In the 1880s, Francis Fleming recalled some time spent in St. Augustine in the summer of 1861 as a member of "Starke's Company." This company was mustered into Confederate service as Company H, 2nd Florida Infantry (the "St. Augustine Rifles"). His brother, Lieutenant Charles Seton Fleming, was one of the company's officers and led the 2nd Florida into the aftermath of Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg.

St. Augustine modern skyline from Fort Marion (Jim Studnicki)

"The company was quartered in the barracks, and at once put under rigid military discipline; exercised in the drill three times a day, and guard duty strictly performed. It was at this time that the military training of Lieutenant Fleming was brought into requisition; and it was principally owing to his efforts, though ably seconded by the other officers, that when the company some six weeks later, met the nine others to organize the Second Florida Regiment, it was acorded the just praise of being the best drilled company of the regiment; though it had a worthy rival in the "St. Johns Greys," organized at Jacksonville, and commanded by Captain J. J. Daniel, a company admirably drilled, and under excellent discipline.

      The writer cannot pass this period without a grateful tribute to the ladies of St. Augustine. They were untiring in their offices of kindness; and with their own fair hands made up a complete uniform for the company, of the hunting-shirt pattern, the material of which was provided by the generous bounty of Captain Starke.

      This service in St. Augustine, in which the indulgence of an evening entertainment, or a moonlight promenade on the sea-wall (and not always with one's file leader as a companion) was not an unfrequent recreation after the less delightful occupation of the day, was indeed the poetry of war; and the only wounds received by the company were from the arrows of Cupid, who at that time was the successful of the rival Mars, in the homage received from officers as well as men. A glimpse of those happy days, seen through the vista of pleasant reminiscences, served afterward to lighten many a wearisome march over the hills and vales of Virginia.

But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed;
Or, like the snow-falls in the river,
A moment white -- then melts forever.'

St. Augustine City Gates -- wartime (Library of Congress)

And so, too, this bright episode was soon brought to a termination, by the reception of orders, about the 1st of July, to repair to Jacksonville, the place of rendezvous for the organization of the Second Florida Regiment.

      These orders, which were to take Lieutenant Fleming with his command to the fields of strife, was received by him with grateful welcome, which with but few exceptions, was shared by the whole company.    

St. Augustine City Gates -- modern (Jim Studnicki)

The day of parting, though, was a sad one. A number of the company were residents of St. Augustine. Parents took leave of sons, sisters of brothers, and fair ones of their lovers, with a reasonable prospect of never meeting again. And, indeed, in many cases, it was a parting forever. All, too, felt the sentiment of gratitude welling up in their hearts as they said "good-by" to their kind benefactresses, and tears flowed from eyes unaccustomed to weeping.

      Lieutenant Fleming, who commanded the company on this occasion (the Captain having gone to the St. Johns River on business), drew them up in front of the plaza, and in a few well-timed and eloquent words, thanked the ladies for kindnesses bestowed upon the command, and pledged their fidelity in defense of their country's liberties.

      Starke's company was escorted on its march out of town by the "Blues," an infantry company under Captain John L. Phillips, and the "Marion Artillery," under Captain Charles F. Hopkins; and quantities of flowers were showered pon the command as they filed through the streets.

      The final parting over, at the St. Sebastian bridge, the company took up its march for Picolata. Scarcely a word was spoken for some time, when a member of the company, an honest backwoodsman, remarked to the author: 'This is like the breaking up of Christmas.' The simile was a happy conceit, and forcibly expressed the feelings of all."

Confederate Monument, northeast view, St. Augustine, FL (Jim Studnicki)1891 view of Confederate Monument, St. Augustine, FL (Florida State Archives)

Other independent militia units such as William Baya's company also hailed from the St. Augustine area. In the spring of 1862, Baya's command was consolidated with other Florida troops and became Company D, 8th Florida Infantry. Baya fought with distinction at Fredericksburg and eventually earned the rank of Lt. Colonel. He led the 8th Florida Infantry at Gettysburg, which by that time was so decimated as to be able to field less than 200 men and officers. Baya's father Joseph served alongside his son as a private throughout the War, was captured at Gettysburg and spent almost two years at a Federal prison.

Indeed, many of St. Augustine's sons never returned from the battles in the Army of Northern Virginia. In 1872, the Ladies Memorial Association of St. Augustine (which no doubt included many of the women mentioned in Fleming's above narrative) errected a monument to the town's Confederate soldiers. It stands in the plaza on King Street and it contains the names of St. Augustine's war dead, including Raymond Jenckes Reid, Adjutant of the 2nd Florida Infantry, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Wilderness, VA. It also has an adaptation of General "Stonewall" Jackson's last words.

