Battle of Saint John's Bluff

Battle of Saint John's Bluff Began: October 1, 1862 Ended: October 3, 1862 Location: Duval County, Florida Theater: Lower Seaboard Theater Campaign: Expedition to St. John’ s Bluff Outcome: Union victory Combatants 2 infantry regiments 1 artillery battery 1st Massachusetts Cavalry (detachment) Battery garrison Commanders John M. Brannan Brigadier General, USA Charles F. Hopkins Lieutenant Colonel, CSA Strength 1,573 Casualties Unknown Unknown

Brig. Gen. John Finegan established a battery on St. John’ s Bluff near Jacksonville to stop the movement of Federal ships up the St. Johns River. Brig. Gen. John M. Brannan embarked with about 1,500 infantry aboard the transports Boston, Ben DeFord, Cosmopolitan, and Neptune at Hilton Head, South Carolina, on September 30. The flotilla arrived at the mouth of the St. John’ s River on October 1, where Cdr. Charles Steedman’ s gunboats — Paul Jones, Cimarron, Uncas, Patroon, Hale, and Water Witch — joined them. By midday, the gunboats approached the bluff, while Brannan began landing troops at Mayport Mills. Another infantry force landed at Mount Pleasant Creek, about five miles in the rear of the Confederate battery, and began marching overland on the 2nd. Outmaneuvered, Lt. Col. Charles F. Hopkins abandoned the position after dark. When the gunboats approached the bluff the next day, its guns were silent. (NPS summary)