service for soldiers who had applied for a pension
or for widows who had applied under a husband's name. The reply from the United
States Adjutant General's Office is on the reverse side of the form.
Other correspondence in the series relates to inquiries regarding pensions
from living Civil War widows, correspondence between the Board and the National
Archives regarding pension requests and a project to microfilm the pension
records, and miscellaneous files relating to various subjects.
S
456 Indexes of pension claims, 1907-1917
4 volumes
Summary:
This series consists of four volumes containing various indexes to the Confederate
pension claims. The first two volumes contain a listing of claims filed and
approved under the Act of 1909 and the Act of 1913. Each applicant's name,
address, county, file number and certificate number is included. Information
concerning the status of the claim includes the date of filing, amount allowed
per year, date payable from and date of approval by the Board. Volume 3 contains
an index of pensions filed under the Acts of 1907, 1909, 1913, 1915, and 1917. It
is not known if this index is complete. Volume 4 contains a listing of purported
deserters who may have initially received a pension and then had it withdrawn.
S
587 Confederate pension application files, 1885-1954 [This collection is available online]
113 cubic ft.; 107 microfilm reels
Summary:
This series includes files on approved and denied pension claims from 1885
to 1954. Most files contain the original application, any supplemental applications,
proof of service and residency, and occasional correspondence between the applicant
and the Board. Veterans' applications generally include name, date and place
of birth, unit dates and places of enlistment and discharge, brief description
of service, wounds received, sworn statements on proof of service by comrades,
War Department service abstracts, and place and length of Florida residency. Widows'
applications generally include, in addition to the above, her full name, date
and place of marriage to the veteran, and date and place of the veteran's death.
Widows' applications are filed under the name of the veteran. All the pension
files have been scanned, and are available online for
free.
S
1295 Letterbooks, 1887-1905.
9 volumes
Summary:
The series consists of nine bound letterbooks of outgoing correspondence of
the State Board of Pensions from 1887-1905. In some instances the incoming
correspondence has been tipped in the letterbook. The correspondence mainly
answers inquiries from pensioners and applicants concerning eligibility, proof
of service, the application process, and reasons for the denial of certain
claims. Each volume contains a name index of correspondents. The first two
volumes (1887-1888) contain both Pension Board and Adjutant General correspondence,
dating from the period when Adjutant General David Lang served as Secretary
of the Pension Board. Correspondence from August 28, 1895 to February 17,
1897 (Volume 7) is missing and only the index remains. There is also a gap
in the records from January 20, 1900 to August 28, 1903.
RG
151 Office of the Secretary of
State
The post of Secretary of State was originally created in the 1838 Constitution
as the successor office to the Secretary of the Territory. The Office of Secretary
of State was created in 1845 to maintain the state's public records. The Secretary
of State was one of the elected Cabinet posts until January 3, 2003, when a
constitutional amendment eliminating the office from the Cabinet and making
the department responsible to the governor, with the Secretary of State position
a gubernatorial appointment took hold.
S
24 Secretary of the Territory and Secretary of State letterbooks, 1830-1865,
1889-1905, 1922-1926
22 volumes
Summary:
The series contains the outgoing correspondence of the Secretary of State
and the Secretary of the Territory from 1830-1865 and 1889-1905. (A major
gap exists in the series from 1866-1888.) Housed in letterbooks, the correspondence
documents the various duties of the Secretary of State and provides an understanding
of the internal working of the state and of the historical events of the time. In
addition to the secretaries' correspondence are various proclamations of the
Governor (especially those from Governor John Milton, who served from 1861
to 1865) and some official correspondence of the assistant Secretaries of State. The
Secretaries incoming correspondence is located in Series 1325.
S
1325 Secretary of the Territory and Secretary of State incoming correspondence,
1831-1917
2.5 cubic ft.
Summary:
The series contains the incoming correspondence of the Secretary of State
and the Secretary of the Territory from 1831 to 1917. Correspondence in this
series touches on numerous aspects of the responsibilities of the Secretary
of State. Much of the correspondence is routine in nature, reflecting the
secretary's statutory functions. The correspondence focuses on commissions,
oaths and bonds of local officials, local election returns, the issuance of
election certificates, recommendations for the appointment of officials, and
publications and reports.
