Running the Blockade: Money-- Dram Tree-- Golden Gate Forts

Running the Blockade: Some New News About an Old War.


1. MONEY-- Congress allocates $9 million to Civil War Battlefield Preservation Programs. It was created in 1999 and since then has saved 15,000 acres at 160 battlefields in 14 states. And this is not counting lands save by the Civil War Preservation Trust. Always a good thing.


2. DRAM TREE-- On the Cape Fear River was located about two miles south of Wilmington, NC. Crews on ships had their first draw of grog when outward bound and last dram on the way in. I was unable to determine if it still exists, but the Wilmington Convention Center Arts Committee is having a competition for a sculpture of it which will be located outside the center.


3. GOLDEN GATE FORTS-- Two of the Union forts that were supposed to protect San Francisco during the war were Alcatraz and Fort Point. Alcatraz was begun on the island in 1853 and completed in 1858. By 1861, it mounted 85 cannons which increased to 105 by 1866. It also served as San Francisco's arsenal to prevent Confederate sympathizers from getting the weapons and ammunition.

Fort Point is located at the southern end of the Golden Gate and was built 1853-1861. The CSS Shenandoah had plans of attacking the SF forts, but dropped them when they learned the war was over.

So, Now You Know. --B-R'er