130-529: John William Pearson (January 19, 1808 – September 30, 1864) was an American businessman and a Confederate Captain during the American Civil War . Pearson was a successful businessman who established a popular health resort in Orange Springs near Ocala as well as a hotel, grist mill and a machine shop. Orange Springs was a popular destination for tourism in northern Marion County until
260-464: A ferry across the river. He bought a 1,200-acre (4.9 km ) tract in 1826 and another of equal size the next year. The ferry landing and related site became a distribution point. A New York company shipped goods from here to supply immigrants at the Grant of Arredondo, which lay to the west. The arrival of land-hungry European-American settlers created confrontations with the resident Seminole. When
390-459: A garrison , supply depot and hospital. By 1842 most of the Seminole had moved to Indian Territory, and Fort Shannon was abandoned by the army in 1843. Settlers made use of the military piers and buildings, including eight blockhouses, to develop the town. By 1847, it was growing rapidly. In 1849, Putnam County was created, with Pilatka the county seat. With the help of Judge Isaac H. Bronson, it
520-412: A legislative body called a commission. Palatka's commission is composed of five elected commissioners, one being the mayor/commissioner. The mayor and commissioners serve four year terms. The offices are non-partisan; no candidate is allowed to declare a party affiliation. The role of the commission is to set policy, pass ordinances and resolutions, adopt regulations, and appoint city officials, including
650-732: A Union gunboat called the Pursuit appeared in Tampa Bay. It was an opportunity for Captain Pearson to have his revenge from the attack by Captain Drake and an incident involving a Union ramming of a blockade runner. Captain Pearson devised a plan to disguise his men as blacks and paddle out to the Federal gunboat as fugitive slaves. The captain of the Pursuit believed they were fugitive slaves and ordered his men to rescue them at Gadsden Point. When
780-492: A civil war was inevitable. Pearson was a supporter of Southern rights and believed in protecting those rights. He visited Charleston, South Carolina where he became emotionally stirred by the Southern "fire-eaters." It was here that he purchased 125 smoothbore muskets , and 100 colt revolvers. He returned to Florida and asked Governor Madison S. Perry for permission to start a militia under his command. At Camp McCarthy on
910-628: A farmer and was then under the care of William and his mother Ailsey. Pearson was drawn to Florida because of the Seminole Wars in 1835. He was a volunteer of Hindley's Company in the Second Seminole War . After the war Pearson settled down in Marion County and married Sarah Martha Pearce on October 5, 1842. In Marion County he became business partners with David Levy Yulee . Pearson and Yulee jointly bought property at
1040-609: A higher rate than poor men because they had more to lose. Slavery helped provide them with wealth and power, and they felt that the Civil War would destroy everything that they had if they lost because they saw slavery as the foundation of their wealth, which was under threat and caused them to fight hard. At many points during the war, and especially near the end, the Confederate armies were very poorly fed. At home their families were in worsening condition and faced starvation and
1170-456: A household in the city was $ 18,129, and the median income for a family was $ 26,076. Males had a median income of $ 27,716 versus $ 19,187 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 11,351. About 27.9% of families and 33.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 41.0% of those under age 18 and 19.6% of those age 65 or over. The composition of the Palatka area economy
1300-547: A lower grade officer. Barring the same type of circumstances that might leave a lower grade officer in temporary command, divisions were commanded by major generals and corps were commanded by lieutenant generals. A few corps commanders were never confirmed as lieutenant generals and exercised corps command for varying periods as major generals. Armies of more than one corps were commanded by (full) generals. There were four grades of general officer ( general , lieutenant general , major general , and brigadier general ), but all wore
1430-452: A major employer. At its peak, it was the second-largest cypress mill in the world. It closed in 1944, as the timber industry moved out of the area. The Great Freeze of 1894 and 1895 destroyed Palatka's citrus groves for five years. Formerly they had been both a tourist attraction and important sector of the economy. The ill-fated Cross Florida Barge Canal was once intended to pass the city. Today, tourism remains important. The total area
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#17327754644621560-583: A month later in May 1865. By the time Abraham Lincoln took office as President of the United States on March 4, 1861, the seven seceding slave states had formed the Confederate States . They seized federal property, including nearly all U.S. Army forts, within their borders. Lincoln was determined to hold the forts remaining under U.S. control when he took office, especially Fort Sumter in
1690-514: A process of ethnogenesis , they joined with other Native Americans and the Seminole tribe emerged. They called the location Pilo-taikita , meaning "crossing over" or "cows' crossing". Here the St. Johns River narrows and begins a shallower, winding course upstream to Lake George and Lake Monroe . In 1767, Denys Rolle (1725–1797), an English gentleman and philanthropist, established Rollestown on
1820-493: A soldier, and his rejection of a Southern identity as a professional author. Because of the destruction of any central repository of records in the capital at Richmond in 1865 and the comparatively poor record-keeping of the time, there can be no definitive number that represents the strength of the Confederate States Army. Estimates range from 500,000 to 2,000,000 soldiers who were involved at any time during
1950-413: A springs called Orange Springs in 1848. Yulee may have considered establishing a railroad through Orange Springs but the coming of a civil war halted this idea causing him to sell out to Pearson. Orange Springs was then built up as a health resort by Pearson. By the 1850s he became a successful businessman owning an inn, gristmill, saw-mill, furniture shop, and a machine shop. By 1860 it was apparent that
2080-589: A squad or platoon, the smallest infantry maneuver unit in the Army was a company of 100 soldiers. Ten companies were organized into an infantry regiment, which theoretically had 1,000 men. In reality, as disease, desertions and casualties took their toll, and the common practice of sending replacements to form new regiments took hold, most regiments were greatly reduced in strength. By the mid-war, most regiments averaged 300–400 men, with Confederate units slightly smaller on average than their U.S. counterparts. For example, at
2210-532: A subtropical climate, however, most left. Next Rolle purchased enslaved Africans taken captive in West Africa. He used them as workers to tend livestock, such as chickens, hogs, goats and sheep, or cultivate and process cotton, indigo, citrus and turpentine for export to Europe. He built a mansion and laid out a village, but trouble beleaguered his "ideal society". In 1770, a disgruntled overseer sold more than 1,000 of his employer's cattle and disappeared with