RG
171 Florida Military Department
The Military Department was created in 1921, it was directed by the Adjutant
General, and its headquarters were in St. Augustine. The state militia has
existed since territorial days, becoming the Florida State Troops in 1887 and
the Florida National Guard in 1909. The Military Department and the Adjutant
General controlled the Florida units of the National Guard; supervised all
the arms, troops, branches, and stores of the Guard; and transported and supported
any armed forces required by the state to maintain law and order. The Military
Department became the Department of Military Affairs in 1973.
S
1210 Confederate Marine Corps and Navy personnel card roster of Floridians,
1925
.25 cubic ft.
Summary:
This series is a typescript card roster produced in 1925 of Confederate Marine
Corps and Navy personnel who had connections with the State of Florida. The
cards generally contain the place of birth, appointment, ranks, promotions,
and military career. The cards were created by the staff of the Dept. during
a project in 1925.
S
1425 Historical records, 1860-1945
2.5 cubic ft.
Summary:
This series contains historical information that illustrates the participation
of Florida's Militia, National Guard, and private citizens in the wars of the
United States, including the Civil War. These records include casualty notices,
correspondence, and statistical reports that were generated at the Florida
Adjutant General's Office and the service departments in Washington, D.C.
S
1725 Civil War recollections of S. M. Hankins, 1861-1865
.25 cubic ft.
Summary:
This series consists of a thirty-five page typescript entitled "My Recollections
of the Confederate War," transcribed from the original "pencilled
in longhand in an old account ledger." The recollections were written
by Confederate veteran S. M. Hankins, and begin with Florida's secession in
1861, when Hankins was 14 years old. They recall Floridians' initial reactions
to the threat of war; the raising of military units; the imprisonment of women
and children and the burning of their homes if their husbands, fathers, or
brothers were suspected of deserting; the shooting of deserters; the wartime
treatment of African Americans; Hankins' enlistment at age 16; escorting prisoners
to Andersonville; the Battle of Natural Bridge; and other wartime events.
RG
172 Office of the Adjutant General
The post of Adjutant General was first created by the Legislative Council
of the Territory on February 1, 1832 and continued into statehood. The Adjutant
General is appointed by the Governor and serves as his chief of staff (in the
Governor's role as Commander-in-Chief). During the nineteenth century, the
Adjutant General's duties included supervision of the state prison and quarantine
of the coast. Between 1868 and 1885, the Adjutant General sat as a member of
the Florida Cabinet. The Adjutant General also sat on the State Board of Pensions
prior to 1915.
S
1147 Pay vouchers, 1862-1863
0.25, cubic ft., 1.00, microfilm reel (35 mm.)
Summary:
The series contains pay vouchers for some members of the Confederate Eighth
Florida Infantry Regiment from 1862 to 1863. The Confederate Eighth Florida
Infantry Regiment served in General Lee's Army of Northern Virginia from 1862
to 1865. Most of the documents record payments issued for service during a
specified period. Some items, issued at the time of a soldier's discharge,
give information such as birthplace, occupation, age, height, and complexion.
S
1273 Original Florida Confederate muster rolls, 1861-1865
60.00, item, 1.00, microfilm reel
Background:
Some 15,000 Floridians served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. Florida
troops were organized into 12 infantry regiments, two cavalry regiments, and
a number of battalions, batteries, and independent companies. Most Floridians
served outside the state during the war. The Second, Fifth, and Eighth Infantry
Regiments (joined in 1864 by the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Infantry Regiments)
served in General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia from 1862 to 1865. Another
Florida Brigade served in the war's Western Theater. It was comprised of the
First Cavalry Regiment and the First, Third, Fourth, Sixth, and Seventh Regiments
of Infantry. The troops that remained in Florida fought at Olustee, Marianna,
and Natural Bridge, and in a number of smaller skirmishes. During the Civil
War, approximately 5,000 Floridians were killed or died from wounds or disease.
Summary:
These records document Floridians serving in
Confederate military units from 1861 to 1865. The series includes both units
mustered into Confederate service and those that remained in state service
during the War. The muster rolls generally include: the name and rank of
the soldier, when and where they enrolled, payroll information, and remarks. At
the end of the series are non-unit rolls from the Chattahoochee Arsenal and
the Warrington Naval Yard (Pensacola).
