Joshua D. O'Hern was an early settler of Clay County, Florida, which is situated on the opposite side of the St. Johns River from Mandarin Point where the MAPLE LEAF was sunk. Clay County records indicate that O'Hern was a planter and involved in property transactions in the communities of Orange Park, Fleming Island, and Magnolia in the years 1853-1860.¹ He was identified in the 1860 census as being 35 years old and married with two young daughters.

O'Hern enlisted as a lieutenant in the Second Florida Battalion at Jacksonville in February, 1863.² He was also sheriff of Clay County during the period 1863 -1865.³ On the night of March 30, 1864, he helped Capt. E. Pliny Bryan place a dozen mines in the St. Johns River off Mandarin Point, one of which led to the sinking of the MAPLE LEAF on the morning of April 1. The Federals got wind of his involvement possibly by Union sympathizers of which there were many in Clay County. Also O'Hern's homestead was located between Doctors Inlet and Black Creek, not far from the site of the explosion, so as a prominent secessionist and Confederate officer, he was a likely suspect.

A letter dated June 7, 1864, describing the Union Army's response to information "that loads of torpedoes have been sent by the rebels to Fleming's Island..." was sent by Major Edelmiro Mayer of the Jacksonville A.A.A.G. and C. of  S. to Colonel James Shaw. An excerpt from the letter follows:

        You are therefore directed to send a force of men, not exceeding 200, for the purpose of scouring completely the island and point above-mentioned, capturing any rebel scouts or pickets or torpedo layers and especially one O'Hern, and causing all loyal inhabitants to remove to the east side of the St. John's, and all the disloyal to remove west and within the lines of the enemy.⁴

In June 1864, Lt. O'Hern and his unit had already been sent to join the Florida regiments fighting with the Army of Northern Virginia in the vicinity of Richmond.⁵ At home, his wife got word that the Federals were coming after her and the children to move them to Jacksonville so she loaded her family and some things onto an ox cart and fled. The family homestead was burned.⁶

Another event in the family history relates to Lt. O'Hern's exploits on the Battle of Cold Harbor in June 1864. One afternoon, the wounded could not be evacuated and "were suffering fearfully from want of water." Lt. O'Hern gathered a dozen canteens and crossed over open ground behind the trenches with bullets flying all around him in order to fill them at a stream. On his return "On came O'Hern watched by thousands of eager eyes. At length he came within fifty yards of the Confederate breastworks, when from the Federal lines went up such [a cheer] as reached the Angels of Peace, who smiled from above, a cheer that was taken up by a fervor... "⁷ After his death by a steam boiler explosion (date unknown), it was said of his action at Cold Harbor". .. he left behind him an instance of the highest type of heroism, which will remain forever engraven upon the tablets of the memories of all who witnessed the scene. "⁸

ENDNOTES

1. Blakey, Arch Fredric, "Parade of Memories, A History of Clay County, Florida", Pg. 275-277, 1976, reprinted with additional chapter, 1995. "Blakey'"

2. Hartman, David W., Biographical Rosters of Confederate and Union Soldiers, 1861-1865." V 01. III, Pg. 1225, Broadfoot Publishing Co.,1995,Wilmington, N.C. "Hartman"

3. Official Records of Clay County, Florida

4. OR  Series 1, v 35, Pt. 2, pg. 116

5. O'Hern's regiment was the Eleventh Florida Infantry. See "Blakey", Pg. 281.
    For actions of Florida regiments at Cold Harbor see:
    Furguson. Ernest B. "Not War But Murder, Cold Harbor, 1864", Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 2000

6. Hartman Pgs, 1225 & 2479
    also, Clay County Archives, O'Hern file

7. ibid Hartman

8. Clay County Archives, O'Hern file

James W. Towart
April 26, 2001
Research by Claude W. Bass III, Clay County Archivist