This past Jan. 14th, a candle light tour was held at Fort Barrancas, one of the forts built to protect Pensacola Harbor. It was constructed from 1839-1844 and is still intact with 30,000 visitors a year and part of the Gulf Islands national seashore. Nearby Fort Pickens was built between 1829 and 1834. Fort McRae 1835-1839and the Advanced Redoubt 1845-1859 round out Pensacola's fortifications. However, funds ran out for this last one and it was never finished. All of the forts were abandoned by the US military after WW II.
There were two Civil War bombardments: Nov. 22nd-23rd, 1861, and Jan. 1, 1862. The first one involved two US Naval ships and 5000 Union shells fired at Fort McRae. The Jan. 1st one was more of an accident. After celebrating the New Year, a Confederate soldier fired at Fort Pickens, sparking a bombardment.
A Little-Known Arena of the War. --B-R
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
