A Commemorative Medal

The Union Gillmore Medal given to men who fought in the Charleston, South Carolina area was first issued on October 28^th 1863.

The Gillmore Medal was named after Union Major General Quincy Adams Gillmore, who commanded the troops that attempted to re-take Fort Sumter in 1863.  The medal is sometimes also called the Fort Sumter Medal it commemorates the Union troops who fought in the Charleston, South Carolina area in 1863.  The Medal was presented to all the men who served under Gillmore’s command, and was first awarded on October 28^th 1863 by an order stating, “medals of honor for gallantry and meritorious conduct during the operations before Charleston".

The Gillmore Medal was suspended from a swivel without a ribbon, it attached to the uniform with a metal clasp.  The Medal was designed by the Ball, Black, and Company of New York City.  The Gillmore Medal was declared obsolete in 1905 when the Civil War Campaign Medal was created.

A Distraction

A part of the Operation Against the Defenses of Charleston, the Battle of Grimball’s Landing was fought July 16th 1863 in James Island, South Carolina.


In order to keep Confederate reinforcements from renewing the attack on Fort Wagner, Union Brigadier General Quincy Adams Gillmore made two maneuvers. He sent a force up the Stono River to move on the railroad bridge of the Charleston and Savannah Railroad, and another landing on James Island. The James Island force was a division under the command of Brigadier General Alfred Howe Terry. After landing on July 8th 1863, Terry made a few demonstration against the Confederates, but did not attack. The Confederates commanded by Brigadier General Johnson Hagood, attacked Terry’s men July 16th 1863 at Grimball’s Landing. Do to the swampy ground, and lack of good scouting the Confederate attack soon fell apart. Union troops pulled off the Island the next day.

The Large Clash In Florida

The largest battle fought in Florida was the Battle of Olustee fought on February 20th 1864.


Union Major General Quincy Adams Gillmore ordered an expedition into Florida in February 1864 to cut Confederate supply routes. Union Brigadier General Truman Seymour was placed in command of the expedition. Confederate Generals Alfred H Colquitt and Joseph Finegan were in command of the troops defending Florida.

Using the route of the Florida, Atlantic and Gulf Railroad, Seymour moved his 5,500 union soldiers toward Lake City, Florida. On the afternoon of February 20th 1864 they moved on the 5,000 Confederates commanded by Finegan and entrenched near Olustee Station. The two forces met at Ocean Pond. Seymour thinking these soldiers where the same as the Florida militia that he beaten easily before, sent in his troops piecemeal. Finegan and Seymour reinforced their committed troops placing the Union men under a withering line of rifle and cannon fire. The Union soldiers broke and retreated back to Jacksonville, Florida.

Union casualties in the Battle known as Olustee or Ocean Pond were 1,861 killed, wounded or missing. Confederate casualties were a lighter 946. The Union also lost 39 horses and 6 pieces of artillery.

For more information about this battle, check out the web site The Battle of Olustee

Fort Pulaski

Built before the Civil War by the US Army, Fort Pulaski was located near the mouth of the Savannah River. On April 10th 1862 Union Captain Quincy Adams Gillmore an engineer replaced artillery on the main land with the new rifled artillery and began a bombardment. Within a few hours the bombardment had caused a breach in the southeast side of the fort. Some of the shells started to get to the traverse that shielded the magsazine, realizing that it could explode confederate Colonel Charles H Olmstead surrendered shortly after two pm on the 11th.

Some other places you can look for more information
The Battle of Fort Pulaski