Fort Zachary Taylor-- Part 3: Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II

The East Gulf Blockading Squadron captured more than 300 Confederate blockade runners during the war and continually harassed salt-making facilities along the coast.  The cargoes were taken to key West and put up for auction.

The end of the Civil War did not end the fort's history.

In 1898, the USS Maine sailed from Key West to Havana Harbor, Cuba, where, on February 15, at 9:40 p.m., a mysterious explosion wrecked the vessel, killing three quarters of its crew, propelling the United States into Cuba's war with Spain for independence.

During World Wars I and II, Fort Taylor remained on active duty.  Radar and 5-inch anti-aircraft guns were added to the fort's defenses during World War II.  With the end of this war, Fort Taylor's use ended.  From 1947 and for almost a quarter century the fort was used as a naval savage yard.

--Old B-R'er

 

December 19, 1863: Raid On St. Andrew's, Florida

DECEMBER 19, 1863:  Expedition under Acting Master W.R. Browne, comprising the USS Restless, Bloomer and Caroline. proceeded up St. Andrew's Bay, Florida, to continue the destruction of salt works.  A landing party went ashore under the Bloomer;s guns and destroyed those works not already demolished by the Southerners when reports of the naval party were received.

Browne was able to report that he had "cleared the three arms of this extensive bay of salt works .... Within the past ten days," he added, "290 salt works, 33 covered wagons, 12 flatboats, 2 sloops (5 ton each) six ox carts, 4,000 bushels of salt, 268 buildings at the different salt works, 529 iron kettles averaging 150 gallons each, 105 iron boilers for boiling brine [were destroyed], and it is believed that the enemy destroyed as many more to prevent us from doing so."

--Old B-Runner

November 22-24, 1862: Joint Army-Navy Expedition in Virginia

NOVEMBER 22-24, 1862:  Joint Army-Navy expedition to the vicinity of Matthews Court House, Virginia, under Lt. Farquhar and Acting Master's Mate Nathan W. Black of the USS Mahaska destroyed numerous salt works together with hundreds of bushels of salt, burned three schooners and numerous small boats, and captured 24 large canoes.

--Old B-Runner

Capture of Blockade Runner Revere October 11, 1862-- Part 4

Report of Lt.-Cmdr. Daniel L. Braine, of the USS Monticello, on the capture of the English schooner Revere on Oct. 11, 1862.

Spotted a sail at 8 a.m. and gave chase for one and a half hours.  Captured the English schooner Revere, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, 25 days out of Nassau.

The captain and two mates claimed they had just come on board the ship the day she sailed and had no idea what the cargo was.

The cargo was suspicious:  800 sacks if salt, a 100 barrels of pork and other items needed in the Confederacy.

He found the name of the Revere on a list given of vessels intending to run the blockade.

Obviously Going to Run the Blockade.  --Old B-Runner

Panama City, Fla., During the War

As I sit out by the Gulf of Mexico here at Panama City Beach, Florida peering at the water about 100 yards away, had this been a little over 150 years ago, I just might have seen a Union blockader sailing or anchored off shore.

There was no Panama City back then, just a small settlement called St. Andrew's, taking its name from the large bays located there.  That is part of today's downtown Panama City.  Panama City Beach didn't come into being until the 1930s.

Before the war, St. Andrew's was a place people came to during the summer to enjoy the cool gulf breezes (and it sure was cool earlier today).  There was a small fishing industry as well.

Once the war came, it became a major center of salt making to provide the people and armies of the Confederacy with the much needed condiment.  This caused attacks by Union blockaders on several occasions.

Plus, later on, after Southern ports fell to the Union, there was some blockade running by smaller ships.

One famous blockade runner was the Florida (not to be confused with the Confederate cruiser of the same name.  It was eventually captured and became the Union Ship USS  Hendrick Hudson.

--Old B-Runner

Raid on St. Andrew's Bay, Florida

FEBRUARY 1ST-4TH, 1865:  A boat expedition from the USS Michigan landed and destroyed salt works "of 13,615 boiling capacity" at St. Andrews Bay, Florida (Panama City).

The making of salt from sea water became a major industry in Florida during the Civil War as salt was a critical commodity in the Confederate war effort.  Large quantities were needed for preserving meat, fish, butter and other perishable foods, as well as curing hides.

Federal warships continuously destroyed salt works along the coasts of Florida.  This expedition was the finale in the Union navy's effective restriction of this vital Confederate industry.

--Old B-Runner

The St. Joseph Confederate Saltworks

From HMDB.

In my RoadDog's Roadlog Blog, I have been writing about taking a trip along Florida's Forgotten Coast between Port St.Joe and Apalachicola.  There is a place where you can stay called the Salt Works Cabins.  It gets its name from the old Confederate saltworks once located there until they were destroyed.

There is a historical marker located close by as recorded by the Historical Marker Database.

"A major Confederate saltworks with daily capacity of 150 bushels, before completion, was located 200 feet north.  Brick foundations were salvaged from the old city of St. Joseph.  Salt produced by evaporation of seawater was one of Florida's two chief contributions to the Confederacy (the other I believe to be cattle).

These saltworks destroyed September8, 1862, by the USS Kingfisher by bombardment and landing party action.  Destruction of Confederate saltworks was a comparable blow "to the Southern cause as the fall of Charleston."

Erected 1964.

US Naval actions against saltworks along the coasts continued throughout the war.

Naval Happenings 150 Years Ago: September 8th to 11th,1862: Alabama Rolling and the Flying Squadron

SEPTEMBER 8TH

Commodore Wilkes ordered to command a "Flying Squadron" to seek out, capture or destroy the CSS Florida and Alabama.  The USS Wachusett, Dacotah, Cimarron, Sonoma, Tioga, Octorara, and Santiago de Cuba assigned to it.  The squadron did capture some blockade-runners, but never the Alabama or Florida.

USS Kingfisher landing party destroys the salt works at St. Joseph's Bay, Florida that could produce 200 bushels a day.   Three days later another salt works destroyed at St. Andrew's Bay, Florida, by USS Sagamore landing party.

CSS Alabama captured and burned whaling ship Ocean Rover near Azores.

SEPTEMBER 9TH

CSS Alabama captured and burned whaling ships Alert and Weather Gauge near Azores.


SEPTEMBER 11TH

USS Patroon and Uncas engage Confederate batteries at St. John's Bluff, Florida.  Uncas receives damage but force temporary abandonment of the batteries.

Old B-R'er

Salt Production in the Florida Panhandle

From the Feb. 27, 2011, Panama City (Fl) News Herald

Other than at Pensacola, there was no major actions around Panama City/St. Andrew along Florida's panhandle other than blockade-running and salt production.

Before the war, salt was imported primarily from the North and Europe. Back then, it was more than a seasoning. It was a method of preservation. A Confederate soldier received a ration of 1.5 pounds of salt a month.

With outside sources cut off, Southerners began boiling seawater to procure the salt.

By the end of 1861, salt was the biggest industry in the St. Andrew area. Salt prices were always rising. In the very first months of the war, salt rose to $1 a pound. A salt maker could make $180 a day.

In St. Andrew's alone, there were 5,000 involved in salt-making during the course of the war. Union attacks from the East Gulf Blockading Squadron destroyed some $6 million in equipment and salt.

No Salt for My Steak? --Old B-R'er