Battle of Natural Bridge

Battle of Natural Bridge
Part of the American Civil War
Natural Bridge Monument
Date March 6, 1865 Location Leon County, Florida 30°17′02″N 84°09′07″W / 30.28389°N 84.15194°W / 30.28389; -84.15194 Result Confederate victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
John Newton	Sam Jones William Miller
Units involved
2nd Florida Cavalry Regiment 2nd U.S. Colored Infantry 99th U.S. Colored Infantry	1st Florida Militia 5th Florida Cavalry Battalion (~30) Kilcrease Artillery Dunham’s Battery Abell's Battery Company A, Milton Light Artillery Barwick’s Company Reserves Hodges' Company Reserves Companies A, B, and F; Florida Reserves Reinforcements from Georgia Florida Military and Collegiate Institute Battalion 2nd Florida Cavalry (Confederate)
Strength
700	1,000
Casualties and losses
148 total 21 killed 89 wounded 38 captured	26 total 3 killed 23 wounded

The Battle of Natural Bridge was fought during the American Civil War in what is now Woodville, Florida near Tallahassee on March 6, 1865. A small group of Confederate troops and volunteers, which included teenagers from the nearby Florida Military and Collegiate Institute that would later become Florida State University, protected by breastworks, prevented a detachment of United States Colored Troops from crossing the Natural Bridge on the St. Marks River.

The Natural Bridge is a 1⁄4-mile-long (400-meter) stretch along which the St. Marks River runs underground, after dropping into a sinkhole.^[1]