I'm trying to find my references. I do remember that years ago there was a lot of discussion on the twist and turns of Floridas decision to join the CSA. Florida had only been a state for around 15 years and the citizens were a mixed bag of cultures. Some were not quite comfortable with the 'state' status but that was pretty much the elder remaining citizens from the "old' Guard. Seems we with that Spanish blood are a stubborn lot. Pensacola was a maritime town and it was not large. There were people here from everywhere. We were far less "old South" in our thinking those days than just what is best for us type of ideas. There were also a number of Free Blacks. I think I read there were like just below 40% of the population was either Slave or Free Person of Color. With the brickyards and the sawmills going steady, work for anyone who was willing to show up for it was available.

In the early discussions, West Floridians were less bent on leaving the Union. They seemed not to find too many reasons why they should. I'm not as well schooled in the thought of East Floridians at that time but those in the middle were, for the most part, ranchers and farmers. One branch of my family came from South Carolina in the mid 1830's. It may have been some connection to South Carolina that caused so many of the boys from one family to sign up once they were forming an Army. I don't really know.

The talk of it all changed during and after Harper's Ferry. They started thinking that Brown was not alone on the Rampage Spree. That is when a lot of those who were not for leaving began having second thoughts. The Senatorial and House (can't remember all of them) election went to those who were not in favor of leaving. It was the events that John Brown caused that changed the entire tone in this part of nowhereville.

Pam