This is probably posted elsewhere on this site but I found this interesting...
QuoteIn 1823, the Spanish government validated John Hogans' claim to the Springfield tract, known as "Hogans' Donation." It was purchased in succession by three of Jacksonville's most prominent early settlers: William G. Dawson, Colonel John Warren, and Isaiah D. Hart. Although Hart sold the tract in 1846, the original parcel remained intact until after the Civil War when 54 acres were carved out to become the suburbs of Hansontown and Franklintown....
http://www.coj.com/Departments/Regulatory+Boards+and+Commissions/Historic+Preservation+Commission/History+of+Springfield.htm
There was a big civil war camp here wasn't there? I believe I read an article that spoke to the camp. I have also heard people have found civil war artifacts when digging in the yards around here. Unfortunately all I ever found was old knob and tube, shotgun shells, and some rusty tools :'(
It was the Spanish American war, all along Ionia and in what is now Confederate Park there were about 10,000 troops.
Okay, now I want to go dig up my yard.....
jacksonville was VERY happy to host the troops, having actually send representatives to congress to petition that Jax be used as a staging ground. Our Sheriff (and later Florida Governor) Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, was a supporter of the rebellion, and used to use his tug boat The Three Sisters to run guns to Cuba. Most Americans cant tell you what century the Spanish American war happened, but if there was ever a war that Jacksonville owned, that was it.
Ionia was used because it was mostly undeveloped (Pre-great fire), and had easy access to Rail (still does).
The down side was, when the Yellow Fever epidemic hit it hit the troops pretty hard too. I don't remember the exact number, but I want to say 200-300 or so troops died of Yellow Fever while stationed in Springfield.
http://www.spanamwar.com/campcubalibre.htm
According to this site, it was actually in the neighborhood of 30,000 troops.
That's pretty interesting....thanks for sharing.
This soldiers diary link that mentions his time in Jacksonville is very interesting...\
http://www.spanamwar.com/9thIllinoisKniffen.html#Camp%20Cuba%20Libre
Letter number one is hilarious... soldiers never change... :D
http://www.spanamwar.com/49thiowamullin.htm#cubalibre
Here is a photo. If I am not mistaken, the Iowa regiment was the one at what is now Confederate Park. You can tell :-)
(http://www.iptv.org/iowapathways/images/a_000708_large.jpg)
http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sunnyann/gallery-26.html
(http://freepages.military.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sunnyann/daarjasw-michinftcok.jpg)