Fort Casey, Florida-- Part 2: A Short Life for the Fort But a Strong North Carolina Connection and 3 Future Confederate Generals

From Wikipedia.

In 1848, the War Department determined the need for the selection of a new fort at Charlotte Harbor, Florida, to assist in the removal of Native Americans (Seminoles) from the region on Florida's Gulf Coast.

Fort Brooke (in present-day Tampa) commander Major W.W. Morris and Captain John Charles Casey, with other officers, examined the area November  15-22, 1848, and then on January 20, 1949, recommended the island of Giuseppe, now Useppa, as the most suitable location.

The post was established 3 January 1850.  I imagine it must have been named after Captain John Casey.  Brevet Major R.C. Gatlin was the first commander with 108 men of Companies C and F of the 7th Infantry Regiment garrisoned the fort.  (Richard Caswell Gatlin was a North Carolinean West Point graduate who became a Confederate general and for a time was in charge of North Carolina coast defenses.  His maternal grandfather was North Carolina's 1st governor, Richard Caswell.)

The companies were commanded by Brevet 2nd Lieutenant E.D. Stockton and 1st Lieutenant Earl Van Dorn, respectively.  C,H. Crane served as Assistant Surgeon.  (Earl Van Dorn later became a Confederate general.)

On April 7, 1850,  Brevet Major T.H. Holmes took command.  (Theophilus Hunter Holmes later became a Confederate general.  He commanded in North Carolina for awhile and Fort Holmes on Smith Island, now Bald Head Island, was named for him.) Soon afterwards, the 7th Infantry left for Missouri and were replaced by 60 men from Company C, 4th Artillery.

On November 10, 1850, Brevet Brigadier General Thomas Childs of the 1st Artillery arrived at the fort and closed it.  (Childs, 1796-1853, was a career Army officer and was stationed at Fort Johnston at Smithville, now Southport, N.C. in 1843.)

--Old B-Runner