Birney’s Raid April 26- May 6, 2024

On April 26th Brigadier General William Birney, the older brother of General David Birney, and his men left Jacksonville aboard the gunboat Ottawa on a raid to seize cotton and cattle from the eastern side of the St. John’s River in Volusia County. Part of the 75th NY was taken aboard at Picolata. When they reached Welaka they could travel no further by water and the cavalry and infantry disembarked and headed toward Spring Garden seizing cattle and cotton along the way. They reached Spring Garden Plantation on April 30th where they were joined by the 75th OH and the 25th OH from St. Augustine, as well 250 men of the 17th CT (Colonel William Noble).

There they seized cotton and dismantled the gristmill and threw it in the spring. The owner John Starke escaped and became a captain in the 2nd Florida Infantry. Birney would say ”At Spring Garden we admired the magnificent spring, that gives its name to the place, with its water as clear as crystal, and running out with such force that it carries a grist-mill and extensive cotton gins, and yet appears capable of doing more. Our objective was to capture the proprietor Starke, a notorious rebel, but he had removed his slaves and corn only a few days before. We captured here, however, nineteen bales Sea Island cotton, beside much unginned.” They next headed to Smyrna arriving on May 1st where where they took two schooners loaded with cotton ready to run the blockade. The Fannie was 7 tons and the Shell 9 tons. They were taken possession of by Treasury agent A.G. Browne. Returning on the Old Kings Road they arrived back in Jacksonville having seized about 1500 cattle and over 100 bales of cotton. There were 450 men from the 35th USCT on the raid. The troops watered their horses at Gemini Springs. They captured several Rebels along the way that were home on leave including the son of Jacob Brock in Enterprise. The raid is interpreted at DeLeon Springs State Park located at 601 Ponce De Leon Blvd., De Leon Springs FL.