Thank you. My 'contact' with the SCV is out of town so I'm waiting to corner him when he gets home about just what they may be a doing. I know the annual Ball is still planned but not sure if there's anything else. This town has been going through some very nasty political things and mud slinging with most of the residents unhappy with anything they do. Sounds like the national level, and it is.

Gov. Perry was grabbing anyone and anything he could at the beginning. Florida was not prepared. The vote to leave the union in December was against leaving. He kept calling them back til they caved. Mallory and Yulee were trying to get the message across that there was going to be a war and Florida would be best served joining the Confederacy. As I said in an earlier post, Perry had asked the US to provide the arsenals and help in getting the Militia up to snuff way before the vote to leave. Congress did divvy up the money but it was never used to fill the arsenals. Perry was not sure the militia's were legal. Whatever that means. I'd think, if they were 'sworn' in at the state level, it would be legal but he didn't believe that. The arsenals in St Augustine, Marianna and I think around Jacksonville were taken by the "militia" but Pensacola was once again, a day late and a dollar short. Had it not been for the troops from Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, we probably would have been flying the US flag the entire time.

As much as we question his later actions, Gen. Bragg did get the troops trained and ready and they did try their best to keep the forts. Ft Pickens was at the mouth of the Pass with Barrancas just north on the land side and McRee to it's west just across the pass. They'd trade shots one day and trade tobacco another. There's that possiblity that Slemmer could not hold Pickens and the Confederate troops could have taken it if they ran out of stuff. It took a couple of ships off shore sending shot into McRee and destroying it to take the town. Then they occupied the town and Neil Dow took every piano he could get his hands on. He looted every house. One ship captain said he would not transport 'stolen' goods and had em tossed over the side. One of the prominant familys collection of silver is somewhere on the floor of Pensacola Bay.

Our old Christ Church, the oldest in Florida, was used as a stable for horses. Now, that was rude. One would think even those in blue would respect that place but they did not.

Pam