Brigadier General Joseph Finegan assumed control of Confederate forces in eastern Florida on April 8, 1862. His primary orders from General Robert E. Lee were to prevent incursions into the state’s interior via the Apalachicola and St. John’s rivers. He would establish his headquarters in Lake City and sent Colonel John C. Hately to Jacksonville to command the 5th Florida Infantry (about 200 men) on June 25th. Prior to this in May of 1862 Finegan was already planning to install artillery on opposite sides of the lower St. John’s river at St. John’s Bluff and Yellow Bluff with the goal of blocking Federal gunboat incursions. Naval Lieutenant J.W. Nicholson learned of the plan from an informant on July 1st. Finegan convinced that Union sympathizers were the source of the Union intelligence began retaliating against local Unionists. Nicholson then launched several incursions inland to carry off the families and attack local bands of guerrillas that were harassing them. Finegan was now more determined than ever to block Union naval traffic along the lower St. Johns.

On September 1st Captain Lemuel Crane of the Union gunboat Uncas detected a company of Rebel soldiers on St. Johns Bluff and shelled them, informing Admiral Du Pont that Rebel activity in the area had dramatically increased. St. Johns Bluff was six miles from the river’s entrance and was the highest elevation along its course located at a point where the channel narrows forcing ship’s to pass within range of cannon located there (see the two maps below). The Yellow Bluff Fort was further upstream on Dames Point. Finegan’s plan was to secretly build and arm the two forts and trap any Union ships in a crossfire.

Shown below is a modern day map of the river showing the location of St. John’s Bluff and Yellow Bluff at Dames Point. The path of the river has changed dramatically since the Civil War. The area between the two forts has been straightened creating a new channel.

There is no evidence on LiDAR of the Confederate St. Johns Bluff fort today. Access to the location is restricted and the bluff is best viewed from Fort Caroline, a colonial era fort, slightly upstream (see images below).

You can also see St. Johns Bluff in the image below on the right.

A drawing from Harpers Illustrated of the fort.

On September 4th Finegan ordered a diversionary raid on Mayport while artillery was being installed on St. Johns Bluff (two 8-inch siege howitzers, two 12-pounder rifles and two 32-pounder rifles). The guns were all mounted by the 9th under the command of Captain Dunham. Four more guns were brought to the fort the next day (two 8-inch Columbiads and two more 8-inch siege howitzers). The Uncas fired nine shells into the area of the fort on the evening of the 10th with no response. The following morning the Uncas and Patroon engaged in a 5-hour gun battle with the fort (the gunboats fired over 200 shots). The Uncas was hit several times but there were no casualties. One Confederate was killed and several wounded. On hearing the news Admiral Du Pont sent Commander Charles Steedman and three gunboats (Paul Jones, Cimmaron, and E.B. Hale) to shell the fort. On the 17th a five hour gun battle ensued with two Confederates killed and 4-5 wounded. Commander Steedman concluded it would take a combined land and naval attack to carry the fort. Confederate General Finegan ordered Yellow Bluff to be fortified. A fort there could fire on the river but would be protected by a swamp and a creek against a land based assault. On September 23rd he sent Company H of the 2nd FL Cavalry under Captain J.J. Dickison to Yellow Bluff. The Confederates had slightly less than 800 men at St. John’s Bluff. Colonel Charles Duncan had replaced Dunham and was concerned on the 30th when he could now could see seven gunboats in the river. Duncan set to work installing the four additional cannons preparing for a Union attack. Du Pont was in the process of loading 1573 infantry under Brigadier General John Brannan on transports in Beaufort, SC. Brannan would attack the fort by land in the rear while Steedman’s gunboats bombarded the fort from the river. Brannan would have 825 men from the 47th PA under Colonel Tilghman H. Good, 647 men from the 7th CT under Colonel Joseph Hawley, 40 men from the 1st CT Light Artillery, and 60 men from the 1st MA Cavalry. The transports left SC on September 30th. After disembarking too far from the fort Union troops reloaded onto smaller boats to Buckhorn Creek where they disembarked at Greenfield Plantation (Queen’s Harbor neighborhood today) on October 2nd. Colonel Hopkins watched the Federal force land and sent a message to Yellow Bluff to send their troops across the river to St. Johns Bluff. The 47th PA was in the lead on a difficult march inland through swamps. They passed Parker’s plantation and Mount Pleasant Landing past several abandoned Confederate camps. As the Union advanced Hopkins and his officers decided to abandon the bluff and retreat to Jacksonville under the cover of darkness on October 2-3. The Union moved into the fort unopposed the next morning and found a very formidable and well constructed fort. The Confederates left in such haste that the cannon were still loaded. Finegan was furious that the fort was abandoned without a fight. The Union, confident that the St. Johns river was once again open to navigation as far as , decided to leave after less than a week on October 9th and the 12th. The second Union occupation of Jacksonville was over.

The Yellow Bluff Fort

The Yellow Bluff Fort had not yet received its planned battery of seven heavy cannon by the time the Federals landed for their assault on St. Johns Bluff. Work was still underway on the fort and it was armed only with light field guns and held by artillerymen and a few cavalry companies. Two days after capturing the St. Johns Bluff Fort, the Federals continued their move up the river and on October 5th found that Yellow Bluff Fort had been evacuated. The rebels had a light battery of eight field pieces there and positions ready to receive seven heavy guns which did not arrive prior to the battle. The Yellow Bluff Fort served as a signal post later in the war and was held by soldiers from different regiments of the U.S. Colored Troops in the final 18 months of the war.

The fort is now part of a small Florida State Park. The park is out of the way but it is a real hidden gem. With better care and interpretation this could be one of the best Civil War sites in the Jacksonville area.

A map of the park is shown in the next two pictures below.

The walking path leads around earthworks that are very overgrown with vegetation.

I had read in several places that Yellow Bluff Fort was not really a fort. However, the LiDAR images clearly show that although its shape is unusual it is a completed redoubt.

Source

Thunder on the River The Civil War in Northeastern Florida by Daniel L. Schafer