The Florida Cow Cavalry

History of The Florida Cow Cavalry

By: Martha Sue Skinner

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During the 1860’s, there was an abundance of wild cattle roaming the frontier ranges of Florida.  The Spanish had brought these cattle to Florida as they settled in St. Augustine in the 1500’s.  Florida used this abundance of beef in 1863 to supply a large amount of it to the Confederacy.  However increasing Federal incursions into the state greatly hindered those efforts, causing very little of the precious contraband to get through to the starving troops.

Other groups were also making Confederate operations in the Tampa Bay area difficult.  Historian Ernest Robinson called these groups, “marauding parties who were making war on the thinly settled villages from Cedar Key southward”.  “These groups were looked upon as little better than pirates, as they robbed all ages and sexes”. 

As the Confederate armies to the north were slowly starving, a decision was made by authorities in Florida to combat this situation.  Special units of cowmen were formed on the Florida frontier, to help fight off the Federals and a large number of Confederate deserters that aided them.

Known as “The Cow Cavalry, 1^st Battalion Florida, Special Cavalry; there were nine companies with approximately nine hundred men.  These men protected the cattle from the Federal raiders and rustlers.  They also oversaw the cattle drives that supplied the Confederate Army, as far north as Savannah and Charleston.

One of the companies, Capt. John T. Lesley’s Co. B 1^st Battalion, Florida Special Cavalry, was formed here in our area of Hillsborough County, Florida.  They were stationed in Ichepucksassa, (Plant City), and patrolled an areas from Lake Okeechobee to Bayport in Hernando, County. 

April 1864 saw the first engagement with Federal forces at Bowlegs Creek in Polk County.  This cost the Sandpipers, as some called them, their 1^st casualties when two of the men were killed.  Second skirmish against the Federal forces, this time at 12 Mile Creek, Lesley leading only 19 men, reportedly attacked a force of 109 and in the brief, but bitter battle, routed them successfully.

 Battle at Bowlegs Creek Reenactment

(We participated in the tiny reenactment of this skirmish about 15 minutes from where we live)

The night of July 10, 1864 saw the third incident with Union troops.  From Lesley’s own account, these brave men of the “Cow Cavalry” attacked a force of 800 Yankee soldiers, who were burning and destroying property on their march.  Lesley’s grandson, Theodore Lesley gave a more detailed description of his grandfather’s part in this engagement and its aftermath.  “In the year 1864, the Yankees made a landing at Bayport, the few Confederates were instrumental in keeping them from reaching Brooksville, but they nevertheless, did much damage in burning homes.  After they had turned, and were making back to their boats, the Southerners decided to lay a trap for them.  They split up into two opposite sides and awaited for the Federals.  Capt. Hope, (Lt. David Hope), and his men were fist to arrive and station themselves.  Shortly afterwards they heard and saw movements across the way, and opened fire.” 

John T. Lesley’s “Cow Cavalry”, would take part later in an abortive raid in February of 1865 on Ft. Myers, which at the time was a major Union base of operations in South Florida.  200 or so of Lesley’s men and two other area companies of Cow Cavalry, all under the command of Major William Footman, slogged through rainy weather to reach the Fort on February 20; after an inconclusive artillery duel between the two sides, the Confederates withdrew from the area, hungry and demoralized, they marched back, 175 miles on foot, without food or supplies.

Before the final collapse of the Confederacy one last adventure awaited the Lesley’s.  In May of 1865, a bearded man in Brooksville inquiring for the home of Rev. Lesley.  He revealed his identity as Judah P. Benjamin, Secretary of State for the late Confederacy.  He was seeking their aid, as he was in fear for his life and needed to escape.  Benjamin was carried to Ellenton, Florida, where he was hidden away at the Gamble Mansion. 

 Aunt Beth, Mama, and Granddaddy at the Gamble Mansion

He remained there until a seaworthy boat was obtained; boarding in Sarasota; Benjamin begins his voyage that took him to the Bahamas and then to England, where he remained the rest of his life.

 The “Cow Cavalry” faded into the mist of history and legend, as a long and difficult period in our history came to an end.