section or the other of the Battery was constantly on picket duty, now at Fort Johnson, now at Freer's cross roads, now at Artillery cross roads, and again in the vicinity of Dill's bluff. The threatening attitude assumed by the enemy kept the Confederate forces on James island in a state of constant anxiety and vigilance. The labors were arduous, and the duties ceaseless, but the Battery responded promptly and cheerfully to every obligation devolved upon it. During this year the Chatham Artillery, in obedience to a general order, was reduced from a six to a four gun battery. This change in the constitution of Confederate batteries, it is believed, was chiefly induced by the deterioration of the rail road transportation of the country. Unable to procure from abroad new and powerful engines, and without the ability to manufacture suitable locomotives at home, and those in general use having lost much of their original power from long wear and tear, it often occurred that with a single locomotive the rail road companies found themselves incapable of transporting in one train with sufficient facility, a six gun battery, with its men, animals, limbers and caissons, forge and ammunition, battery and forage wagons. It was further suggested that a four gun battery was a more convenient organization, and that it constituted a sufficient command for a captain. Whatever may have been the real reasons for this reduction, they were never announced; and the philosophy of the order remains to this day-to many at least unascertained.

From the 17th of October, 1863, when the Chatham Artillery exchanged its twelve-pounder howitzer section for a section of twelve-pounder Napoleon guns, it remained a four gun twelve-pounder Napoleon battery to the end of the war.

On the fourth of November President Davis visited and inspected the defenses, and reviewed the Confederate forces on James island. On that occasion to the Chatham Artillery was assigned the honor of firing the salute of thirteen guns.

CHAPTER VII.

Services rendered by the Battery in the Florida Campaign. The Battle of Ocean Pond, or Olustee Station.

On the night of the 8th of February, 1864, the Battery was ordered to march from its camp on James island to the depot of the Charleston and Savannah rail road, and there take the cars for Savannah. The depot was reached at daylight on the morning of the 9th, and the Battery left for Savannah at ten o'clock, A. M., reaching that city by twelve o'clock, P. M. The next day the company marched to its old encampment at White bluff, where it remained until the morning of the 12th, when it moved to the depot of the Atlantic and Gulf rail road and took the cars the same day for Valdosta, en route for Florida. Arriving at Valdosta at four o'clock, A. M., on the 13th, the Battery proceeded immediately to Madison, Florida, which point was reached on the morning of the 14th. The same evening it was transported by rail to Lake City, where it arrived at three o'clock, A. M., on the morning of the 15th.

At this time the Federal cavalry were advancing towards Gainesville, and it was feared that they would continue northward and destroy the Columbia bridge across the Suwannee river, and perhaps burn Lake City. The Chatham Artillery, with the 6th Georgia Regiment, was ordered to a point some twelve miles. south of Lake City where a strong line of pickets had been established, and preparations made to resist the anticipated advance of the Federal cavalry. There

the Battery remained until the 17th, when it was ordered back to Lake City, and directed to proceed at once to Olustee station, where it arrived at daylight on Thursday morning the 18th of February. Upon reporting for orders to Brig. Gen. Finegan commanding, the Battery was directed to report to Brig. Gen. Colquitt, by whom it was assigned to duty with his brigade. The company bivouacked about half a mile east of the station, immediately in rear of a temporary line of fortifications, all of the pieces being placed in position along the line.

It will be remembered that the Federal expedition under the command of Brig. Gen. Seymour, consisting of twenty steamers of various classes, and eight schooners, left Hilton Head on the morning of the 6th of February, 1864, and arrived without accident at the bar off the mouth of the St. John's river between eight and ten o'clock, A. M., on the 7th. During the afternoon of the same day a landing was effected, and the village of Jacksonville occupied by the United States forces without opposition.

The avowed objects of this expedition were fourfold. 1. To procure an outlet for cotton, lumber, etc., etc. 2. To cut off one of the principal sources of supplies of the commissary department of the Confederacy.

3. To obtain recruits for colored regiments; and, 4. To inaugurate measures for the speedy restoration of the state of Florida to her allegiance to the United States.

To oppose this formidable demonstration there was, at the time, within the limits of the state of Florida. but a handful of Confederate troops, consisting chiefly of a few poorly equipped light batteries, a regiment and a battalion of cavalry, and a battalion or two of infantry, and these posted at various detached points.

Rapid concentration was absolutely necessary. Brig. Gen. Colquitt's brigade and the Chatham Artillery from James island, and such troops as could be spared from the military district of Georgia, were ordered by Gen. Beauregard commanding the department, to repair with all possible dispatch to Lake City. By the 18th there was a concentration at Olustee of perhaps forty-six hundred Confederate troops of all arms of the service. The position selected to resist the advance of the enemy was the most judicious afforded for miles along the route chosen by the Federals for the invasion of Florida. Looking in the direction of Jacksonville, on the left was Ocean pond, five miles wide, stretching away for several miles through the low-lying pine-barren, and affording a protection on the left flank of the Confederate position which could only be turned by a detour of perhaps seven or eight miles. On the right lay a swamp which, if not impracticable, would have offered many difficulties in its passage. The only direct approach was by means of the rail road and the wagon road, crossing very near and parallel with each other, along causeways between Ocean pond on the one hand and the swamp on the other. Between the rail road depot and this crossing, and so near as thoroughly to command the latter, field works had been hastily constructed by the Confederates, behind which it was resolved vigorously to dispute the advance of the enemy. Such, in short, was the position selected for the anticipated battle. Both beyond and in rear of this locality, an extended, monotonous, dreary pinebarren stretched in every direction, interrupted here and there by occasional ponds and small water courses, but in no place affording marked physical advantages for impeding the progress of the Federals.