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Friday, September 22, 2017

Confederates Burn Bagdad

Beard's Raid,
Ordered by General Braxton Bragg in conjunction with his evacuation of some 8000 Confederate troops from Pensacola, Florida.From Bragg’s order to General Samuel Jones:
“I desire you to leave nothing the enemy can use; burn all from Fort McRee to the junction with Mobile road. Save the guns, and if necessary destroy your gunboats and all other boats. They might be used against us. Destroy all machinery, public and private, which could be useful to the enemy; especially disable the sawmills in and around the bay and burn the lumber. Break up the railroad from Pensacola to the Junction, carrying the iron up to a safe place.”
Subsequently Lt. Colonel Beard’s order:
“You will burn every sawmill, planning mill, sash factory, every foot of lumber, and all boats of every description. If there is any cotton at any of the places you will not fail to destroy it. It is not supposed that you will meet with any opposition, but should there be, you will carry out your orders by force of arms. I rely upon you to execute your orders that nothing of material value to the enemy shall be left in that vicinity.”
Route of Beard's Raid, March 1862
Destruction of
Deer Point
Miller's Sawmill
Pierce's Mill
Oyster Boats
Criglar, Batchelder and Company
Ollinger and Bruce Shipyard
Simpson Steamer
Bagdad Mill
Mortonia
C.P. Knapp & Dycus Company
Keyser, McVoy & Company
Milton
Hyer's Planing Mill
Wright's Sawmill
Bacon, Abercrombie and Company
McGhee Sawmill
Judge Sawmill
Ferry Pass
Wallace Sawmill
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer…

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Interesting; do any of the area museums feature much civil war history?

Anonymous said...

Bagdad museum has some. Message Dr Brian Rucker on fb. He knows where the good stuff is. There is a superb CW historian in Canoe, Al near bere. Kevin . McKinley mckinley2971@yahoo.com