As the federals approached Ely
Corner on the west side of town, they
do not appear to have been expecting
further resistance. Instead, they ran
head on into Montgomery's cavalry,
formed in a line of battle at the
intersection of the Campbellton and
St. Andrews roads.
The Confederates unleashed a volley,
stopping a half-hearted Union charge
cold and sending the troopers of
Major Nathan Cutler's battalion from
the 2nd Maine Cavalry scrambling
back around the curve.
An eyewitness account appearing in
the New Orleans Times about two
weeks later gave a good description
of the encounter at Ely Corner:
The Second Maine was in the
advance, Major Cutler's battalion
ahead. As they entered the town, they
were met by a volley from the rebel
cavalry, which killed and wounded
several. Among the former was Lieut.
Ayer, Company I, Second Maine. The
fire caused them to waver and fall
back.
Seeing the 20-year-old Cutler valiantly
trying to rally his men as the reeled
back up the road, Gen. Asboth
spurred to the front and ordered a
second battalion from the 2nd Maine,
commanded by Major Eben
Hutchinson, to charge. The men
immediately complied, with Asboth,
Cutler and Hutchinson leading them.
The sudden renewal of the attack was
too much for the outnumbered
Confederate cavalry, who had not had
time to reload their single-shot
weapons, and Montgomery ordered
them to retreat. One of the Maine
cavalrymen described how
Montgomery and his men fled "like a
flock of sheep" before them. Marianna
resident Fanny Bryan Chapman, also
an eyewitness, told a similar story.
According to Mrs. Chapman, the
Confederate cavalry "went at full
gallop, but the Yankees were close
upon them."
Corner on the west side of town, they
do not appear to have been expecting
further resistance. Instead, they ran
head on into Montgomery's cavalry,
formed in a line of battle at the
intersection of the Campbellton and
St. Andrews roads.
The Confederates unleashed a volley,
stopping a half-hearted Union charge
cold and sending the troopers of
Major Nathan Cutler's battalion from
the 2nd Maine Cavalry scrambling
back around the curve.
An eyewitness account appearing in
the New Orleans Times about two
weeks later gave a good description
of the encounter at Ely Corner:
The Second Maine was in the
advance, Major Cutler's battalion
ahead. As they entered the town, they
were met by a volley from the rebel
cavalry, which killed and wounded
several. Among the former was Lieut.
Ayer, Company I, Second Maine. The
fire caused them to waver and fall
back.
Seeing the 20-year-old Cutler valiantly
trying to rally his men as the reeled
back up the road, Gen. Asboth
spurred to the front and ordered a
second battalion from the 2nd Maine,
commanded by Major Eben
Hutchinson, to charge. The men
immediately complied, with Asboth,
Cutler and Hutchinson leading them.
The sudden renewal of the attack was
too much for the outnumbered
Confederate cavalry, who had not had
time to reload their single-shot
weapons, and Montgomery ordered
them to retreat. One of the Maine
cavalrymen described how
Montgomery and his men fled "like a
flock of sheep" before them. Marianna
resident Fanny Bryan Chapman, also
an eyewitness, told a similar story.
According to Mrs. Chapman, the
Confederate cavalry "went at full
gallop, but the Yankees were close
upon them."
The Battle of Marianna, Florida
The Fight at Ely Corner
The Fight at Ely Corner
The Battle of Marianna - Phase Two
All material on this site Copyright 2005 by Dale A. Cox.
| Battle of Marianna Little Known Fact |
| The Ely-Criglar Home overlooks Ely Corner, traditional scene of the first shots of the Battle of Marianna. |
Over the years this facet of the Battle of
Marianna became obscured by legend and
ultimately forgotten by local story tellers.
Fifty years after the fact, Montgomery and
his cavalrymen were accused of cowardice
and said to have "run away without firing a
shot." The truth, as verified by both Northern
and Southern eyewitness accounts, is
somewhat different.
It has been alleged that Montgomery fled
and left the local volunteers and reservists
to fend for themselves, but under the
circumstances it is doubtful that there was
anything he could do. If he intended to
withdraw the local soldiers under the cover
of a cavalry screen, he never had the time -
and, besides, most of them were unwilling
to go. If his intent was to draw the charging
Federals into a trap, he definitely
succeeded. The trap (as described on the
next page), unfortunately, did not have the
firepower necessary to defeat the
well-armed and much larger Union force.
Not every Union officer was pleased with
Asboth's decision to immediately charge
the Confederate battle line. His second-in-
command, Colonel Ladislas L. Zulavsky of
the 82nd U.S. Colored Troops, later argued
the general should have shelled the town.
Zulavsky pointed out - with the benefit of
hindsight - that the main street was
barricade and heavily defended. He felt
Asboth should have used his two howitzers
to smash the defenders before charging.
Marianna became obscured by legend and
ultimately forgotten by local story tellers.
Fifty years after the fact, Montgomery and
his cavalrymen were accused of cowardice
and said to have "run away without firing a
shot." The truth, as verified by both Northern
and Southern eyewitness accounts, is
somewhat different.
It has been alleged that Montgomery fled
and left the local volunteers and reservists
to fend for themselves, but under the
circumstances it is doubtful that there was
anything he could do. If he intended to
withdraw the local soldiers under the cover
of a cavalry screen, he never had the time -
and, besides, most of them were unwilling
to go. If his intent was to draw the charging
Federals into a trap, he definitely
succeeded. The trap (as described on the
next page), unfortunately, did not have the
firepower necessary to defeat the
well-armed and much larger Union force.
Not every Union officer was pleased with
Asboth's decision to immediately charge
the Confederate battle line. His second-in-
command, Colonel Ladislas L. Zulavsky of
the 82nd U.S. Colored Troops, later argued
the general should have shelled the town.
Zulavsky pointed out - with the benefit of
hindsight - that the main street was
barricade and heavily defended. He felt
Asboth should have used his two howitzers
to smash the defenders before charging.
In 1864, Ely Corner marked
the far western edge of
Marianna. Today's
intersection of Lafayette,
Russ and St. Andrews
streets, the corner was
originally formed when the
Campbellton and St.
Andrews Bay roads merged
at the Ely estate. Unlike
today's busy four-lane, the old
roads were narrow country
lanes. At the corner, however,
they widened enough to allow
Col. Montgomery to deploy
his cavalry in a line of battle.
The first known casualty of
the Battle of Marianna, 2nd Lt.
Ellis W. Ayer of the 2nd Maine
Cavarly, was shot in the chest
as his unit approached "Mrs.
Ely's gate."
the far western edge of
Marianna. Today's
intersection of Lafayette,
Russ and St. Andrews
streets, the corner was
originally formed when the
Campbellton and St.
Andrews Bay roads merged
at the Ely estate. Unlike
today's busy four-lane, the old
roads were narrow country
lanes. At the corner, however,
they widened enough to allow
Col. Montgomery to deploy
his cavalry in a line of battle.
The first known casualty of
the Battle of Marianna, 2nd Lt.
Ellis W. Ayer of the 2nd Maine
Cavarly, was shot in the chest
as his unit approached "Mrs.
Ely's gate."
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
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| The History of Florida's Forgotten Civil War Battle |
$19.95
| The Battle of Marianna, Florida |
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