The Civil War Comes to Marianna

September 27, 1864 — Union and Confederate forces fight in the Florida Panhandle.

By Wm. E. McMullen II

On September 27, 1864, Union troops under Brigadier General Alexander Asboth reached Marianna after a mounted raid across Northwest Florida.

Waiting for them was a hastily assembled Confederate defense including local militia, older men, boys and available soldiers. The resulting Battle of Marianna was brief, violent and intensely local.

A Raid Across West Florida

The National Park Service records Asboth's expedition from Barrancas to Marianna as running from September 18 through October 4, with the Marianna action on September 27. Marianna held Confederate supplies and served as a recruiting center.

The “Cradle and Grave” Defenders

Florida Memory describes a local “Cradle and Grave Company” composed of boys under sixteen and men over fifty. The improvised force faced experienced Union troops operating through the Panhandle.

Fighting in Town

The engagement moved into Marianna and became fierce at close range. Florida Memory records Confederate losses of 10 killed and more than 50 captured, while Union losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. Asboth was seriously wounded in the face.

Black Soldiers Were Part of the Campaign

Black Union troops were also part of the force that attacked Marianna. Their participation places the battle within the larger transformation of the Civil War as African American men served in the United States Army against the Confederacy and slavery.

Florida's War

Marianna reminds us that Florida's Civil War was not limited to Olustee. Raids, coastal operations, cavalry actions and smaller engagements reached communities across the state. Here, streets and buildings became part of the battlefield.

Sources for Additional Reading

• National Park Service — Florida Civil War battles
• Florida Memory — Guide to Civil War Records
• Florida Memory — Marianna battle monument, RC13160