Shiela: Just in case she doesn't cover Pensacola: Ft. Pickens, which is near present day Gulf Breeze and across the Bay from Pensacola, never left Union hands. The location of Ft. Pickens ensured the Confederacy wasn't able to use Pensacola's port while they were in control in 1861 & 1862. The Confederacy withdrew from Pensacola in 1862, leaving a small army in south Alabama. Pensacola was a ghost town when the Union moved in a few days later. During the Confederacy's withdrawal they burned nearly every means of livelihood and food production for many of the remaining residents in the area (Milton and Bagdad were nearly destroyed. No grist mill existed in the entire western half of then Santa Rosa County and few boats of any size). The Union remained in control of Pensacola (just the town, no one was in control of the countryside) for the remainder of the war. In late 1863 General Alexander Asboth, commander at Pensacola was given permission to form a cavalry regiment of local men to help him control the area better and assist the families attempting to reach Pensacola, and food and safety. The panhandle became a increasingly chaotic place with two armies (The CSA withdrew to Pollard, AL), bands of Confederate deserters, impressment agents and local militia roaming the countryside at will. And yes, the Unionist sentiment in Florida was strong at the beginning of the war (not sure I would estimate 33%) and was much stronger by the end. Probably even stronger was the citizens in the pandhandle (and S. AL) who wanted both sides to leave them alone and were forced to pick a side by 1863. Thank you for sharing your enjoyment of the book. I had heard about it and was wondering if it was worth the purchase. Sharon Genealogist, Ancestral & Historical Research, Writing, Websites and Lectures The 1st Florida Cavalry, US Volunteers - ask me about my research and book! http://www.roadshometofl.com Roads Home to Florida: Some Southern Families 40+ surnames online with LOTS of related materials ----- Original Message ----- From: "s. c." <rephs@hotmail.com> To: <FLORIDA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, July 03, 2005 2:02 PM Subject: [FLORIDA] Grander in Her Daughters: FL's women during the civil war by Tracy Revels > Dear Listers, > > Just a note to tell you about a book I am reading. I have no connection > with the author. > > This is so interesting. I am learning all kinds of interesting facts. > Some are listed below: > > St Augustine and Key West were under Union rule during all the war while > other towns like > Tampa and Jacksonville were occupied part of the time. Not sure about > Pensacola haven't > read about it as yet. > > Some estimate that 1/3 of the population were union loyalists > > FL was 3rd to leave the union behind SC and MIss. It was a large state > in terms of size > and coastline but the least of the So states in terms of population > (140000) . > > In 1860 of the white population about 57000 were under the age of 30 > while 20000 were > over 30. (I find this statistic incredible!) The average age for whites > was 21.2. > > FL entered the union in 1845 and more than half of its free residents came > from somewhere > else, mostly GA, SC, NC and Ala in that order. > > Slaves made up 44% of the population, 34% of FL white families owned > slaves. > > To be female in the antibellum south was to be a laborer.No matter her > station her life > was defined by toil. > > Tampa thrived on trade with the interior cattlemen, St Augustine was > developing into FL's > first true resort. > > Leon Cty was the largest and richest in 1860 with a pop of 12300. > > Jacksonville residents trimmed their yards to sand to keep out snakes > > 96% of FL residents lived in rural areas. > > Great herds of cattle roamed the open tracts of the St Johns and Peace > rivers > > Sheila > > >