McGirts Creek Bridge

Visited Camp Milton today. The camp was among the most significant fortifications built in Florida by Confederate authorities during the Civil War. Located west of McGirts Creek, Camp Milton became the eastern Florida military headquarters for the Confederate States of America (CSA), housing 6,000 infantry; 1,500 calvary; and 430 field pieces.

Designed and built in 1864 under the supervision of military engineer, Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard, Camp Milton was constructed of earth and wood in the course of several weeks.

The goal of these fortification was to block Union advances along Old Plank Road and the Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central Railroad (FA&GC) toward Baldwin, Florida, which served as an important Confederate supply center and railhead. Following the Federal defeat at the Battle of Olustee, Camp Milton briefly protected North Florida's primary transportation networks and an agricultural region critical to the Confederate war effort.

McGirts Creek bridge replicates the crude fashion in which bridges were commonly built during the Civil War. These bridges were necessary, as the terrain was very difficult to move troops over. It is said that soldiers, many of whom did not even have shoes to protect their feet, would often sink up to their knees in mud when attempting to pass through these creeks.

Zeiss Planar T* ZE 1,4/50. B&W conversion in Silver Efex Pro.

The history comes from the Camp Milton Web site.

I am off to watch Ken Burns The Civil War again on PBS.