| Cadet Corps, Florida Military Institute |
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Plans for higher education in Florida began in 1823 when the legislative council of the territory set aside for sale onetownship in East Florida and one in West Florida to support seminaries. In 1851, the State Legislature authorized the all-maleSeminary West of the Suwannee. The property of the Florida Institute in Tallahassee (created in 1851) was offered to the stateas a site for its new western seminary. The Legislature accepted the offer and the first classes were held in 1857. In 1858females were admitted in a separate department called the Female Institute which operated, with its own Principal, until 1882when the Seminary became coeducational.
During the Civil War, the 1863 Legislature passed an act changing the institution's name to the Florida Military andCollegiate Institute. Cadets from this institute fought in the Battle of Natural Bridge south of Tallahassee in 1865. As a resultof this participation, Florida State University's ROTC unit is entitled to add a battle streamer to its ROTC unit flag. It is one ofonly three university ROTC units in the U.S. to have this distinction. In summer 1865, Federal troops occupied the Seminarybuildings. The Female Department, inactive during the war, resumed activity in 1866.
Johnson was commissioned as a captain and served as Superintendent of the Florida Military Institute (West Florida Seminary), now known as Florida State University. He was appointed a colonel near the close of the War.
http://www.ir.fsu.edu/Factbooks/2002-03/History.pdf
Here's What's Available. | ||
| Florida General Research | ||
| Dickison, Gen. J. J. Confederate Military History - Florida Volume | $35.00  | $15.00 |
| Rigdon, John C.: The Civil War in Florida | $35.00 | |
| Rigdon, John C.: Florida Civil War Soldiers Index | $15.00 | |
