Florida
is not commonly associated with Civil War battles. I’ve already written on the
Battle of Olustee, the largest and bloodiest confrontation in the state between
Union and Confederate forces. While Florida is rightly seen as a sideshow
theatre for most of the Civil War, it was considered important in 1861. One of
the few remaining Federal outposts on southern soil in earl 1861 was Fort
Pickens, situated on Santa Rosa Island in Pensacola Harbor. Secessionists had
been trying to get the Federals to evacuate, and at times seriously considered
an assault that would have made Pickens, not Sumter, the name associated with
the start of the war.
Facing
a heavy Federal blockade, the Confederates were keen to dislodge the Union
presence on Santa Rosa Island. If they did so, they could construct more naval
vessels and even send them out to challenge the blockade. In October of 1861
the Confederates launched their only major offensive action against the island,
resulting in one of the few Floridian battles.
Across the Bay
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| General Braxton Bragg |
As the war continued to shape up throughout 1861, Confederate president Jefferson Davis put his personal friend General Braxton Bragg in charge of Florida. Davis may have thought that this was a prime posting for his old army pal, as Fort Pickens remained a high-profile target. If it was taken, the harbor could be freed for both ship construction and naval operations. Bragg, however, was more concerned with his defensive obligations, expressing to his wife “This is a fearful responsibility.” He had to defend Florida with just 6,000 men. On a professional level he would much rather be in charge of the more important and critical New Orleans. Regardless of where he was, he would need success to advance his career friend, and he wrote to Davis for reinforcements. The president got him several regiments of additional men. Bragg’s numbers swelled to about 8,100 men, and these made up the Army of the Pensacola.[1]
Bragg’s main focus remained Pensacola and its access to the sea. The Pensacola Navy Yard was one of only three shipyards in the South. Its entrance was protected by three Forts. Two of them, McRae and Barrancas, were on the mainland. McRae was to the west of Santa Rosa Island. Barrancas was to the north, west of Warrington and the Naval Yard. All along the coast which ended in the Naval Yard, Bragg had placed batteries. The third, Fort Pickens, was on Santa Rosa Island. Thanks to its separation from the main landmass, the island and fort were still held by Union troops.[2]
