2nd Florida Infantry Regiment

Confederate Regiments & Batteries * Florida Regiments

1861
May Company A of the 2nd Florida Infantry Regiment mustered into Confederate Service under Captain Edward A. Perry and sent to Virginia ahead of other companies
July Remaining eleven companies completed organization at Jacksonville, Florida under Colonel George T. Ward, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel St. George Rogers and Major Lewis G. Pyles.
1862
April The regiment was on duty in Virginia with 530 effectives
May 5
Battle of Williamsburg

Colonel Ward was killed and Lieutenants C. Seton Fleming and Joseph M. Tolbert were wounded.
May 10-11 In the spring reorganization of the regiment Colonel Edward A. Perry was elected colonel, Major Pyles was elected lieutenant colonel and Captain George W. Call of Company K was elected major. First Lieutenant William Duncan Ballantine was elected captain.
May 31
Battle of Seven Pines

Major Call, Captains Charles F. Flagg and R. G. Jerkins, and Lieutenants A. C. Butler, Thomas A. Perry, Henry J. Pooser and David S. Reynolds were killed.

Lieutenant Colonel Pyles, Captains W. D. Ballantine, William E. McCaslin, Walter R. Moore, and M. J. C. Musgrove and Lieutenants Thomas M. Brown, A. M. Carlisle, David L. Dunham, J. R. Kimbrew, John B. O’Neal, John Parker, George E. Pooser, A. J. Stewart, J. J. Thompson, Harrison Tillinghast, Lew Williams and Clayborne L. Wright were wounded.

Captain Walter R. Moore of Company C was promoted to major.
June 27 and

June 30
Battles of Gaines’ Mill and Frasier’s Farm

Lieutenant J. H. Sikes and 23 enlisted men were killed, Colonel Perry, Captains Walter R. Moore and George W. Parkhill, and Lieutenants David L. Dunham, Richard C. Parkhill, Harrison Pratt, Ben F. Watts and 114 enlisted men were wounded
August Colonel Perry was promoted to Brigadier General but would be on wounded furlough until 1863. Lieutenant Colonel Lewis G. Pyles was promoted to colonel.
September Transferred with Pryor’s Brigade to Anderson’s Division of Longstreet’s Command.
September 17
Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam)

Assigned to Pryor’s Brigade of Anderson’s Division. Captain William D. Ballantine was in command as senior officer present until he was wounded. Lieutenant Henry Geiger took command until he was captured.  The regiment lost 49 casualties in the campaign, including Captain Harrison Tillinghast and Lieutenant J. C. Hamilton, who were killed.
November Assigned with Perry’s Brigade to Anderson’s Division of Longstreet’s First Corps
December 13
Battle of Fredericksburg

The regiment was commanded by Colonel Lewis G. Pyles.
1863
May 1-4
Battle of Chancellorsville

The regiment lost 3 men killed and 29 wounded. Captain W. H. H Rogers was killed, and Major Walter R. Moore and Captain C. Seton Fleming were wounded. Lieutenants William F. Lee, James W. Brett, Spier Allison, and Amos Whitehead were wounded and disabled.
June Assigned to Perry’s Florida Brigade of Anderson’s Division in the newly created Third Corps.
June 27
Gaines Farm

Lieutenants E.C. Humphrey and Thomas M. Brown killed
July
Battle of Gettysburg

The 2nd Florida Infantry Regiment brought 242 men to the field. It was commanded by Major Walter R. Moore until he was wounded, then by Captains William Ballantine and Alexander Mosely and Adjutant Raymond Reid. It took part in Longstreet’s assault of July 2 and supported Pickett’s Charge of July 3.

The regiment lost Captains Elliott L. Hampton, R. G. Jerkins and William E. McCaslin, Lieutenants George E. Pooser, H. F. Riley and P. Shealy, and 17 enlisted men killed.

Major Walter R. Moore, Captains William Ballantine, Julian Betton, James H. Johnson, Alexander Mosely, John Day Perkins and Patrick P. L. Todd, Lieutenants William A. Ball, David L. Dunham, Jesse Dupree, John W. Hall, Joseph M. Tolbert and William B. Watson and 73 enlisted men were wounded, and 11 men were missing.

Of the wounded officers, Major Moore, Captains Ballantine, Johnson, Mosely and Perkins and Lieutenants Ball, Dunham and Watson were captured. Watson died in captivity on February 23, 1864 at Johnson’s Island.

From the monument to Perry’s brigade at Gettysburg:

July 2. Formed line in forenoon in the eastern border of these woods. Advanced at 6 P. M. and assisted in forcing the Union line on the Emmitsburg Road and by rapid pursuit compelled the temporary abandonment of several guns. At the foot of the slope met fresh Union forces and the line on its right retiring it also fell back. The color bearer of the 8th Florida fell and its flag was lost.

July 3. Ordered to join Wilcox’s Brigade on its left and conform to its movements. Supported artillery until Longstreet’s column started and then advanced in aid of his assault. But dense smoke hiding his oblique course the Brigade moved directly forward. In the gap caused thereby a strong force struck its left flank capturing about half of the 2nd Florida and its colors.

July 4. In line here and at dark began the march to Hagerstown.

Present 700 Killed 33 Wounded 217 Missing 205 Total 455
August
Culpeper

Lieutenants L.T. Landrum and Henry De Loach were killed
September
Orange Court House

Patrick P. L. Todd was killed
November 7
Battle of Rappahannock Station

Lieutenant L. Maynard Perry was wounded and disabled
1864
January 5 7 Lieutenant Henry Geiger was elected captain
May 5 – 7
Battle of the Wilderness
May 8 – 21
Battle of Spotsylvania

2nd Lieutenant D. F. Bradley was killed
May 31 – June 12
Second Battle of Cold Harbor

Captain C. Seton Fleming was killed
July 12 Walter R. Moore was promoted to colonel and Major Ballantine to lieutenant colonel although still in Federal prison.
August Assigned to Finnegan’s Brigade of Mahone’s Division of the Third Corps.
October 11 Colonel Moore was exchanged and returned to the regiment
1865
April 9
Appomattox Court House

The 2nd Florida Infantry Regiment surrendered 7 officers and 59 men.

The colors surrendered there were returned to the State of Florida and are now in the possession of the Museum of Florida History . An earlier set of colors that were retired from service and sent to the Governor in 1865 are also in the museum’s collection.