Just a reminder to everyone that today, September 27th, is the anniversary of the 1864 Battle of Marianna. The battle took place when 700 Union troops from Pensacola commanded by Brigadier General Alexander Asboth attacked Confederates at Marianna. The Southern forces consisted of men and boys from Jesse Norwood's Marianna Home Guard, Henry Robinson's Greenwood Club Cavalry, A.R. Godwin's Campbellton Cavalry, W.W.cPoe's Company C of the 1st Florida Reserves (Mounted) and Robert Chisolm's cavalry company from the Alabama State Militia (later Company I, 5th Florida Cavalry). Also present were some citizen volunteers, sick and wounded Confederates from the Marianna Post Hospital and a few men from George Robinson's East Jackson County Home Guard (most of his men, however, did not reach town in time for the fighting). The Union forces consisted of three battalions from the 2nd Maine Cavalry, one battalion from the 1st Florida U.S. Cavalry, around 75 picked men from the 82nd and 86th U.S. Colored Infantries and one man from the 7th Vermont Veteran Volunteers. Although the battle was a tactical Union victory, Northern officers wrote that it was one of the most intense fights they experienced in the war. Many participants later remembered Marianna as the sharpest engagement, for its size, they saw during the entire War Between the States. Eighteen men were either killed outright or died from their wounds, several dozen were wounded and 44 local citizens and 8 Union soldiers were captured as prisoners of war. More than 600 enslaved laborers from Jackson, Washington, Holmes and Walton Counties were liberated as a result of the battle and the economy and culture of Marianna and the region was forever changed. It is always good, even just once each year, to pause to remember the men of both sides who gave their lives on this date to help make our great country what it is today. For those with interest, the Jackson County Times newspaper will publish a special issue today looking back at the Battle of Marianna with numerous articles on the battle and its impact. And, as always, you can also visit my website at www.battleofmarianna.net to learn more. Best, Dale Cox