The Calhoun County War, Part Three

For the last several days I've been posting about an unusual and violent event that took place in Northwest Florida during the days leading up to the Civil War. If you would like to read the previous posts first, just scroll down the page and then come back to this posting.

Following the Regulator attacks on the Durdens and Musgroves, fighting quickly spread through much of Calhoun County. Local legend holds that a significant gun battle took place on the grounds of the courthouse in Abe Springs and other attacks and reprisals rippled across the landscape.

It did not take long for news of all this to reach the home of U.S. District Judge McQueen McIntosh at West Wynnton, a small community on the Apalachicola River south of Blountstown. Alarmed by the severity of the outbreak, Judge McIntosh spread the alarm to Marianna and Circuit Judge Jesse J. Finley. Immediately upon receiving the call for help from McIntosh, Judge Finley set out for Calhoun County with his solicitor (prosecutor) W.D. Barnes.

It is interesting to note that all three of these men soon would be serving important positions with the Confederacy. Judge McIntosh because a C.S. District Judge. Judge Finley, giving up the practice of law for the practice of arms, became a Confederate general who served in some of the heaviest fighting of the war. W.D. Barnes became the lieutenant colonel of the 1st Florida Infantry Reserves and fought at the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida in March of 1865.

Upon reaching West Wynnton, Finley and Barnes met with Judge McIntosh and other officials and learned more about the situation in Calhoun County. Concerned over the spreading danger, they helped arrange the evacuation of the women and children from McIntosh's home and then attempted to meet with the leaders of the Regulators to arrange a truce.

The Regulators, however, refused to end their attacks and threatened to exterminate numerous other Calhoun County families. They warned that they could muster as many as 500 men by calling in reinforcements from other locations. The Durden and Musgrove party, on the other hand, had fewer than 60 men in arms and were in danger of being massacred.

Unable to bring the fighting to a peaceful resolution, Judge Finley declared that an insurrection was underway in Calhoun County. He dispatched a courier to Marianna with orders for Brig. Gen. W.E. Anderson of the Florida Militia to call out the First Brigade of the State Militia (today's National Guard). Judge McIntosh also dispatched a message to Apalachicola, calling U.S. Deputy Marshal H.K. Simmons to Calhoun County with instructions to prepare to serve such processes as ordered by the court.

The stage was now set for a showdown between the Florida Militia and the U.S. Government on one side and the Regulators of Calhoun County on the other.

We will continue our postings on the "Calhoun County War" tomorrow.