Fort Pickens: Difference between revisions
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Construction was supervised by Col. [[William Chase]]. | Construction was supervised by Col. [[William Chase]]. | ||
==[[U.S. Civil War]]== | |||
Florida left the Union 10 Jan 1861 and secessionists seized [[Fort Barrancas]], [[Fort McRee]] and the [[Advanced Redoubt]], only Fort Pickens remained in Union hands and it effectively blocked Confederate use of Pensacola Harbor. The [[6th New York Volunteer Infantry]] landed on Santa Rosa Island in Jun 1861 and encamped at [[Camp Brown]], about one mile east of Fort Pickens. The [[Camp Brown]] was attacked in Oct 1861 by Confederate forces who destroyed most of the camp before being driven off by regulars from Fort Pickens. On 22-23 Nov 1861 and 1 Jan 1862 Fort Pickens and it's exterior batteries came under bombardment from Confederate held forts and batteries. By May 1862 Confederate forces had abandoned attempts to take Fort Pickens, withdrawn from the Pensacola area and all of the Pensacola Harbor defenses were returned to Union control. | |||
Fort Pickens was not attacked again during the remainder of the war and served as a prison for military and political prisoners. | |||
==Post [[U.S. Civil War]]== | |||
Apache Indian chief [[Geronimo]] was imprisoned in Fort Pickens 1886-1887. | Apache Indian chief [[Geronimo]] was imprisoned in Fort Pickens 1886-1887. | ||
Revision as of 10:59, 16 March 2008
Fort Pickens (1829-1947) - Construction began in 1829 and was completed in 1934. Originally designed by Simon Bernard and named after Gen. Andrew Pickens. Decommissioned in 1947.
Fort Pickens History
Constructed to provide protection for the entrance to Pensacola Harbor along with Fort Barrancas, Fort McRee and the Advanced Redoubt.
Construction was supervised by Col. William Chase.
U.S. Civil War
Florida left the Union 10 Jan 1861 and secessionists seized Fort Barrancas, Fort McRee and the Advanced Redoubt, only Fort Pickens remained in Union hands and it effectively blocked Confederate use of Pensacola Harbor. The 6th New York Volunteer Infantry landed on Santa Rosa Island in Jun 1861 and encamped at Camp Brown, about one mile east of Fort Pickens. The Camp Brown was attacked in Oct 1861 by Confederate forces who destroyed most of the camp before being driven off by regulars from Fort Pickens. On 22-23 Nov 1861 and 1 Jan 1862 Fort Pickens and it's exterior batteries came under bombardment from Confederate held forts and batteries. By May 1862 Confederate forces had abandoned attempts to take Fort Pickens, withdrawn from the Pensacola area and all of the Pensacola Harbor defenses were returned to Union control.
Fort Pickens was not attacked again during the remainder of the war and served as a prison for military and political prisoners.
Post U.S. Civil War
Apache Indian chief Geronimo was imprisoned in Fort Pickens 1886-1887.
Endicott Period
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Pensacola | 2 | 12" | Disappearing | 1898-1898-1899-1933 | $ 128,707 | |
| Battery Worth (2) | 8 | 12" | Mortar | 1897-1899-1899-1942 | $ 123,093 | |
| Battery Cullum | 2 | 10" | Disappearing | 1896-1898-1898-1933 | $ 188,920 | 2-3" from Battery Trueman, 1942 |
| Battery Sevier | 2 | 10" | Disappearing | 1896-1898-1898-1933 | Included above | |
| Battery Cooper | 2 | 6" | Disappearing | 1905-1906-1906-1917 | $ 56,744 | 1 replaced 1976 (West Point) |
| Battery Van Swearingen | 2 | 4.7" | Pedestal | 1898-1898-1898-1921 | $ 7,498 | |
| Battery Trueman | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1905-1905-1908-1942 | $ 28,333 | Guns to Battery Cullum, 1942 |
| Battery Payne | 2 | 3" | Pedestal | 1904-1904-1908-1946 | $ 28,103 | |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
World War II
| Battery Click on Battery links below |
No. | Caliber | Type Mount | Service Years | Battery Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery 234 | 2 | 6" | Shielded Barbette (SBC) | 1943-1943-1943-1947 | $ 212,482 | Gun tubes never received |
| Battery AMTB - Fort Pickens | 2 2 |
90mm 90mm |
Fixed Pedestal Mobile |
1943-1943-1943-1946 | $ 16,811 | |
| Battery 155 - Fort Pickens | 4 | 155mm | Tractor-drawn Panama Mount |
1942-1942-1942-1945 | $ 26,652 | Constructed around Battery Cooper |
| Source: CDSG | ||||||
Current Status
Fort Pickens is part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore and is administered by the National Park Service. Access to the fort was made difficult by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 because the Fort Pickens Road was washed out. Reconstruction is planned for 2008 and scheduled to be complete in the spring of 2009.
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{"selectable":false,"width":"500"} |
Location: Western tip of Santa Rosa Island, Pensacola, Florida. Maps & Images Lat: 30.327 Long: -87.2907 |
Sources:
- Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 195-198
- Weaver, John R. II, A Legacy in Brick and Stone: America Coastal Defense Forts of the Third System, Redoubt Press, McLean, 2001, First Printing, ISBN 1-57510-069-X, page 159-163
- De Quesada, Alejandro M., A History of Florida Forts: Florida's Lonely Outposts, SC : History Press, Charleston, 2006, ISBN 1596291044, page 192-193
Links:
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Fort Pickens Picture Gallery
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