"A Heinous Sin" The 1864 Brooksville Bayport Raid

Of all of the minor military actions during the Civil War in Florida, the Brooksville-Bayport Raid is one of the best known. Conducted in July 1864 as a joint army-navy venture, the raid disrupted Confederate cattle supplies and destroyed the livelihoods of local Hernando County citizens. Although the basis of a popular annual re-enactment, the raid has not, until now, been the subject of its own dedicated history. This is the first time the Brooksville-Bayport Raid has received the critical attention it is due. This analysis of the raid draws upon a variety of resources to create an engaging narrative that places the events within the context of the war, examining its origins as well as its effects.