2340-579: Is 7.5 square miles (19 km ). The city is located in the southern portion of the Lower St. Johns River basin. Palatka has a humid subtropical climate , Köppen climate classification Cfa. The area's warm and humid climate is caused primarily by its proximity to the Gulf Stream , which flows off the east coast of Florida. There are two major seasons which characterize the area. One is hot and rainy, lasting from June until late September. The other
2470-655: Is a city in and the county seat of Putnam County , Florida , United States. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area , which is home to 72,893 residents. The Palatka micropolitan area is included in the Jacksonville—Kingsland–Palatka, FL-GA Combined Statistical Area . The city is the location of the St. Johns River State College , St. Johns River Water Management District Headquarters, and Ravine Gardens State Park . Local festivals include
2600-425: Is a ready explanation for this apparent paradox. Emancipation was a salient issue for Union soldiers because it was controversial. Slavery was less salient for most Confederate soldiers because it was not controversial. They took slavery for granted as one of the Southern 'rights' and institutions for which they fought, and did not feel compelled to discuss it. Continuing, retired Professor McPherson also stated that of
2730-580: Is another large manufacturing company operating in Palatka. Their facility is located in Barge Port on the St. Johns River. The Eau Claire, Wisconsin -based bridge builder utilizes the river for the transportation of its finished products. PDM Bridge is notable for the fabrication of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge structure. The Palatka area was of early significance in accessing the interior of
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#17327754644622860-656: Is centrally located between large population centers in Jacksonville , a large educational institute in Gainesville , and tourist hubs in St. Augustine and Orlando . The bundled US 17, SR 20 and SR 100 cross the Memorial Bridge over the St. Johns River toward East Palatka. Bus transportation in the city is provided by Ride Solution . The agency is responsible for public transit throughout all of Putnam County, Florida. Established in 1986 as ARC Transit,
2990-470: Is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Though there are no discernible architectural styles in the outgrowth areas, a notable building technique has been used in the construction of the 23,000-square-foot (2,100 m ) Children's Reading Center Charter School. Five monolithic dome structures crown the facility and give it a distinct style. The following entries are listed on
3120-463: Is the dry season, October through May, which brings more moderate temperatures and less frequent rainfall. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 10,446 people, 4,419 households, and 2,088 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 10,558 people, 4,113 households, and 2,466 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2000, there are 10,033 people, 3,880 households, and 2,421 families residing in
3250-461: Is unreflective of Florida as a whole. Unlike many cities in the state, Palatka has a large manufacturing sector, employing 17.2% of the city's total civilian workforce. Comparatively, Florida's statistics indicate 5.9% of the state's entire workforce is employed by the manufacturing sector. Georgia Pacific is the single largest private employer in the city. The Koch -owned firm employs 1,470 people at its pulp, paper, and plywood operations. PDM Bridge
3380-576: The Army of Tennessee and various other units under General Joseph E. Johnston , surrendered to the U.S. on April 9, 1865 (officially April 12), and April 18, 1865 (officially April 26). Other Confederate forces further south and west surrendered between April 16, 1865, and June 28, 1865. By the end of the war, more than 100,000 Confederate soldiers had deserted , and some estimates put the number as high as one-third of all Confederate soldiers. The Confederacy's government effectively dissolved when it evacuated
3510-592: The Battle of Cold Harbor Captain Pearson was sent to the hospital due to either a wound or dysentery. Pearson recovered and returned to his company. Captain Pearson accompanied his regiment, now part of General William Mahone 's division, to the Weldon Railroad on August 21, 1864. It was here that Federal troops captured a vital supply line to the Deep South . General Mahone ordered an assault to repel
3640-800: The Civil War as well as one of the most successful businessmen in Florida. Pearson's Orange Springs resort was transferred to his wife Sarah upon his death in Augusta. After the Civil War Orange Springs faced difficulties in tourism. The Townsend brothers bought up the property belonging to John Pearson and his descendants and built a summer house today called the James W. Townsend House . Two of his descendants, daughters Eliza and Kate, graduated from Columbia Female College in 1865 just before
3770-832: The Confederate States of America victory at the Battle of Olustee Captain Pearson's company patrolled North Florida and settled in Orange Springs. On April 28, 1864, the ten companies of the Sixth Florida Battalion were reorganized into the Ninth Florida Infantry Regiment where Pearson commanded Company B. On May 18, 1864, the Ninth Florida Regiment under Pearson was ordered on a nine-day trip to Virginia where they joined General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Hanover Junction. Captain Pearson saw
3900-643: The Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach , Gainesville , and Jacksonville metropolitan statistical areas all had better performing unemployment statistics than Palatka in 2011, when the unemployment rate in the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area was 13.8%. Gainesville showed the most favorable conditions with an unemployment rate of 8.7%. Statistics for Palm Coast and Ocala both indicated unemployment rates higher than that of Palatka. Regionally,
4030-720: The Florida Azalea Festival and the Blue Crab Festival. The population was 10,446 at the 2020 census , down from 10,558 at the 2010 census. The area was once the domain of the Timucuan peoples, two tribes of which existed in the Palatka region under chiefs Saturiwa and Utina . They fished bass and mullet , or hunted deer , turkeys , bear and opossum . Others farmed beans , corn , melons , squash , and tobacco . However, infectious disease that came with European contact and war devastated
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4160-867: The Potomac River in his first invasion of the North in the Antietam campaign in Maryland in September 1862. The Confederate States Army did not have a formal overall military commander, or general in chief, until late in the war. The Confederate President, Jefferson Davis , himself a former U.S. Army officer and U.S. Secretary of War , served as commander-in-chief and provided the overall strategic direction for Confederate land and naval forces in both eastern and western theaters. The following men had varying degrees of control: The lack of centralized control