Fort Marion, St Augustine, FL -- wartime (Library of Congress)

The most awesome and physically imposing of St. Augustine's historical treasures is the massive Castillo de San Macros. Known as Fort Marion and occupied by the Federals during most of the Civil War, this European stone fortress was built in the late 1600s by the Spanish. It has never been taken by force.

The fort is made of coquina, a sedimentary rock made of pressed shells locally available in large quantities. Coquina proved highly resistant to early cannon fire (it tended to absorb incoming rounds rather than breaking or splitting from the impact) and, until the advent of modern rifled artillery, the fort was virtually impervious to attack.

Fort Marion, St. Augustine, FL -- modern (Jim Studnicki)

A lone custodian peacefully surrendered the fort to the Confederates on January 7, 1861, three days before Florida actually seceded from the Union. Most of the fort's cannon were shipped north to other theaters of the War.

After the destruction of Fort Sumter, it became obvious that no brick or stone fortifications could endure such a concentration of fire from an unopposed enemy. On March 10, 1862, realizing that Federal capture of the town was inevitable, the garrison of two Confederate companies evacuated the town. The next day, Federals from the U.S.S. Wabash negotiated the surrender of St. Augustine. Fort Marion was taken without being fired upon. The Federals proceeds to strengthen the fort by mounting massive artillery pieces in and around the compound.

Another great site to visit is the Museum of Weapons and Early American History on King Street. Hosting an impressive display of Civil War artifacts, this private museum is also home to a rather interesting artifact -- a flag which was supposedly carried by the 8th Florida Infantry at the Battle of Fredericksburg.

State Flag supposedly carried by the 8th Florida Infantry (Jim Studnicki)

Here are the facts:

• The 8th Florida Infantry was in fact heavily engaged at Fredericksburg. Detatched to Mississippian William Barksdale's Brigade, the 8th played a crirtical role in delaying the Federal passage of the Rappahannock River while Lee's main force concentrated on the heights outside of the town. As the senior officer present for duty, Captain David Lang led the regiment and was severely wounded when an artilley shell caused a piece of masonry to strike his head.
• There is no known account, either Confederate or Federal, of a flag either being lost by or captured from the 8th Florida Infantry at the Battle of Fredericksburg.
• The flag is made of silk which was originally white and has faded to a creme color with age. It features the modern Florida State Flag pattern with a beautiful multicolor State Seal in the center.
• The Great Seal of the State of the Florida, in use during the Civil War, can be seen on the History page.
Detail of State Flag supposedly carried by the 8th Florida Infantry (Jim Studnicki) The Florida Legislature passed and sent to Governor Harrison Reed a Joint Resolution on August 6, 1868 specifying "That a Seal of the size of the American silver dollar, having in the center thereof a view of the sun's rays over a high land in the distance, a cocoa tree, a steamboat on water, and an Indian female scattering flowers in the foreground, encircled by the words, 'Great Seal of the State of Florida: In God We Trust', be and the same is hereby adopted as the Great Seal of the State of Florida."
• The official specifications for the modern Florida State Flag can be found in Chapter 15.012 of the Florida Statutes. "The State Flag shall conform with standard commercial sizes and be of the following portions and descriptions: The seal of the state, in diameter one-half the hoist, shall occupy the center of a white ground. Red bars, in width one-fifth the hoist, shall extend from each corner towards the center, to the outer rim of the seal." (This information courtesy of the State of Florida's Division of Historical Resources.) The flag on display at the Museum of Weapons, with the exception of the proportions, is identical to these official specifications.
• During his term as Governor of Florida, 1889-1893, Francis P. Fleming (author of the above narrative) proposed that modifications to the existing State Flag be made. At that time, the State Flag simply consisted of a white field with the State Seal in the center. Noting that it looked too much like a surrender flag when hanging on the pole, Fleming proposed the addition of the red bars -- an obvious reference to the St. Andrew's Cross device integral to the Confederate "battle flag."

Given the above information, it is highly unlikely that this flag even existed during the Civil War. It may have been used at a UCV meeting or some other postwar event. Or, as Confederate Flag historian Greg Biggs points out, its museum tag may have been switched with another flag. This scenario brings up an interesting point -- what happened to the other flag?

For more information on this well-preserved town and its role during the War, get a copy of Civil War Times in St. Augustine, edited by Jacqueline K. Fretwell.