The most intense fighting of the battle took place around St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Even after the surrender of the last organized group of Confederate defenders, a sharp skirmish continued between Federal troops and a small number of men who holed up in the church and two adjacent houses and wouldn't come out. Colonel L.L. Zulavsky of the 82nd U.S.C.T., who assumed command after the wounding of General Asboth, ordered the Confederates burned out and the church and two homes went up in flames. Four Confederates were burned to death. A Union officer, Major Nathan Cutler of the 2nd Maine, ran into the burning church and saved the Bible from the fire

This marker, on the grounds of St. Luke's Church, magnifies the size of the Union force while minimizing the size of the Confederate command. In reality, there were just under 700 Federal soldiers at Marianna (from the 2nd Maine Cavalry, 1st Florida U.S. Cavalry, 82nd U.S.C.T. and 86th U.S.C.T. along with one volunteer officer from the 7th Vermont). The Confederate force consisted of around 300 to 400 men and boys from the 5th Florida Cavalry, 15th Confederate Cavalry, 1st Florida Reserves and various local volunteer companies

The battle ended when about 50 of the Confederates escaped across the Chipola River on the eastern edge of town and tore up the flooring of the bridge to prevent the Federals from following. An exchange of fire took place across the river here, but the Union forces did not attempt to cross. Through the night, Confederate reinforcements arrived but when they moved back into town the following morning, the Federals were gone