4290-558: The United States Army (established 1775 / 1789). It was to consist of a large provisional force to exist only in time of war and a small permanent regular army. The provisional, volunteer army was established by an act of the Provisional Confederate Congress passed on February 28, 1861, one week before the act which established the permanent regular army organization, passed on March 6. Although
4420-519: The city manager . While the mayor serves as a presiding officer of the commission, the city manager is the administrative head of the municipal government, and is responsible for the administration of all departments. The mayor is Robbi Correa. The main center for higher education in the city is St. Johns River State College . In 1958, the institute opened in Palatka to 191 students. The school serves Putnam, Clay, and St. Johns Counties and enrols approximately 10,000 students. The Palatka campus serves as
4550-556: The military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting against the United States forces to win the independence of the Southern states and uphold and expand the institution of slavery . On February 28, 1861, the Provisional Confederate Congress established a provisional volunteer army and gave control over military operations and authority for mustering state forces and volunteers to
4680-502: The "flimsy and abstract idea that a negro is equal to an Anglo American". One Louisianan artilleryman stated, "I never want to see the day when a negro is put on an equality with a white person. There is too many free niggers ... now to suit me, let alone having four millions." A North Carolinian soldier stated, "[A] white man is better than a nigger." Decades later in 1894 , Virginian and former famous Confederate cavalry leader, John S. Mosby (1833-1916), reflecting on his role in
4810-593: The 6 percent of Union Army soldiers who were drafted. According to the National Park Service, "Soldier demographics for the Confederate Army are not available due to incomplete and destroyed enlistment records." Their estimates of Confederate military personnel deaths are about 94,000 killed in battle, 164,000 deaths from disease, and between 25,976 deaths in Union prison camps. One estimate of
4940-563: The American Civil War's soldiers, noted Princeton University war historian and author James M. McPherson (born 1936), contrasts the views of Confederate soldiers regarding slavery with those of the colonial American revolutionaries of the earlier 18th century . He stated that while the American rebel colonists of the 1770s saw an incongruity between owning slaves on the one hand, and proclaiming to be fighting for liberty on
5070-594: The Confederacy passed the first conscription law in either Confederate or Union history, the Conscription Act, which made all able bodied white men between the ages of 18 and 35 liable for a three-year term of service in the Provisional Army. It also extended the terms of enlistment for all one-year soldiers to three years. Men employed in certain occupations considered to be most valuable for
5200-501: The Confederacy. General Joseph Finnegan ordered reinforcements from General P.G.T. Beauregard . General Alfred Colquitt and his Georgia Regulars arrived to repel the advancing Union Army at Ocean Pond initiating the Battle of Olustee . Captain Pearson's Oklawaha Rangers, now part of the Sixth Florida Battalion, was on the extreme right flank causing severe damage to the United States Colored Troops . After
5330-821: The Confederacy: Control and operation of the Confederate army were administered by the Confederate States War Department , which was established by the Confederate Provisional Congress in an act on February 21, 1861. The Confederate Congress gave control over military operations, and authority for mustering state forces and volunteers to the President of the Confederate States of America on February 28, 1861, and March 6, 1861. On March 8,
John William Pearson - Misplaced Pages Continue
5460-589: The Confederate Congress passed a law that authorized President Davis to issue proclamations to call up no more than 100,000 men. The C.S. War Department asked for 8,000 volunteers on March 9, 20,000 on April 8, and 49,000 on and after April 16. Davis proposed an army of 100,000 soldiers in his message to Congress on April 29. On August 8, 1861, the Confederacy called for 400,000 volunteers to serve for one or three years. Eight months later in April 1862,
5590-558: The Confederate sample. Indeed, while about one-third of all Confederate soldiers belonged to slaveholding families, slightly more than two-thirds of the sample whose slaveholding status is known did so. In some cases, Confederate men were motivated to join the army in response to the United States' actions regarding its opposition to slavery. After the U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862 - 1863 , some Confederate soldiers welcomed
5720-534: The Episcopalians, Methodists, and Lutherans. One result was wave after wave of religious revivals in the Army, religion playing a major part in the lives of Confederate soldiers. Some men with a weak religious affiliation became committed Christians, and saw their military service in terms of satisfying God's wishes. Religion strengthened the soldiers' loyalty to their comrades and the Confederacy. Military historian Samuel J. Watson argues that Christian faith
5850-856: The Federal forces met Pearson's disguised fugitive slaves they were met with a hail of bullets. Four Federals were wounded and they managed to escape back to the Pursuit. One week later on April 3, 1863, the Tahoma and Beauregard were sent to Tampa to bombard the town in response to the daring attack off Gadsden Point. After 18 months in Tampa , Captain Pearson's Oklawaha Rangers were ordered to Clay Landing on November 23, 1863. Five days later they were ordered to Camp Finegan until they were forced to evacuate February 8, 1864. Union General Truman Seymour had landed in nearby Jacksonville with intentions of moving inland to Tallahassee in hopes of cutting off Florida from
5980-559: The Federal troops. Captain Pearson became mortally wounded in the Battle for the Weldon Railroad west of Globe Tavern and was sent to the Brigade Hospital. He had been struck in the chest with bits of shrapnel while leading a charge across the cornfield. While in the hospital he drafted a letter of resignation dated August 24, 1864. His letter of resignation was accepted on September 2 and his commission resigned. He
6110-614: The National Register of Historic Places: Historically, up to sixteen hundred people were employed at the Wilson Cypress Company mills, and a space was needed to further the education of its young working men. Funds for the first Palatka Public Library were provided by James Ross Mellon, son of Judge Thomas Mellon of Pittsburgh, who regularly wintered in Florida. Founded in 1930, the Larimer Library
6240-581: The Ninth Florida Infantry Regiment across a cornfield at the Battle of Globe Tavern . He resigned his command as a result of his wounds and died in Augusta, Georgia while making his way home to Orange Springs, Florida . Pearson was born in Union County, South Carolina on January 19, 1808, to Thomas Green Pearson and Ailsey Garrett Pearson. By age 4 Pearson moved to Bedford County TN (now Moore County) with his grandfather. His grandfather William Pearson
