k
Former Battle Site
’•tee of the battles of the Civil war was fought between Green Cove
Springs end Middleburg* three and one-half miles vest of Old Toro, It
vas called the battle of Tiger Head* Captain Dickinson vas leading the
Confederate soldiers* The Yankees vere successful and among the South»
era soldiers that they captured vas Wash Bran ing, He vas sontereed
to be shot in front of Mrs* Bill Knight’s house* There vere two Enight
girls* Sue and Rhode* The Yankee guard allowed Sr arming to go to the
'
do r of the Knight house to give Sue his old fashioned vatoh* He
handed it to her* jumped the high gate* tore off his clothes and jumped
into Blaok Creek* He vas reported drowned by the Yankees* Late that
night he want to Tom Dilabury** and got do the*,*
Clay and St* Johns counties were part of Duval eounty in those days
and court was held at St* Augustine* In 18*r* more than sevan hundred
people lived in Middleburg* Later the courthouse was moved there and
it was known as Webster* Before the Civil War two of the largest slave
holders were George Branding and Osias A* Buddington, Buddington was
a sea oaptaln* He vas bom November 28* 1796* and disd August 2t|* 1886*
His renains rest in the old family cemetery at Middleburg* G* A, Prevatt
vas also one of the old settlera* going to Middleburg in 1851*
When Middleburg vas in its prime of business* the leading store*
vere owned by W* Warrick, Cart, John C* Richard* Peters Hsvs* Jesse
*
banning and Thomas Hedge » There **■•* tee churches in the town,
Cetholie and Methodist, The old bell for the Methodist ohuroh vas bought