Fort Pickens sits on the western end of Santa Rosa Island, guarding the entrance to Pensacola Bay. Built in the 1830s, today it is part of the National Park System, and an interesting place to spend a morning as Laura and I did.
The fort completely controls access to the bay. Whoever holds it can allow or deny shipping into the southern United States. Unfortunately for the Confederacy, Fort Pickens was held by the Union throughout the Civil War. Heavy coastal guns like this 32 pounder prevented any hope of supply for the Confederate Army.
Most ordnance has been removed, but remains of several batteries illustrate the power of the fort.
Fort Pickens housed newer batteries to protect the bay during the Second World War. I didn't visit these emplacements. I was surprised to find that a civil war fort did service in modern wars.
I came across this mortar. It puzzled me. I can't see how such a weapon would be effective in repulsing a naval attack. Better for attacking the fort, I thought, not defending it.
Fort Pickens reopened as a national park only recently. Hurricane Ivan (2004) damaged the facility and the National Seashore infrastructure as well as a whole lot of Pensacola itself. Skeletal trees killed by the hurricane line the access road.
Power is due to be restored next week. Meanwhile, the fort's electricity needs are met by diesel generators.
Brief actions occurred at the fort at the beginning of the Civil war. The South was unable to dislodge Northern soldiers and abandoned Pensacola, troops being badly needed in Virginia and elsewhere.
The only other notable use for Fort Pickens was to house Geronimo after his surrender.
Comments