6370-677: The Putnam County government has adopted policies focused on facilitating Ecotourism in the region. Nature trails are being expanded and kayaking waterways have been improved and mapped. Portions of the Florida Trail runs through the area and connect local hiking trails to other trail systems in parks throughout the region. Ocala National Forest is the second largest National Forest in the state. Other large parks include Welaka State Forest , Etoniah Creek State Forest and Dunns Creek State Park . Other conservation areas exist under
6500-759: The Union troops on the day of the supposed raid in what is known as the Battle of Horse Landing. Following the war, the tourists returned. New accommodations were constructed including the Putnam House, built by Hubbard L. Hart , and the Larkin House, which could hold 250 guests. Steamers ran up the Ocklawaha River to Eustis , Leesburg and Silver Springs , or along the St. Johns River to Enterprise and Sanford . Industries included logging, raising cattle and hogs, and orange groves. On May 24, 1875,
6630-576: The Union. One concern of Pearson was disloyalty to the Confederacy . Pearson's men scouted the right side of the St. Johns River arresting both white and black troublemakers. He drove whole communities into the woods in the process. The Oklawaha Rangers were ordered in June 1862 to protect the town of Tampa at Fort Brooke . On June 30 the USS Sagamore , commanded by Union Captain A. J. Drake,
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#17327754644626760-407: The Union. They felt that they had no choice but to help defend their homes. President Abraham Lincoln was exasperated to hear of such men who professed to love their country but were willing to fight against it. As in the U.S. Army , the Confederate Army's soldiers were organized by military specialty. The combat arms included infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Although fewer soldiers might comprise
6890-608: The United States called M. D. Moody & Sons, Inc. in 1913 that gradually grew to become at one time the largest crane dealer in the Southeastern United States. His grandson John Pearson Moody and great grandson Muller Pearson Moody are named after him with his last name. Confederate Army The Confederate States Army , also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army , was
7020-410: The administrative center, it also houses the Florida School of the Arts and the local St. Leo University branch. Public primary and secondary education is operated by Putnam County Public Schools, officially known as the Putnam County School District (PCSD). According to 2007 enrollment numbers, the district is home to 12,101 students. Palatka has one public traditional high school. Palatka High School
7150-434: The banks of the Ocklawaha River in Putnam County Pearson was elected Captain on May 14, 1862. On the first day 71 men enlisted in the militia but by the end of the war it increased to 150. Pearson outfitted his men with the equipment purchased from Charleston. In Orange Springs Pearson and his associates manufactured guns, cannons and munitions that were later used in the defense of Tampa. His machine shop in Orange Springs
7280-429: The burning of Columbia by William Tecumseh Sherman 's forces. In 1898 Eliza donated Pearson's stars from his coat to the Museum of the Confederacy . Eliza also joined the United Daughters of the Confederacy and attended the 1907 meeting in Richmond, Virginia . Through his daughter, Eliza Pearson, he is the grandfather of Maxey Dell Moody who established the oldest family owned construction equipment distributor in
7410-435: The changes by different European nations in Florida, there were changes in claims in Pilo-taikita, now contracted to Pilatka . In 1774, naturalist William Bartram noted an Indian village on the west bank, but it was later abandoned. The current community of Palatka was traced by pioneers to a European-American settlement established here in 1821. After the United States acquired Florida in 1821, Nehemiah Brush established
7540-454: The city harbor began bombarding bombarding Fort Sumter on April 12–13, 1861 and forced its capitulation on April 14. The remaining loyal United States in the North, outraged by the Confederacy's attack, demanded war. It rallied behind new 16th President Lincoln's call on April 15 for all the loyal states to send their state militia units avolunteer troops to reinforce and protect the national federal capital of Washington, D.C. , to recapture
7670-422: The city's historical districts include Victorian , Colonial Revival , Art Deco , Classical Revival , and Prairie School . The James Hotel was designed by architect Henry John Klutho in 1916 in the Prairie School style. Klutho also designed the Larimer Memorial Library , named after the wife of James Ross Mellon, eldest son of Judge Thomas Mellon . The library is a fusion of Prairie School and Art Deco, and
7800-413: The city, which include downtown and the historic districts, are characterized by a gridded street system. A significant amount of the original brick roads survive in this area. The western outlying suburban areas are primarily characterized by an amorphous road pattern. The city of Palatka is actively working toward redevelopment of its riverfront and downtown area. Architectural styles represented in
7930-445: The city. The population density was 1,442.1 inhabitants per square mile (556.8/km ). There were 4,318 housing units at an average density of 620.7 units per square mile (239.7 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 48.93% White , 48.43% African American , 0.16% Native American , 0.44% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 1.04% from other races , and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.83% of
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#17327754644628060-444: The daily Silver Meteor and Silver Star intercity rail services. The Palatka Amtrak station is a historic Atlantic Coast Line Railroad depot located at 220 North Eleventh Street. The station was added in 1988 to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places . Palatka Municipal Airport is a public-use, general aviation airport located 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Downtown Palatka. The nearest international airport
8190-559: The depredations of roving bands of marauders. Many soldiers went home temporarily (A.W.O.L. - " Absent Without Official Leave ") and quietly returned when their family problems had been resolved. By September 1864, however, President Davis publicly admitted that two-thirds of the soldiers were absent, "most of them without leave". The problem escalated rapidly after that, and fewer and fewer men returned. Soldiers who were fighting in defense of their homes realized that they had to desert to fulfill that duty. Historian Mark Weitz argues that
8320-440: The development of Palatka since the day of its inception. Steamboats were the main economic driving force in the city's early years. The river is no longer a primary means of passenger transportation, but remains of strategic importance in the movement of goods and services. Today, airports, railroads, and highways make up the main infrastructure of passenger travel. Palatka's own transportation infrastructure remains important as it
