According to Hay, not only did Gillmore propose moving into the interior, but also came up with the idea of restoring a part of Florida to the Union:
...He afterwards added another detail to his plan: to assist in bringing Florida back into the Union, in accordance with the President's Proclamation of December 8, 1863. This came in time to be regarded by the opponents of the Administration as the sole purpose of the expedition, and Mr. Lincoln has received a great deal of unjust censure for having made a useless sacrifice of life for a political end.
Hay, however, gives in his biography of Lincoln a version of events that significantly departs from reality. In fact, there is no evidence that Gillmore was planning to invade or occupy any part of Florida when he received Lincoln's letter suggesting such a move via the hand of John Hay. Upon receiving the "suggestion" of the President and the unknown verbal communication relayed by Major Hay, the general immediately made plans for a move on Florida. The decision came so fast, in fact, that his superiors had no knowledge of what was going on.
Although Hay does not say so, he was actually present when Gillmore wrote to General Halleck in Washington, D.C., to explain what was going on. In fact, he may have even assisted in the drafting of the report.
On January 31st, Gillmore reported to Halleck that his plan was:
...[F]irst to procure an outlet for cotton, lumber, timber, &c.; second, to cut off one of hte enemy's sources of commissary supplies; third, to obtain recruits for my colored regiments; fourth, to inaugurate measures for the speedy restoration of Florida to her allegiance, in accordance with instructions which I had received from the President by the hand of Maj. John Hay, assistant adjutant-general.
With regard to all of this political maneuvering, several facts are clear:
- The idea for the Florida campaign was proposed in a letter from Lincoln to Gillmore, not by the general himself.
- Lincoln's letter to Gillmore refers only to the restoration of the Union and requests that the attempt be made quickly.
- The President bypassed the U.S. Army's chain of command in proposing the campaign.
- President Lincoln took the highly unusual step of sending one of his secretaries to accompany the campaign, even commissioning him to the elevated rank of Major.
- John Hay also communicated verbal instructions to General Gillmore, the nature of which are not known. Clearly, though, this communication contained information that Lincoln did not want to commit to paper.
- These events took place at a time when President Lincoln was was not sure that he would be nominated by his own party for a second term.
The Battle of Olustee was the direct result of political maneuvering. In this case, more than 3,000 men in the two armies would be killed or wounded in a failed effort to assure President Abraham Lincoln a second term in office.
To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/olustee.