See Confederate Civil War Defenses at Suwannee River State Park
Suwannee River State Park is located in north central Florida between Tallahassee and Jacksonville. The park has a wonderful campground, incredible bird-watching opportunities, and a long history.
The history drew my wife and me there during a late January road trip through Florida. We got there on a midweek afternoon. We had a campground reservation, but to my surprise, the campground was nearly full.
It was beautiful weather outside—warm enough to be comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt. After pitching camp, we headed across a nearby parking lot to the Earthworks Trail.
Hiking the Earthworks Trail in Suwannee River State Park
This was the trail we wanted to hike in the park. The Earthworks Trail is about a half mile and is pretty level. The trailhead is located a short walk from the campground, but there is a parking lot right next to it if you are not camping.
As we started down the trail, we passed some old steamboat parts and a few great views of the Suwannee River. Soon, we came to the Earthworks, which were very easy to make out. We could clearly see where the trench was and the earthen mound to protect the soldiers.
Civil War History along the Suwannee River
In 1863, Confederate Troops were tasked with defending a key railroad crossing along the Suwannee River. The crossing was vital in ensuring that much-needed supplies reached other Confederate soldiers. When word arrived that the Union army was advancing to destroy the railroad bridge, Confederate troops, using shovels and wooden carts, built earthworks along this trail to defend the bridge.
These defensive works would never see battle. In February of 1864, Union General Truman Seymour left Jacksonville with some 5,000 troops. The goal was to destroy the Suwannee River railroad bridge to cut off supplies and disrupt commerce. Then, march to Tallahassee and capture the Confederate Capitol of Florida. Interestingly, Tallahassee was the only Confederate Capitol that never fell into the Union army.
While rebel soldiers waited here in anxious anticipation of battle, Union generals bickered over strategy, which allowed time for Confederate reinforcements to arrive. Union troops were turned back 50 miles east of here at the Battle of Olustee, leaving the earthworks at Suwannee River State Park to tell the tale of the battle that never came.
Other historical facts
Before the Civil War, the area already had a rich history. Native Americans used this area for up to 12,000 years. De Soto’s party passed through when the Spanish controlled the land in 1540. In 1818, Andrew Jackson led American soldiers through here, searching for Indian camps believed to be responsible for raiding settlers.
The history along this trail is enough to visit this excellent park. We spent about 45 minutes on this trail, taking our time and appreciating the history. We saw plenty of songbirds and waterbirds near the riverbanks. The campground was quite nice as well. We thoroughly enjoyed our night there.