8450-541: The east bank of the St. Johns River, at the head of deepwater navigation. His 78,000-acre (320 km ) plantation was a commercial experiment. He recruited settlers off the streets of London to serve as indentured servant/workers: they included paupers, vagrants, pickpockets and "penitent prostitutes". He paid for their passage and if they survived the term of indenture, they could receive land. Some two hundred indentured servants arrived to clear wilderness for agriculture and livestock. Unaccustomed to such physical labor and
8580-436: The employment numbers of Palm Coast have been hit hardest; the bedroom community has an unemployment rate currently at 16.6%. As with many cities in the United States, development has occurred in a radial pattern from the city center to beyond the incorporated area. Due to the historical importance of Palatka as a southeastern interior port, much of the urban development is oriented toward the riverfront. The eastern sections of
8710-470: The enemy vanished by morning. Captain Pearson wanted to fight the Union forces. He went to a nearby plantation owned by Dr. R. G. May hoping to engage the Federal troops of 200 men but they refused to fight. After failing to prod the enemy into an engagement he vented his frustration by arresting whites and blacks and charged them as being Union sympathizers. Before leaving, Pearson hanged one of Dr. May's slaves , whom he suspected of revealing information to
8840-458: The extent the word " battalion " was used to describe a military unit, it referred to a multi-company task force of a regiment or a near-regimental size unit. Throughout the war, the Confederacy raised the equivalent of 1,010 regiments in all branches, including militias, versus 2,050 regiments for the U.S. Army. Four regiments usually formed a brigade , although as the number of soldiers in many regiments became greatly reduced, especially later in
8970-421: The four-year old capital of Richmond, Virginia on April 3, 1865, and fled southwest by railroad train with the President Jefferson Davis and members of his cabinet gradually continuing moving southwestward first to Lynchburg, Virginia and lost communication to its remaining military commanders, and soon exerted no control over the remaining armies. They were eventually caught and captured near Irwinville, Georgia
9100-421: The government attempted to relocate the tribe to the west of the Mississippi as part of Indian Removal starting in 1833, the Second Seminole War began. The Seminole attacked and burned Pilatka in 1835. Recognizing the site's strategic importance for control of the St. Johns River, the main artery into Central Florida , the US Army in 1838 established Fort Shannon, named for Captain Samuel Shannon. It included
9230-422: The harbor of Charleston, South Carolina . On February 28, shortly before Lincoln was sworn in as president, the Provisional Confederate Congress had authorized the organization of a large Provisional Army of the Confederate States (PACS). Under orders from Confederate President Jefferson Davis , C.S. troops under the command of General Pierre Gustave Toutant / P. G. T. Beauregard military forces surrounding
9360-407: The heritage of 1776 in opposite ways. Confederates professed to fight for liberty and independence from a too radical government; Unionists said they fought to preserve the nation conceived in liberty from dismemberment and destruction ... The rhetoric of liberty that had permeated the letters of Confederate volunteers in 1861, grew even stronger as the war progressed. Before and during the Civil War,
9490-618: The home front (such as railroad and river workers, civil officials, telegraph operators, miners, druggists and teachers) were exempt from the draft. The act was amended twice in 1862. On September 27, the maximum age of conscription was extended to 45. On October 11, the Confederate States Congress passed the so-called " Twenty Negro Law ", which exempted anyone who owned 20 or more slaves, a move that caused deep resentment among conscripts who did not own slaves. The C.S. Congress enacted several more amendments throughout
9620-446: The hundreds of Confederate soldiers' letters he had examined, none of them contained any anti-slavery sentiment whatsoever: Although only 20 percent of the soldiers avowed explicit proslavery purposes in their letters and diaries, none at all dissented from that view. McPherson admits some flaws in his sampling of letters. Soldiers from slaveholding families were overrepresented by 100%: Nonslaveholding farmers are underrepresented in
9750-483: The labor force; 45.6% were employed and 7.6% unemployed. Compared to Florida's average, Palatka has a higher percentage of unemployed. Of the same survey, the State's unemployment was 4.6% of the available labor force. The current Florida unemployment rate, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, stands at 7.0%. The Palatka area is bordered on all sides by four separate metropolitan statistical areas . Of those,
9880-502: The management of the Putnam Land Conservancy and St. Johns River Water Management District . Both entities operate regionally and identify and protect ecologically sensitive areas. If progress continues, and ecotourism creates a vibrant local economy, economic incentives could drive further preservation of the natural habitats, benefitting the environment as a whole. Of residents aged 16 years and over, 53.3% were in
10010-399: The meaning of the word surrender; there is no such letter in our book; we don't surrender." Drake told them that Tampa would be shelled as a consequence and Pearson responded with "pitch in." The conference ended with both parties returning to their positions and resumed firing on each other at 6:00 pm. One hour later the USS Sagamore lowered its flag and anchored two miles offshore for
10140-525: The money. Rolle hired new overseers and bought more slaves, but the plantation failed to prosper. When Spain resumed control of Florida in 1783 for a period, Rolle abandoned the colony and chartered a ship to carry his household belongings, livestock and slaves to a 2,000-acre (8.1 km ) estate on Great Exuma in the Bahamas . This point of land, in East Palatka, is still called Rollestown. With
10270-553: The most intense fighting yet in the civil war on June 3, 1864, at the Battle of Cold Harbor . The Ninth Florida was in reserve behind General John C. Breckinridge's troops. Breckenridge's line was eventually broken causing the Ninth Florida to fill in the breach and repel the Federal forces . Many Floridians fell and Pearson's second in command, Lieutenant R.D. Harrison and Lieutenant Francis McMeekin were both wounded. After
10400-511: The move, as they believed it would strengthen pro-slavery sentiment in the Confederacy, and thus lead to greater enlistment of soldiers in the Confederate armies. One Confederate soldier from the West in Texas gave his reasons for fighting for the Confederacy, stating that "we are fighting for our property", contrasting this with the motivations of Union soldiers, who, he claimed, were fighting for
10530-592: The need to protect or to destroy slavery. Others point to less overtly political reasons to fight, such as the defense of one's home and family, or the honor and brotherhood to be preserved when fighting alongside other men. Most historians agree that, no matter what he thought about when he went into the war, the experience of combat affected him profoundly and sometimes affected his reasons for continuing to fight. Educated soldiers drew upon their knowledge of American history to justify their costs. Historian James M. McPherson says: Confederate and Union soldiers interpreted