S
1279 Florida Confederate muster rolls, 1861-1865
37.00, v., 8.00 microfilm reels
Summary:
The volumes contain photostatic copies of muster
in rolls, muster out rolls, descriptive rolls, annual, monthly, and quarterly
returns, and special orders for Florida confederate soldiers from 1861 to
1865. The muster rolls may contain the following information: name and
rank of soldier; when, where, and by whom they mustered or enrolled into
service; last paid; and remarks. In addition, the descriptive rolls include
city and county of birth, age, occupation, hair and eye color, complexion,
and height.
S
1280 Florida Cavalry Regiments of the Union
Army muster rolls, 1863-1865
10.00, v., 2.00, microfilm reel
Background:
During the Civil War, two regiments of cavalry
were organized in the state to serve the Union Army. These units, the First
and Second Florida Cavalry Regiments, consisted of elements from Florida's
sizeable pro-Union minority, along with disaffected ex-Confederates. A large
percentage of the men were deserters from Confederate service, while many
of the unit's officers came from outside of the state.
The First Florida Cavalry was organized at
Fort Barrancas (Pensacola) from December 1863 to August 1864. The unit operated
in west Florida and southern Alabama during its enlistment. Elements of
the First Florida Cavalry participated in various scouts and expeditions,
among which were actions at Camp Gonzalez and near Pollard, Alabama; the
expedition to Marianna, Florida; and the campaign against Mobile, Alabama. The
regiment was mustered out of service in November 1865.
The Second Florida Cavalry was raised primarily
at Key West and Cedar Key from December 1863 to June 1864. The unit was
assigned to the District of Key West and the Tortugas, and saw continuous
duty in east and south Florida. It was involved in expeditions or skirmishes
at Pease Creek, Fort Myers, Tampa, Station Number 4, Bayport, Braddock's
Farm, and St. Andrews Bay, as well as the St. Marks (Natural Bridge) campaign
of March 1865.
Two other units documented in these records
are the Florida Rangers and the First East Florida Cavalry. The Florida
Rangers were a south Florida organization that was eventually absorbed into
the Second Florida Cavalry. Little is known about the First East Florida
Cavalry. This independent, company-sized unit was apparently organized around
Jacksonville and at Hilton Head, South Carolina, in late 1864. The unit
served in northeast Florida for the remainder of the war and was on occupation
duty around Tallahassee in the summer of 1865.
Summary:
The volumes contain photostatic copies of muster
in and muster out rolls, descriptive rolls, some annual, monthly, and quarterly
returns, and special orders of federal Florida cavalry regiments from 1863
to 1865. The muster rolls may contain the following information: name and
rank of soldier; when, where and by whom they were mustered or enrolled into
service; last paid; remarks. In addition to the above information, the descriptive
rolls also include city and county of birth, age, occupation, and information
about hair and eye color, complexion, and height. Some of the records are
barely legible.
RG
342 Treasurer’s Office
The Treasurer's Office was created in the 1838
Constitution, effective with statehood in 1845. The State Treasurer received
all moneys which are paid into the State Treasury; paid all warrants drawn
by the Comptroller on the State Treasury; kept detailed records of all transactions
involving the State's money; and handled insurance matters related to his
duties as Insurance Commissioner.
S
677 Confederate pension warrants paid, 1900-1914
5 volumes
Summary:
The series contains the ledgers maintained
by the Treasurer's Office documenting the cashing in of Confederate pension
payment warrants from 1900 to 1914. The information provided includes warrant
number, date of issue, to whom issued, to whom paid, date of payment, and
the amount of the warrant. It should be noted that this series does not
have the pension number. These are ledgers of financial transactions rather
than pensioner profiles.
RG
350 Comptroller’s Office
The post of Comptroller was created in the
1838 Constitution and implemented with statehood in 1845. The Comptroller
succeeded the Territorial Auditor of Public Accounts and assumed his duties
as the state's chief fiscal officer. The Comptroller's Office examined,
audited, and settled all accounts, claims, and demands against the state. It
supervised banking institutions, sale of securities, and collection of revenue
and taxes. The Comptroller wrote warrants for payment against the state
treasury and compiled annual reports for the Governor and Legislature on
state expenditures and trust funds.
S
43 Territorial and state military expenditures,
1839-1869
1.5 cubic ft.
