Abstract
Beigadier General Edward M. McCook, a thirty-two year old Union cavalry officer, accompanied by five staff officers, and units from the Second Indiana Cavalry and Seventh Kentucky Cavalry, numbering about 500 men, left Macon, Georgia, on May 5, 1865. He was under orders to accept the surrender of Confederate forces at Tallahassee and St. Marks. Leaving his cavalry four miles behind on the Thomasville Road, McCook and his officers quietly rode into Tallahassee and there on May 10 they received the surrender by Major General Samuel Jones of Florida’s Confederate forces. Two days later McCook received the surrender of the fort at St. Marks. In a special ceremony on May 20, the Union flag was raised over the state capitol with Acting Governor Abraham Allison, Florida officials, and a crowd of Tallahassee citizens quietly witnessing the sad event. The long and bloody war was over for the people of Florida and the military occupation of their state had begun.
Recommended Citation
Groene, Bertram H.
(1969)
"A Letter from Occupied Tallahassee,"
Florida Historical Quarterly: Vol. 48:
No.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/fhq/vol48/iss1/8