10660-610: The new Confederate States government, Davis assumed control of the military situation at Charleston Harbor in Charleston, South Carolina , where South Carolina state militia had besieged the longtime Federal Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor, held by a small U.S. Army garrison under the command of Major Robert Anderson . (1805-1871). By March 1861, the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States meeting in
10790-700: The newly chosen Confederate States president, Jefferson Davis (1808-1889),. Davis was a graduate of the United States Military Academy , on the Hudson River at West Point, New York , colonel of a volunteer regiment during the Mexican–American War (1846-1848). He had also been a United States senator from Mississippi and served as U.S. Secretary of War under 14th President Franklin Pierce . On March 1, 1861, on behalf of
10920-531: The night. The next day on July 1 Captain Drake resumed firing on Fort Brooke. The Sagamore was now out of range of Fort Brooke's artillery. By noon the guns of the Sagamore became quiet. Pearson decided to order the Confederate flag hoisted above the fort causing the Federal ship to respond with gunfire. Captain Drake decided to leave Tampa Bay conceding a victory to Captain Pearson. On March 27, 1863,
11050-424: The number of Confederate soldiers, sailors and marines are between 750,000 and 1,000,000 troops. This does not include an unknown number of Negro slaves who were pressed into performing various tasks for the army, such as the construction of fortifications and defenses or driving wagons. Since these figures include estimates of the total number of soldiers who served at any time during the war, they do not represent
11180-464: The official count of 103,400 deserters is too low. He concludes that most of the desertions came because the soldier felt he owed a higher duty to his own family than to the Confederacy. Confederate policies regarding desertion generally were severe. For example, on August 19, 1862, famed General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (1824-1863), approved the court-martial sentence of execution for three soldiers for desertion, rejecting pleas for clemency from
11310-516: The opening of Silver Springs and Ocala by steamboat after the American Civil War . Pearson also owned 20 slaves. Pearson is best known for forming the Oklawaha Rangers named after the Ocklawaha River in Orange Springs . The Oklawaha Rangers were used in the American Civil War for guerrilla tactics against the Federal troops throughout North Florida and Central Florida . Pearson became mortally wounded while leading Company B of
11440-453: The original paratransit services have expanded to include regular bus services, express bus services, and vanpools. Recently, bus design and manufacturing has become a way Ride Solution is helping improve community transportation. The Brevi Bus was created to handle the rugged terrain and unpaved roads of rural Putnam County. The Bus was designed locally by Ride Solution and is expected to improve access by 30 percent. Amtrak serves Palatka by
11570-405: The other, the later Confederacy's soldiers did not, as the Confederate ideology of white supremacy negated any contradiction between the two: Unlike many slaveholders in the age of Thomas Jefferson, Confederate soldiers from slaveholding families expressed no feelings of embarrassment or inconsistency in fighting for their liberty while holding other people in slavery. Indeed, white supremacy and
11700-451: The pivotal Battle of Chancellorsville , the average U.S. Army infantry regiment's strength was 433 men, versus 409 for Confederate infantry regiments. Rough unit sizes for CSA combat units during the war: Regiments, which were the basic units of army organization through which soldiers were supplied and deployed, were raised by individual states. They were generally referred by number and state, for example 1st Texas , 12th Virginia . To
11830-469: The popular press of Richmond, including its five major newspapers, sought to inspire a sense of patriotism, Confederate identity, and the moral high ground in the southern population. The southern churches met the shortage of Army chaplains by sending missionaries. The Southern Baptists sent a total of 78 missionaries, starting in 1862. Presbyterians were even more active, with 112 missionaries sent in early 1865. Other missionaries were funded and supported by
11960-415: The population. In 2000, there were 3,880 households, out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.0% were married couples living together, 24.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% are other types of families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
12090-651: The post office changed the spelling to Palatka. By the 1880s, several competing railroads crossed the community, which became an important junction . These included the Florida Southern Railroad, the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railroad , the St. Augustine and Palatka Railway, and the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad . On November 7, 1884, Palatka suffered a devastating fire. When tourists arrived that season, most accommodations had been lost. They continued on trains south; this
12220-404: The rank of (full) general; the highest-ranking (earliest date of rank) was Samuel Cooper , Adjutant General and Inspector General of the Confederate States Army. Officers' uniforms bore a braided design on the sleeves and kepi , the number of adjacent strips (and therefore the width of the lines of the design) denoting rank. The color of the piping and kepi denoted the military branch. The braid
12350-443: The right of property in slaves were at the core of the ideology for which Confederate soldiers fought. McPherson states that Confederate States Army soldiers did not discuss the issue of slavery as often as the opposing United States Army soldiers did, because most Confederate soldiers readily accepted as an obvious fact that they were fighting to perpetuate slavery and thus did not feel the need to debate over it: [O]nly 20 percent of
12480-409: The same insignia regardless of grade. This was a decision made early in the conflict. The Confederate Congress initially made the rank of brigadier general the highest rank. As the war progressed, the other general-officer ranks were quickly added, but no insignia for them was created. (Robert E. Lee was a notable exception to this. He chose to wear the rank insignia of a colonel.) Only seven men achieved
12610-422: The sample of 429 Southern soldiers explicitly voiced proslavery convictions in their letters or diaries. As one might expect, a much higher percentage of soldiers from slaveholding families than from non-slaveholding families expressed such a purpose: 33 percent, compared with 12 percent. Ironically, the proportion of Union soldiers who wrote about the slavery question was greater, as the next chapter will show. There
12740-523: The size of the army at any given date. These numbers also do not include sailors / marines who served in the Confederate States Navy . Although most of the soldiers who fought in the American Civil War were volunteers, both sides by 1862 resorted to conscription as a means to supplement the volunteer soldiers. Although exact records are unavailable, estimates of the percentage of Confederate Army soldiers who were drafted are about double