Summary:
The series consists of the Comptroller's Office
records for territorial and state military expenditures from 1839 to 1869. The
series contains the expenditure records for territorial militia companies,
frontier guard units of Seminole Indian wars, Confederate military organizations,
and local guard activities. The records include invoices, receipts, provision
records, vouchers, payrolls, and requisitions for forage. These records
provide information on some Florida military units not available elsewhere.
S
476 Confederate pension warrants issued,
1905-1913
7 volumes
Summary:
The series contains ledgers, dated 1905-1913,
maintained by the Comptroller's Office which document the issuance of pension
warrants upon submission of a claim or voucher by the pensioner. After the
Comptroller examined, audited, and verified the voucher, he issued the warrant
which authorized the Treasurer to pay the designated amount of money from
a specific fund of the Treasury. The volumes contain the following information: to
whom the warrant was issued; number of the warrant; date of issue; amount
of the warrant; to whom paid; and date of payment. It should be noted that
this series does not have the pension number. These are ledgers of financial
transactions rather than pensioner profiles.
RG
510 Division of Recreation and Parks
The Florida Park Service was originally created
in 1935 as the Board of Parks and Historic Memorials and administered within
the Board of Forestry. The Park Service's first eight parks were designed
and built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1949, the Park Service became
an independent agency, the Board of Parks and Historic Memorials. Its purpose
was to administer and control the operation and development of the state
parks and historic sites of Florida. In 1969, the Board was merged with the
Outdoor Recreational Development Council to form the Division of Recreation
and Parks under the Department of Natural Resources. The Division eventually
moved to the newly created Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in
1993.
S
1319 Fort Clinch exhibit materials, 1765,
1820-1940
1.5 cubic ft.
Background:
Four-hundred and twenty acres on Amelia Island
were set aside in 1842 for the purpose of establishing a military post. Construction
began on a fort in 1847 and continued through the outbreak of the Civil War. In
1850, the fort was named in honor of Brevet Brigadier General Duncan L. Clinch. Florida
state officials seized the property in 1861 and placed it under Confederate
control until March, 1863, when it was regarrisoned by Federal troops. In
March, 1929, the fort was sold as it was no longer needed for military purposes.
In 1935, the newly created Florida Park Service acquired the fort. The Civilian
Conservation Corps (CCC) developed the park and partially restored the fort.
Summary:
The series contains exhibit materials from
Fort Clinch State Park in Fernandina (Nassau County), Florida. It contains
many documents relating to the Civil War, the history of Fernandina, and
the history of Fort Clinch itself. Among the various items are: seventeen
issues of the Southern Illustrated News, (April-November 1863), published
in Richmond, Virginia; an enrollment list of the Fernandina volunteers, 1861,
signed by future Confederate General Joseph Finegan; a muster roll of field,
staff, and company officers of Colonel Joseph Finegan, Fort Clinch, April
to November 1861; time roll of laborers employed at Fort Clinch, 1862-1863;
estimate on costs of building a Florida ship canal; a broadside for a "Moonlight
Excursion" on the Steamer Martha, August 17, 1886; clippings relating
to the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp at Fernandina; copies of telegraph
messages from 1861 relating to Florida's secession; a diary fragment detailing
work done on Fort Clinch in 1865; and letters from 1866, regarding construction
of Fort Clinch.
S
1951 Public relations and historical files,
1934-1964
3 cubic ft.
Summary:
This series contains the public relations and
historical files maintained by the Office of the Director of the Florida
Park Service in the 1950s and early 1960s for use as reference in answering
the public's questions, requests, and concerns on park operation, policy,
and history. The records were created by three separate directors and by
the Chief of Education and Information office. Included are historical records
for Fort Clinch, Fort Pickens, Yellow Bluff Historic Site, and Judah P. Benjamin
Historic Memorial.
S
1954 Historical marker files, 1961-1968
.50 cubic ft.
Background:
One of the major functions of the Board of
Parks and Historic Memorials was the identification and marking of historic
sites. Such sites might include early towns, roads, banks, military forts,
or historic events such as Civil War battles, constitutional conventions,
or significant inventions. The Board’s Chief of Information and Education
administered the historical marker program. Once a site was selected, a short
historic essay was written, often authored by well-known Florida historians
such as Samuel Proctor, William Warren Rogers, or Dena Snodgrass. Finally,
a two-sided metal plaque would be erected on or nearby the historic site.
