Col. J. J. Dickison, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 11.2, Florida
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[47] were soon on the line of march for the first time to meet the invaders of Florida soil. On their arrival scouts were sent out to reconnoiter, who reported that a strong picket-guard was stationed at the ‘Brick church.’ A small command under Lieutenant Strange of the Third Florida was ordered to capture the guard, if possible without bloodshed. Thus began the first encounter in which this regiment engaged. The Federal picket guard, though about half our number, wounded several of our men before they gave up the post. It was in this engagement that Lieutenant Strange was mortally wounded. Soon after the enemy retired to the gunboats and Jacksonville was evacuated. It would have been of no advantage to the Confederates to occupy the town, as the gunboats could have at any time shelled the place and destroyed many homes of helpless citizens who were unable to leave. The regiment soon returned to its encampment near Tallahassee, remaining there a short time, when it was ordered to Chattanooga to join the army of Tennessee under Gen. Braxton Bragg.

The Second Florida cavalry, made up of prominent citizens from all parts of the State, was not organized into a regiment until after the evacuation of Fernandina. As independent companies they had been doing valuable service in defense of the middle, western and eastern portions of the State. Prominent among the squadrons operating in west and middle Florida, supporting Dunham's, Abel's and Gamble's artillery, was Col. George W. Scott's battalion. Two companies had been detached and assigned to duty on the west side of the Chattahoochee river to protect the country lying between that point and Pensacola from raiding expeditions. Independent companies under Captains Thigpen, Smith, Blocker, Milton, with Partridge's, Leigh's, Smith's, Turner's and Pickett's independent cavalry, assisted by several other independent companies, were employed for the protection of other important points lying on the west side of the