Blockade-Runners Took Advantage of West Florida's Coast-- Part 1

From the March 3, 2013, Tampa Bay Tribune "Civil War blockade runners took advantage of Florida's coastline" by Rodney Kite-Powell/

Florida's long and varied coastline provided numerous safe havens for blockade-runners during the war.  At first the Union just had the the Gulf Blockading Squadron to watch the whole of the Gulf of Mexico shore, but it was soon split into the East and West Gulf Blockading Squadrons, with the West getting the main ports ( Pensacola, Mobile, New Orleans and Galveston) and most glory.  Of course, Union Rear Admiral David Glasgow Farragut got this plum job.

Tampa and Union occupied Key West were the main ports for the East Squadron also charged to watch around to the Atlantic Ocean's Cape Canaveral.  And, Tampa was a very big town and lacked rail connections to make it even more important for transferring materials.

Even so, the blockade of Tampa Bay began July 3, 1861, with the arrival of the USS Cuyler.  By November, there were several blockaders there under the command of Lt. Cmdr. William B. Eaton.  Egmont Key, at the mouth of Tampa Bay was used as a base and it also became a haven for runaway slaves and a refugee colony of Unionists.

But, There Was Some Activity.  --Old B-Runner