Battle of Natural Bridge
Natural Bridge, St. Marks River, near Tallahassee, Florida, USA
What happened
Union troops under John Newton, including U.S. Colored Troops, fought Confederates under Samuel Jones and William Miller. Union troops tried to cross the St. Marks River at the Natural Bridge. Confederate soldiers and local volunteers held positions near the bridge. After three failed charges, the Union troops withdrew to their ships.
Why it matters
The defense helped Tallahassee remain the only Confederate state capital east of the Mississippi River that the Union never captured.
What came next
The site became the Natural Bridge Battlefield Historic State Park, where a ceremony and reenactment are held every March.
Did you know?
Florida State University's Army ROTC is one of only four in the country to carry a battle streamer for Civil War actions.
Timeline
- 6 Mar 1865Battle of Natural Bridge.
- 2023The American Battlefield Trust has preserved 110 acres of the battlefield.
- Every MarchA ceremony and reenactment are held at the site.