Giving the number of Floridians at around 140,000 in 1860, and nearly half were slaves, it's no wonder Gov. Perry had to ask Alabama's Gov. Moore for some help at the western end of the state. Pensacola had a population of about 2, 876 and just under 40% were free Blacks.
Slemmer probably would have been ok at Barrancas had he known the real situation but moving to Pickens did keep anyone from aiding Pensacola by ship. The Confederate troops that came from Alabama came by rail from Montgomery and then there was about 40 miles where there was no track so they marched to Pollard and then came in by train. Slemmer left the back porch light on for them.
Do you have a copy of Pensacola in the Civil War by Pearce? I'm seeing the messages as they were sent on both sides before Florida left the U and the groundwork that was being set in place by Mallory and Yulee. Yulee was able to get a list of officers and the number of troops in the forts in the state but Mallory and Yulee asked for a list of stores and ammo and were denied because giving them that info was not in the best interest of the United States. Yulee wired Mallory about Sumter. Yulee was in DC, Mallory was in Florida. Now, if Mallory were here, and the telegram were received here, could the infomation also have been given to Slemmer?
A few weeks ago there were a couple of mentions of the anniversary of the CW in our local paper. There was one op-ed piece that everyone knew wouldn't be worth the reading because the writer is a definite leftie. He has little respect for any history beyond when the VW Van was introduced and cheeseburgers were 15cents. He said the Civil War was just a blip here. Nothing of note. Our area resident historian and former news editor and a great political cartoonist wrote a very nice article on why we need to at least remember our history. Another sort of bland article was by a person I can't name but has been on our state board here on Jim's site. Maybe I'm just cynical but I'm not feeling the real interest in the open public around here. I do know there are a lot of 'closet' Rebels. Sad but true. There are some from the families who left to take the county seat to Greenville, Alabama til the unpleasantness was over. Not sure it was ever really over. Some of them had ancestor's in the units from Escambia County but the majority of those in the UDC and the SCV have ancestors who were not in local units. One of my lines was here from the beginning but only a GGUncle was in the Confederate Army. My other ancestors were in Alabama units and one was in the 8th Florida. None were here when the war began. That may be where a 'disconnect' is located. I don't know. What I do know is there were a number of individuals here who have an amazing story in their own right.
Anyway, In thinking on the lack of real interest, it hit me ----- What is not said is after the war, there was a great migration into the area. That migration brought many Confederate Vets who were displaced after the war and they brought their wife n kids here because the lumber was a boooooooming. Big time job opportunity and they could not let it pass them by. They may not have started out here, but they ended here and left a bunch of us grands who need to know their story and to make sure they are not forgotten.
Pam