Often a community or town would solicit such a marker from the Board.
Summary:
Arranged alphabetically by county, each file
in this series documents a specific marker, including records such as correspondence,
marker text and drafts, historic research, and sign specifications. Each
file is labeled with the marker's title, marker number, and the county the
site was located within. Along with historical information for each site,
the records also provide a sense of popular perceptions of Florida history
in the 1960s. The majority of the markers concern the Civil War and other
military-related sites. The series is not complete: only files from Alachua
through Gulf counties are present.
RG
650 Dept. of Legal Affairs
The Department of Legal Affairs was created
in 1969 to perform the powers, duties and functions of the office of the
Attorney General, the chief state legal officer. The Office of the Attorney
General, which dates back to Florida’s Territorial government, renders legal
opinions on request to government agencies; reports on laws; directs state
attorneys; and receives supreme court reports. The Attorney General also
appears on behalf of the state in all suits in the District Courts of Appeal
and the Supreme Court in which the state has an interest. In 1969, the Office
was transferred to the newly created Dept. of Legal Affairs.
S
632 Attorney General Opinions, 1859-1913,
1941-1948
4 volumes, 32 cubic ft.
Summary:
This incomplete series contains the official
opinions of the Attorneys General of Florida. No records are extant from
1914 to 1940, and there are also some gaps in the records between the years
1859 and 1913. The opinions are in the form of correspondence addressed to
the government official who requested the opinion or legal advice in writing
on a matter related to their official duties. There are four bound volumes
of opinions. For the Civil War era, see volume 1 is a handwritten letterbook
which contains the opinions of Mariano D. Papy (1859-1860); John B. Galbraith
(1861-1866); George P. Raney (1877-1881); and C. M. Cooper (1885-1886). Keep
in mind that volume 1 is not indexed
RG
1000 State Constitution Records
The State of Florida has been governed by six
constitutions, written in the years 1838, 1861, 1865, 1868, 1885, and 1968. This
record group contains original constitutions and records documenting their
development. The 1838 Constitution was written in order to provide for a
government when the territory became a state. The document created a bicameral
legislature; a four year term for the Governor; the posts of Secretary of
State, Attorney General, Comptroller, and Treasurer; and a traditional three
branch government The 1861 Constitution provided for Florida's governing
as part of the Confederacy and cut the terms of the Governor and Cabinet
to two years after the current office holders had left. The 1865 Constitution
annulled the 1861 Ordinance of Secession, created the post of Lieutenant
Governor, and would have elected the Cabinet officers, but it was superseded
by the 1868 Constitution. The 1868 Constitution granted suffrage to males
of all races and created the Board of Education and the posts of Lieutenant
Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction. The 1885 Constitution
made elective the Cabinet posts of Secretary of State, Attorney General,
Treasurer, Comptroller, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the newly
created Commissioner of Agriculture. In addition, the 1885 Constitution
abolished the post of Lieutenant Governor. The 1885 Constitution was often
amended until its revision 1968.
S
540 Florida Convention of the People Minutes,
1861-1862
1 volume
Background:
Pursuant to an Act of the Legislature approved
November 30, 1860, Governor Madison S. Perry issued a proclamation calling
an election on Saturday, December 22, 1860, for delegates to a Convention
to address the issue of whether Florida had a right to withdraw from the
Union. The Secession Convention met on January 3, 1861 in Tallahassee. John
C. McGehee of Madison County was elected President. The Convention passed
the Ordinance of Secession on January 10, 1861, declaring Florida to be "a
sovereign and independent nation." The Convention ratified the Constitution
adopted by the Confederate States of America on April 13 and adjourned sine
die on April 27, 1861 unless convened by the president on or before December
25.
Since the Convention generally approved of
Governor Perry's actions it made no move to interfere with his administration;
however, when Governor Milton took office in October of 1861 and reversed
some policies of his predecessor, a move was started to reconvene the Convention. President
McGehee issued a proclamation on December 13 for the convention to meet on
January 14, 1862, at Tallahassee. McGehee expressed concern over two matters: the
state's finances and the powers of the Governor during wartime. To remedy
the later, the members appointed an Executive Council of four men to share
the executive authority because they felt that the powers of a wartime executive
should not be placed in the hands of one man. The Convention adjourned sine
die on January 27, 1862.