12870-459: The soldiers' regimental commander. General Jackson's goal was to maintain discipline in a volunteer army whose homes were under threat of enemy occupation. Historians of the Civil War have emphasized how soldiers from poor families deserted because they were urgently needed at home. Local pressures mounted as Union forces occupied more and more Confederate territory, putting more and more families at risk of hardship. One Confederate Army officer at
13000-488: The solidarity of the Confederacy was dissatisfaction in the Appalachian Mountains districts caused by lingering Unionism and a distrust of the power wielded by the slave-holding class. Many of their soldiers deserted, returned home, and formed a military force that fought off Regular Army units trying to capture and punish them. North Carolina lost nearly a quarter of its soldiers (24,122) to desertion. This
13130-509: The state capital of Virginia in Richmond. Both the United States and the Confederate States began in earnest to raise large, mostly volunteer, armies, with the opposing objectives: putting down the rebellion and preserving the Union on the one hand, and establishing Southern independence from the northern United States on the other. The Confederate States Congress provided for a regular Confederate States Army, patterned after its parent in
13260-793: The state. This significance was due to its location at the end of an expansive portion of waterway at the divide between the upper and lower St. Johns River . First established as a trading outpost, tourism would eventually boom and fuel growth for decades. The decline of waterborne travel in Northeast Florida, and the United States in general, ultimately reduced the importance of tourism in the city. Nowadays, large international airports and bypassing interstate highways carry vacationers to destinations further south. Only 7.1% of Palatka's labor force works in arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services, compared to Florida's 15.5% across tourist related industries. In recent years,
13390-455: The subsequent acts came before five state supreme courts; all five upheld them. In his 2010 book Major Problems in the Civil War , historian Michael Perman says that historians are of two minds on why millions of men seemed so eager to fight, suffer and die over four years: Some historians emphasize that Civil War soldiers were driven by political ideology, holding firm beliefs about the importance of liberty, Union, or state rights, or about
13520-462: The temporary capital of Montgomery, Alabama , expanded the provisional military forces and established a more permanent regular Confederate States Army. An accurate count of the total number of individuals who served in the Military forces of the Confederate States (Army, Navy and Marine Corps) is not possible due to incomplete and destroyed / burned Confederate records; and archives. Estimates of
13650-456: The time noted, "The deserters belong almost entirely to the poorest class of non-slave-holders whose labor is indispensable to the daily support of their families" and that "When the father, husband or son is forced into the service, the suffering at home with them is inevitable. It is not in the nature of these men to remain quiet in the ranks under such circumstances." Some soldiers also deserted from ideological motivations. A growing threat to
13780-401: The total Confederate wounded is 194,026. In comparison, the best estimates of the number of Union military personnel deaths are 110,100 killed in battle, 224,580 deaths from disease, and 30,218 deaths in Confederate prison camps. The estimated figure for Union Army wounded is 275,174. The main Confederate armies, the Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee and the remnants of
13910-530: The tribes, and they were extinct as organized peoples by the mid-18th century. Some of their survivors merged with other tribes; other Timucua evacuated with the Spanish to Cuba in 1763, when Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain in an exchange of interests after the latter's defeat of France in the Seven Years' War . During the late eighteenth century, Creek (Muscogee) tribes made their way to Florida. In
14040-400: The two forces were to exist concurrently, little was done to organize the Confederate regular army. Members of all the military forces of the Confederate States (the army, the navy, and the marine corps) are often referred to as "Confederates", and members of the Confederate army were referred to as "Confederate soldiers". Supplementing the Confederate army were the various state militias of
14170-443: The various forts, arsenals, shipyards and other seized federal installations from the secessionists, to put down and suppress the rebellion and to save the Union. Four more upper border slave states (North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas and finally Virginia) then joined the Confederacy, making eleven seceded states rather than fight fellow Southerners. The Confederacy then moved its national capital from temporary Montgomery, Alabama to
14300-436: The war to address losses suffered in battle as well as the United States' greater supply of manpower. In December 1863, it abolished the previous practice of allowing a rich drafted man to hire a substitute to take his place in the ranks. Substitution had also been practiced in the United States, leading to similar resentment from the lower classes. In February 1864, the age limits were extended to between 17 and 50. Challenges to
14430-484: The war were Confederate spy Lola Sánchez and her sisters. Sánchez became upset when their father was falsely accused of being a Confederate spy and imprisoned by Union Army soldiers. Union officers took over their house in Palatka. On one occasion Sánchez overheard various officers’ planning a raid and alerted the Confederates forces. Confederate forces, led by Capt. John Jackson Dickison , surprised and captured
14560-488: The war, more than four were often assigned to a brigade. Occasionally, regiments would be transferred between brigades. Two to four brigades usually formed a division . Two to four divisions usually formed a corps . Two to four corps usually formed an army. Occasionally, a single corps might operate independently as if it were a small army. The Confederate States Army consisted of several field armies, named after their primary area of operation. The largest Confederate field army
14690-590: The war, stated in a letter to a friend that "I've always understood that we went to war on account of the thing we quarreled with the North about. I've never heard of any other cause than slavery." As stated by researcher / authors Andrew Hall, Connor Huff and Shiro Kuriwaki in the article Wealth, Slaveownership, and Fighting for the Confederacy: An Empirical Study of the American Civil War , research done using an 1862 Georgia lottery showed that rich white Southern men actually enlisted at
14820-486: The war. Reports from the C.S. War Department beginning at the end of 1861 indicated 326,768 men that year, 449,439 in 1862, 464,646 in 1863, 400,787 in 1864, and "last reports" showed 358,692. Estimates of enlistments throughout the war range from 1,227,890 to 1,406,180. The following calls for soldiers were issued: The C.S.A. was initially a (strategically) defensive army, and many soldiers were resentful when General Robert E. Lee led his Army of Northern Virginia across
