The American Civil War is by far the bloodiest war in U.S. history with a death toll of around 620,000 – which came from battle, disease, infection, and starvation. In comparison, 60,000 soldiers were either killed or went MIA during the Vietnam War, which went on for almost twenty years, while the Civil War went on for five. During the Civil War, Florida was sought after and exchanged hands between the Confederate and Federal Army multiple times.

On this day, in 1864, Federal troops occupy Jacksonville, Florida. Federal troops, the union’s army, had roughly 2.5 to 2.7 million troops, while the Confederate army had about half that. The reason why Jacksonville was a constant source of conflict was because it provided soldiers with food, as Jacksonville was known for its husbandry.

Much is known about the battles of the American Civil War and the thousands of men who fell from guns and blades. Lesser known is the starvation that struck soldiers; thus, control over food sources was essential to the war effort. Post war, Jacksonville had been tattered and berated by the constant warfare. Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and has a population of over 1.3 Million.