Summary:
The series contains the minutes of the Florida
Convention of the People (commonly referred to as the Secession Convention). The
minutes document the topics discussed and actions taken by the Convention
from January 3, 1861 to April 27, 1861 and from January 14, 1862 to January
27, 1862. The minutes also contain reports presented to the members from
various committees, resolutions, and the ordinance of secession.
S
1457 Florida Convention of the People Ordinances
and resolutions, 1861-1862
1 volume
Summary:
The series contains the original handwritten
ordinances and resolutions of the Florida Convention of the People (commonly
referred to as the Secession Convention) from January 3 - March 1, 1861,
April 18 - 27, 1861, and January 14 - 27, 1862.
The volume contains all the ordinances and
resolutions passed by the Convention, except for the Ordinance of Secession
(No. 1) which can be found in Series 972. A copy of the Constitution of
the Confederate States of America is found after Ordinance 28 (the ordinance
which ratifies it).
S
972 Florida Convention of the People ordinance
of secession, 1861
1 item
Summary:
The series contains a one page handwritten
copy of the Ordinance of Secession passed on January 10, 1861 by the members
of the Florida Convention of the People (commonly referred to as the Secession
Convention).
RG
1001 Florida Executive Council
The members of the Convention of the People
(the Secession Convention) argued that the powers of the wartime executive
should not be placed in the hands of one man, so they appointed an Executive
Council of four men to share the responsibilities. James A. Wiggins, Mariano
D. Papy, W.D. Barnes, and Smith Simpkins made up the Council. The Convention
granted to the Governor and the Council certain powers to meet the crises
of war. These included martial law; arresting disloyal persons; appropriating
private property for public use; bringing any of the population into public
service; securing arms and ammunition; creating new state agencies; and appointing
military officers. The Council, however, met only five times between February
28 and May 24, 1862. In most instances, the Council gave Milton little opposition,
thus negating the need for its existence.
S
82 Proceedings, 1862
.25 cubic ft.
Summary:
This series contains a "true copy' of
the proceedings of the meetings of the Executive Council from February 28,
1862 to May 14, 1862. The proceedings were recorded by Governor Milton's
executive secretary, E. Barnard. It documents the activities and decisions
made by the Executive Council.
RG
1020 Federal Census records
The purpose of the federal census is to enumerate
the entire population of the country every ten years by county jurisdiction.
The first six federal censuses, those from 1790 to 1840, were overseen by
federal marshals. The first Census Office began operation in Washington
in 1850. This was only temporary as the Office was disbanded after each
count. The Census Office became permanent in 1902.
The first six censuses were similar in content,
naming only the heads of families. All other people were noted only by tally
marks in categories for age, sex, race, and slavery, except that the Constitution
excluded from the census all Indians not taxed. The later federal censuses
included a variety of different schedules. The 1850 and 1860 censuses contained
free population, slave population, mortality, agriculture, and industry schedules. The
1870 and 1880 counts included schedules for population, mortality, agriculture,
and industry. The federal census was first compiled in Florida in 1830.
S
1489 Census of the District of Florida,
1864-1865
.50 cubic ft.
Background:
As an administrative measure the United States
Army divided the nation into departments. The departments were established
to control the military forces within certain geographic boundaries. Those
areas that were captured while in rebellion were governed by military officers
of the department rather than by civilian officials. The departments were
named to reflect the geographic areas that they administered.
In 1864 the Department of the South was headquartered
in the Hilton Head/Beaufort area of South Carolina. It included the Districts
of Florida and Georgia as well as the District of South Carolina. The Union
forces that comprised the District of Florida occupied the major population
centers of the state.
Summary:
The series consists of portions of censuses
that where conducted in the District of Florida during 1864 and 1865. These
portions survey the residents of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, the St. Johns
River area, Amelia Island, and Fernandina. The 1864 census was conducted
in the Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and St. Johns area. It is divided by
race and enumerates all persons by name, status of citizenship, place of
birth, and whether the enumerated was a free person of color or "contraband".