14950-411: Was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.10. In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.8 males. In 2000, the median income for
15080-410: Was a major factor in combat motivation. According to his analysis, the soldiers' faith was consoling for the loss of comrades; it was a shield against fear; it helped reduce drinking and fighting in the ranks; it enlarged the soldiers' community of close friends and helped compensate for their long-term separation from home. In his 1997 book For Cause and Comrades , which examines the motivations of
15210-449: Was a strategic weakness for the Confederacy, and there are only a few examples of its armies acting in concert across multiple theaters to achieve a common objective. One instance occurred in late 1862 with Lee's invasion of Maryland , coincident with two other actions: Bragg's invasion of Kentucky and Earl Van Dorn 's advance against Corinth, Mississippi . All three initiatives were unsuccessful, however. Georgia Governor Joseph E. Brown
15340-845: Was an extreme case of a Southern States Rights advocate asserting control over Confederate soldiers: he defied the Confederate government's wartime policies and resisted the military draft. Believing that local troops should be used only for the defense of Georgia, Brown tried to stop Colonel Francis Bartow from taking Georgia troops out of the state to the First Battle of Bull Run. Many of the Confederacy's senior military leaders (including Robert E. Lee, Albert Sidney Johnston , and James Longstreet ) and even President Jefferson Davis, were former U.S. Army and, in smaller numbers, U.S. Navy officers who had been opposed to, disapproved of, or were at least unenthusiastic about secession, but resigned their U.S. commissions upon hearing that their states had left
15470-516: Was formed in 1977 after the merger of Palatka Central High School and Palatka South High School. The Putnam County Library System serves Putnam County, Florida with five locations. The Palatka Library location operates as the systems headquarters. HCA Florida Putnam Hospital in Palatka is a 99-bed acute care facility servicing all of Putnam County, and features medical and surgical units, 24-hour emergency, critical care, diagnostic imaging, and outpatient rehabilitation. Transportation has been key in
15600-511: Was gifted in commemoration of James Mellon's wife, Rachel Larimer, and was described as a "poor man's university" and "the rock on which to build an enlightened citizenry." The Larimer Memorial Library contains an arts center, and the Palatka Public Library was moved to the campus of the St. Johns River Community College. Palatka uses the commission-manager form of municipal government, with all governmental powers resting in
15730-537: Was given leave and immediately journeyed home to Orange Springs, Florida . Along the way he was forced to stop in Augusta, Georgia because of his wounds. Captain Pearson could not make it home to Orange Springs, Florida and died in Augusta on September 30, 1864. He was buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia . Pearson became one of the most prolific guerrilla fighters in Florida during
15860-773: Was in the American Revolutionary War under Captain Tench Francis of the Philadelphia Troops Militia. William later moved to South Carolina and served under the command of Col. Thomas Brandon who also lived in Union County. William migrated to Tennessee after the war and settled in Bedford County, Tennessee . John William Pearson's middle name most likely comes from William Pearson. By 1828 Pearson's father died as
15990-456: Was incorporated as a city on January 8, 1853. During the 1850s, Florida in general and Pilatka in particular gained a reputation as a seasonal haven for invalids and others escaping severe northern winters. Steamboats carried them up the St. John's River in increasing numbers. One visitor wrote that amusements included "sailing, fishing, rowing, walking, riding in buggies and on horseback, whist, euchre, backgammon and hunting". The tourist trend
16120-492: Was interrupted by the Civil War , when gunboats cruised the waters. Pilatka was destitute and largely deserted. On October 7, 1862, the USS Cimarron fired several shells over the town after seeing some Confederate cavalry . Mary Boyd pleaded with Union Commander Maxwell Woodhull to spare Pilatka, assuring him that the horse soldiers were not residents. He complied. Among the notable residents of Pilatka during
16250-431: Was seen closing in on the fort. The Federal gunboat maneuvered broadside and began opening fire on Fort Brooke initiating the Battle of Tampa . The gunboat launched 20 men bearing a flag of truce to shore. Captain Pearson sent 18 men to meet Drake's men in a brief conference. Drake's ultimatum was for Captain Pearson to surrender Fort Brooke and Tampa unconditionally. However, Pearson only responded with "we do not understand
16380-613: Was sometimes left off by officers since it made them conspicuous targets. The kepi was rarely used, the common slouch hat being preferred for its practicality in the Southern climate. Branch colors were used for the color of chevrons—blue for infantry, yellow for cavalry, and red for artillery. This could differ with some units, however, depending on available resources or the unit commander's desire. Cavalry regiments from Texas, for example, often used red insignia and at least one Texas infantry regiment used black. Palatka, Florida Palatka ( / p ə ˈ l æ t k ə / )
16510-509: Was the Army of Northern Virginia , whose surrender at Appomattox Courthouse in 1865 marked the end of major combat operations in the U.S. Civil War. Companies were commanded by captains and had two or more lieutenants. Regiments were commanded by colonels. Lieutenant colonels were second in command. At least one major was next in command. Brigades were commanded by brigadier generals although casualties or other attrition sometimes meant that brigades would be commanded by senior colonels or even
16640-496: Was the beginning of a gradual shift of tourism elsewhere. The city lost trade, shipping and transportation preeminence to Jacksonville , on the coast. But with its downtown rebuilt in brick to be fireproof, Palatka emerged a finer place. In 1893, A. E. and H. S. Wilson of Saginaw, Michigan bought the Noah J. Tilghman & Son sawmill, which processed cypress lumber. Renamed the Wilson Cypress Company, it expanded operations and became
16770-439: Was the highest rate of desertion of any Confederate state. Young Samuel Clemens (1835-1910, later to be known as Mark Twain ) soon deserted the Southern army long before he became a world-famous writer, journalist and lecturer, but he often commented upon that episode in his life comically, even writing a book about it. Author Neil Schmitz has examined the deep unease Twain felt about losing his honor, his fear of facing death as
16900-481: Was used for the production of a patented cotton gin. The Oklawaha Rangers were first assigned to protect the town of Palatka . A Union sailing yacht called America had been sunk in Dunn's Lake. Union forces were attempting to raise the ship but Pearson was ordered to go to Dunn's Creek to block the entrance to the St. Johns River . He made a decision to cross the river in two separate detachments at night but discovered
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