Col. C. J. Munnerlyn The Battle of Fort Myers was fought on February 20, 1865, in Lee County, Florida during the last months of the American Civil War.

[citation needed] Fort Myers was used as a refugee center for escaped slaves and Union sympathizers who were being persecuted by the secessionists.

The fort was garrisoned primarily by the 2nd Florida Cavalry (made up mostly of refugees who had enlisted)[clarification needed], a recently detached company of the 110th New York Volunteer Infantry, and a company from the 2nd United States Colored Infantry, both from Fort Zachary Taylor in Key West.

This cattle guard battalion, commanded by Col. C. J. Munnerlyn, was made up of cattlemen who were exempt from the regular Confederate Army; among them was Captain Francis A.

[3] In early February 1865, Captain Hendry's Company of the Cattle Guard Battalion was deployed at Fort Meade.

Three companies (between 275 and 400 men) and one 12-pounder artillery piece arrived at old Fort Thompson (LaBelle, Florida) on February 19.