Florida's Civil War: Terrible Sacrifices

by Tracy J. Revels

Though far from the major theaters of battle, Floridians experienced every facet of the Civil War. While most Florida soldiers fought for the Confederacy, many Floridians, including former slaves, enlisted with the Union. Families were divided and partisanship tore communities apart. Some Floridians produced salt, beef, and supplies for the Confederacy; others profited during Union occupations. The one notable battle fought in Florida, the Battle of Olustee, was disproportionately bloody.

Genres: American Civil War, History, Civil War

197 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2016

Reviews

[Joe Spoto · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a 4th generation Floridian, I enjoyed reading this non-fiction book about the impact of the civil war on the people living in Florida at the time. Some of it does deal with military actions and skirmishes but that is not the main topic of the book. It is well researched and written.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent portrayal of how the citizenry of Florida fared during the Civil War. We heard Tracy Revels speak at the January 2019 History Presentation at Florida Southern College.

[Jimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty interesting overview of Florida's role in the Civil War; unfortunately, at times it seemed too brief. There is only a single map for the entire map, a reproduction of a 1859 map at the beginning of the book. The state sent a brigade to each of the main Confederate armies, Northern Virginia and Tennessee, but the history of each brigade was covered in only four pages total. There is only sporadic mention of other military units; the author mentions the formation of a Union 2nd Florida Cavalry but there is no mention of any Union 1st Florida Cavalry. Also, military actions tended to be discussed while covering other topics (such as Florida's saltworks), rather than in chronological order.