The status of contraband was applied to those persons who had been held in
bondage but were now free or within the Union lines. Those persons enumerated
as contraband also had the name of their former slave master recorded. The
1865 census is only for the Amelia Island area. It is limited to "colored" and
notes relationships among the enumerated, ages, sex, former slave masters,
where the person was held in bondage, and the enumerator’s occupation. Wives
of men in the Union Army are also noted.
RG
1025 National Archives Microfilm Publications
This record group is comprised of copies of
various microfilm publications from the National Archives and Records Administration
pertaining to Florida history. Created in 1935, the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA), an independent Federal agency, is charged
with preserving and managing Federal records. Today they house well over
2.9 million cubic as well as millions of photographs, maps, motion pictures,
and audio recordings. Included are several series of Federal records relating
to Florida’s participation in the Civil War.
S
981 Records relating to Confederate naval
and marine personnel, 1861-1865
7 microfilm reels
Background:
During its short life, the Confederate Government,
in addition to establishing a large army for defense, also organized a smaller
naval and marine force. Confederate sailors manned a variety of river and
coastal defense stations and vessels, as well as ocean-going raiders like
the famous Alabama. In addition, a naval brigade was organized at the close
of the war from the members of the James River Squadron; they participated
in the Appomattox Campaign, eventually surrendering in Greensboro, North
Carolina on May 1, 1865. Confederate Marine Corps detachments served aboard
ships of the Confederate Navy and also in small shore detachments. Marines
garrisoned Charleston, Mobile, Savannah, and Wilmington, and helped to defend
Fort Fisher, North Carolina against Federal forces in early 1865. Unfortunately,
few records of the Confederate Navy and Marine Corps survived the war. The
fragmentary records in this collection represent the majority of such materials
that still exist.
Summary:
The microfilm publication contains records
relating to persons serving in the Confederate Navy and Marine Corps. These
records are in three series, as follows: (1) compiled hospital and prison
records of naval and marine personnel, (2) reference cards and papers relating
to naval personnel, and (3) reference cards and papers relating to marine
personnel. The first series, arranged alphabetically by surname of sailor
or marine, consists of cards containing abstracts of entries relating to
the individual in original Union and Confederate hospital registers, prescription
books, and Union prison and parole rolls; and the originals of papers, primarily
from prison records, relating to the individual. The second and third series
consist of reference cards and the originals of any papers relating solely
to a particular sailor or marine, arranged alphabetically by surname. The
reference cards indicate the rank of the sailor or marine and contain references
to vessel papers, payrolls, muster rolls, and volumes in the War Department
Collection of Confederate Records.
S
982 Compiled service records of Confederate
soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Florida, 1861-1865
111 microfilm reels
Summary:
This microfilm publication contains the compiled
service records of Confederate soldiers belonging to units from the State
of Florida. The compiled service records consist of a jacket-envelope for
each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, the unit in which he served,
and often a statement concerning the origin or background of that unit. The
jacket-envelope typically contains (1) card abstracts of entries relating
to the soldier as found in original muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls,
appointment books, hospital registers, Union prison registers and rolls,
parole rolls, and inspection reports; and (2) the originals of any papers
relating to the particular soldier. There are cross-reference cards and
jacket-envelopes for soldiers' names that appear in the records under more
than one spelling. An index to the compiled records can be found in Series
1504.
Also included in the series are the records
of the 15th Confederate Cavalry which is not indexed in the original publication. This
unit was organized directly by the Confederate Government. The records are
arranged alphabetically by name of soldier. (Rolls 28-32).
In addition, the publication contains documents
relating to soldiers form Florida selected from the "Unfiled and Unfileable" series
of the War Department Collection of Confederate Records. These papers are
also arranged alphabetically and are not indexed. (Rolls 119-120)
S
989 Compiled military service records of
General and Staff Officers from the State of Florida, 1861-1865
5 microfilm reels (16 mm)
Summary:
This microfilm publication contains the military
records of general and staff officers who served in the Confederacy from
the State of Florida. These records include correspondence, receipts, registers
of appointments, payroll records, etc.
S
1300 Letters sent by the Department of Florida
and successor commands, 1861-1869
2 microfilm reels (35 mm)
Summary:
This microfilm publication contains seven volumes
of letters sent by the Department of Florida and its successor commands from
April 1861 to January 1869. The letters and reports were dispatched by the
commanding officers and their adjutants from department and district headquarters.
