The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-06-16
THAT
WON A PRIZE
Little Miss Paula Hirsko-
vitch's Paper Captured
U. D. 6. Medal.

Following is the text of little Miss
Paula HirskOvitz's essay on THE DC
cupatiOn of Fort Barrancas and the
Navy Yard During the Civil War;"
which won the L. ID. G.. medal in the
public school contest for eighth grade
pupils:
The Occupation of Fort Barran-
cas- and the Navy Yard During the
Civil War.
The forts around the mouth of
the Pensacola Bay, which cost the
United States so much money, were
the scenes of active fighting during
the first two years of the Civil War
Fort BarrancaS, the Navy Yard,
and Fort McRae, are situated on the
mainland, on the western coast OF
Pensacola bay. Fort BarrancaS is
about nine miles from Pensacola, and
the Navy Yard is about seven miles
from Pensacola. Fort Pickens is sit
uated on Santa Rosa Island, COM
handing the entrance to the haTbOr
1t is the most important of all the
forts, as it can only be reached by
water, whereas the others can be
reached by either land or water. All
of these forts were well fortified, and
both the north and the south were
equally anxious to have them.
Florida seeded Jan. 10, 1861. At
this time, all the forts were in the
hands of the Federals, but they were
not to keep them long.
"On the night of Jan s. 1861, party
of citizens attempted TO take Fort
Barrancas, but they found the draw
bridge up and the Federal soldiers
on the watch-out for them, and the at
tempt proved unsuccessful.
Col Slemmer, then in command of
the Federal forces at Fort Barrancas,
knew he could not stand an attack
from the Confederate army and on
Jan 10, 1861, he moved his men over
to Fort Pickens. He took with him
all the guns he could possibly carry,
and the rest he spiked. That night
when the COnfederates marched into
Fort Barrancas, they had little work
in taking it.
Com. Armstrong was in command
of the Federals at the Navy Yard, and
Col. Lomax was in command of the
Confederates. On Jan Il, 1861, COM
missiOners sent from the GeOvernOr of
Florida, with a regiment at the gate, |
demanded the surrender of the Navy
Yard, having previously taken posses
sion of the magazines. Com. Arm
strong was forced to surrender the
Navy Yard with its guns and ammu-
milton, amounting to $156,O0O, to Col.
Lomax. After this surrender, Com.
Armstrong was allowed to go north
on his parole of honor. The Confed-
crates were now in command of the
Navy Yard, Fort BarrancaS and Fort
McRae Fort Pickens remained in
the hands of the Federals throughout
the war
Early on the morning of Sept. >,
1861, the Confederates attempted 10
sink the dry dock for a blockade 20
Federal ships, but they were sur
prised when Lieut.. ShipIey. with sew
eraI men, came over from FIT. PickenS,
set fire to it, and burned it to the
waters edge.
"On the morning of Sept 10, 1861,
some marines came over from Pick
ems, and set fire to the Judah, the
Confederate man-of-war then anchored
at the Navy Yard. The crew just es-
capped in time. while the vessel burn
ed to the waters edge and sank.
after the burning of the Judah,
Gen. Bragg was placed in command
of the Confederates at the Navy Yard.
He erected four and one half miles of
earth works, with nineteen district
batteries along the shore.
ON Nov. %, 1861, the first bonn
bardment took place, which lasted
thirty-siX hours Guns from the Navy
Yard returned the Shots from Fort
Pickens until five thousand shots hal
been fired by the Confederates. 30
hives were lost. but damage was done
10 the houses of Warrington and |
sWoolsey. Fort McRae was left in
ruins After the first bombardment, !
Gen. Bragg was removed and Gen. !
Zones was put in his place.
From Nov. "a, 1861, to Jan l, 1862, !
silence reigned over Pensacola.
On Jan. l, 1862. the second bonn
bardment took place. No particular
damage was done during this bonn
bardment.
After the second bombardmenJ
Gen. Sam Jones received notice II
evacuate Pensacola. One May 8, 1862,
every sick man was removed from the
hospitals and on May Q, the torch
was applied to all the buildings in
the Navy Yard. Warrington. WOolsey.
end Pensacola. Many of the citizens
left with the soldiers and went 10
the interior Nothing more was done
in Pensacola throughout the war