| Provided courtesy of David M. Bamford |
| The following is an article written by Edward Gross Wilder who served in John T. Lesley's company. Edward was born in Lowndes Co., GA in 1847. He was a son William Wilder, Jr. (b. 1807), and Sarah (Gross) Wilder (b. 1816). Edward had three other brothers who served in the Confederate Army. Thomas Hopkins Wilder (b. 1837) served in Co. K, 4th Florida Infantry until he was detached to Captain James McKay, Jr.'s company of cow drivers in October 1863. This company would later be absorbed into Munnerlyn's Battalion. John W. Wilder also served in Co. K, 4th Florida Infantry. John was wounded during the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. In July 1864, he would be captured near Atlanta. He died a prisoner of war at Camp Chase in October 1864. Andrew J. Wilder (b. 1845) also gave his last full measure. He enlisted in Co. I, 9th Florida Infantry in September 1863. A year later, he was killed at Petersburg. This is one of several post-war memoirs that describe the Florida Cow Cavalry’s unsuccessful capture of Fort Myers on February 20, 1865. Major Footman had originally planned to launch a sweeping assault on the fort. The plan, however, changed when the Confederates encountered several obstacles. The expedition was delayed due to a swollen river near Fort Thompson that had to be forded. James McKay, Jr. describes that some of the artillery ammunition was lost when a skiff capsized. Furthermore, it rained "like the devil" the night prior to the attack and soaked much of the ammunition. For these reasons or another, Major Footman did not launch a preemptive strike as planned. Instead he sent forward a flag of truce ordering the surrender of the fort which was immediately rejected by the fort's commanding officer. This gave the Federals time to strengthen their vulnerable position. When the Confederates did attack, they were unable to dislodge the Yankees from the outpost. Major Footman has been sharply criticized by several participants of the expedition including F.C.M. Boggess who served in Captain F.A. Hendry's company. This article is one of the few accounts which lists the specific companies involved in the Fort Myers excursion. Like Boggess, Wilder also expresses his disappointment but stops short of blaming Major Footman for the failed capture. According to Wilder, Major Footman may not have made this decision unilaterally. Wilder mentions that there were several consultations among the officers. In any case, Major Footman was the senior officer and was ultimately responsible for the expedition's success or failure. Source:---Edward Gross Wilder, “Escapade in Southern Florida,” 1911, Confederate Veteran, Vol. 29, No. 2, p.75. --------- I send a short sketch of experiences in South Florida to the Veteran about an attempt to capture Fort Myers, in Lee County. I served in Capt. John T. Lesley’s cavalry company, Munnerlyn’s Battalion. We captured the Federal pickets at Billy’s Branch, in Lee County, in the latter part of the war. There were parts of four cavalry companies engaged. We undertook to capture Fort Myers. The forces there were a great annoyance to our citizens north of the fort. Their ravages on one occasion reached as far north as Bayport, where Capt. John Lesley was wounded, and is carrying a crooked arm to-day. Emory Campbell, one of my comrades, was instantly killed there by a mistaken fire from another company of our own men. The companies of Capts. Agnew, L.G. Lesley, F.A. Hendry, and John T. Lesley were all under the command of Maj. William Footman; and when we were about 2 miles from the fort, Major Footman held a council of war and expressed the conviction that we could capture the fort by killing or capturing the Yankee pickets who were on guard at Billy’s Branch, 1 mile east of the fort. Lieut. William M. Hendry was chosen as leader of this squad, and he selected 5 men to go with him. I was one of those selected. I was then much in love with his youngest sister, Miss Cornelia Alice Hendry, who became my wife in August, 1865; and for that reason, if for no other, I would have stayed with him to the last. We rode quietly along the way until we came in sight of the pickets, when Lieutenant Hendry leaned forward, saying, “Come on boys,” and we picked them up in short order without firing a gun. We turned them over to Major Footman and his command, and then captured a few others who were on the outside of the fort. We killed one of them who seemed determined to make his way to the fort. At this time everything was in our favor. The officers held another consultation, and a flag of truce was sent in ordering a surrender of the fort. In this short time they arranged their field pieces and small arms, and sent word back by our truce that if we got it we would have to take it. I had captured a beautiful gun at Billy’s Branch, with a few other things from the pickets, and was thinking of the hard-tack and pickled pork that we expected to get inside the fort. I had become used to such rations in 1856-1858 during the Seminole Indian War; but when I saw that flag of truce start toward the fort, my heart was sick from disappointment; my stomach was somewhat from hunger. Our line of battle was formed on the south side of the fort. Our horses were out of range of the enemy’s small arms, but in good play of their artillery. A large shell exploded very near me, and part of it was buried in the dirt within a few feet of where I was standing. I got it out of the dirt and took it back on the long, hungry march home to show to my sweetheart and relatives. All day and until night we were skirmishing and shooting at each other with but few casualties. Night came on and we had nothing to eat. We killed some beef, broiled and burned it to a crisp, and ate it without salt. Another consultation of officers was held, and Major Footman thought best to abandon the siege. So late at night we started our long, weary march back to our former quarters, a distance of 175 miles, with but a scant supply of horse feed or rations. Some of our boys ate palmetto buds on that memorable return trip. After the war I became well acquainted with one of the pickets captured at Billy’s Branch. He was a very pious man. I enjoyed religious services with him frequently; but he has long since gone to his reward. I never joked him about his capture at Billy’s Branch. It is all over now. I surrendered my musket to the Federal officer at Fort Brook, Tampa, Fla., in May 1865. Since then I have marched side by side in parade with the gray and the blue. Let us continue these peaceful marches until we “cross over the river to rest under the shade of the trees.” |