The saga of the War Between the States in Florida is not well known beyond the borders of the �Sunshine State,� except the actions within the third state to secede from the Union were quite prominent: the battles of Olustee and Natural Bridge; the sinking of the USS Columbine on the St. Johns River; Gen. William Birney�s Raid; the intrepid Cow Cavalry; Confederate spy sisters Lola, Panchita, and Eugenia S�nchez; and the �flight into oblivion� of the Confederate cabinet members. Following the war, in the midst of Reconstruction, many veterans from both sides of the Mason-Dixon packed what remained of their lives and traveled to the warm climate of the �Eastern Frontier� to begin a new life. This book serves as a memorial and tribute to those courageous veterans and their families who endured through this tumultuous time in American history. In the eloquent words of Capt. John Jackson Dickison, �Florida may be justly proud of her gallant sons; wherever her standard has been borne, they have covered it with glory, and, with their heart�s blood, secured for her an honorable position among her sister states.