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