Some overlapping of dates between volumes 6 and 7 exists. But there is no
duplication of letters. A few of the letters bear nonconsecutive identifying
numbers.
S
1301 Case files of applications from former
Confederates for presidential pardons: Amnesty papers, 1865-1867
1 microfilm reel (35 mm)
Summary:
This microfilm publication consists of applications
for pardon, submitted to President Andrew Johnson by former Confederates
from the State of Florida who were excluded from the provisions of his amnesty
proclamation of May 29, 1865. The majority of applications are unsworn statements
by petitioners, but there is a large number of statements sworn before a
magistrate. Included with each application is an oath of allegiance signed
by the petitioner and in many cases, recommendations from prominent citizens
for clemency or letters from relatives or friends containing pleas for compassion. The
individual files often contain considerable information on a pardon applicant's
background, his activities during the war years, and his attitude in defeat.
Filed at the end of the alphabetically arranged records are miscellaneous
files relating to the business of pardoning.
S
1313 Consolidated index to compiled service
records of Confederate soldiers, 1861-1865
535 microfilm reels (16 mm)
Summary:
This microfilm publication contains the "consolidated" or
master index of all the names of Confederate soldiers found in the records
used in compiling the service records for each soldier, regardless of whether
the service was with a unit furnished by a particular State, with a unit
raised directly by the Confederate Government such as the 1st Confederate
Infantry or the 1st Regiment of Engineer Troops, or as a staff officer. Each
card gives the name of the soldier, his rank, the unit in which he served,
and often a statement concerning the origin or background of that unit. There
are cross-reference cards for soldiers' names that appeared in the records
under more than one spelling.
S
1504 Index to compiled service records of
Confederate soldiers who served in organizations from the State of Florida,
1861-1865
9 microfilm reels (16 mm)
Summary:
This microfilm publication contains the alphabetical
card index to the compiled service records of Confederate soldiers belonging
to units from the State of Florida. The index contains most of the names
of Florida soldiers to which references were found in the records used in
compiling the service records. The cards give the name of the soldier, his
rank, the unit in which he served, and often a statement concerning the origin
or background of that unit. There are cross-reference cards for soldiers'
names that appeared in the records under more than one spelling.
S
1563 Compiled service records of Confederate
general and staff officers, and non-regimental enlisted men, 1861-1865
275 microfilm reels (16 mm)
Summary:
This series contains the microfilm publication
of the compiled service records of Confederate officers and enlisted men
who did not belong to any particular regiment, separate company or comparable
unit, or special corps. This class of military personnel included general
officers; officers and enlisted men of the so-called staff departments; members
of army corps, division, and brigade staffs; and various appointees with
special status such as aides-decamp, military judges, chaplains, agents and
drillmasters.
The so-called staff departments were those
of the Adjutant and Inspector General, the Quartermaster General, the Commissary
General, the Medical Department, and the Ordnance Department. The index for
series 1563 is in series 1313, "The Consolidated Index to Compiled Service
Records of Confederate Soldiers."
S
1567 Confederate States Army casualties
lists and narrative reports, 1861-1865
7 microfilm reels (35 mm)
Summary:
This microfilm publication reproduces part
of the unbound lists and narrative reports of casualties submitted by the
Confederate States Army to the Confederate War Department during the Civil
War. The records are generally nominal lists of casualties that were not
published in the Official Records as a matter of policy, statistical lists
from which abstracts were compiled and published, and narrative reports that
were not published for such reasons as the relative unimportance of the reporting
unit. The lists and reports reproduced in this publication contain some errors. For
example, the spelling of the name of an individual on a list or report does
not always agree with the spelling on muster rolls and payrolls. This kind
of error may have occurred when lists were prepared without access to the
rolls or other reliable headquarters personnel records.
S
1845 Register of Confederate soldiers, sailors,
and citizens who died in federal prisons and military hospitals in the north,
1861-1865
1 microfilm reel
Summary:
This microfilm publication reproduces a 665-page
register compiled in 1912 in the Office of the Commissioner for Marking the
Graves of Confederate Dead which is now a part of the National Archives,
Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92. The
register provides the names of individuals, their rank, company, regiment,
date of death, number and location of grave, and the prison camp or other
location where they died.
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