Fort Pickens
and the Outbreak of the Civil War

(Gulf Islands National Seashore) T he peaceful surroundings--white sugar-sand beaches, clumps of golden sea oats, and the soothing sounds of coastal waves pounding on the shores of a long barrier island--belie the serious purpose of Fort Pickens, located on Santa Rosa Island in Florida. One of the largest brick forts built in the United States, Fort Pickens provided the setting for a serious effort by a small group of men to avert or at least postpone the outbreak of the Civil War. Months before the firing on Fort Sumter, the Southern forces at nearby Pensacola, Florida, worked to find a way of seceding from the Union without initiating bloodshed. Fort Pickens and nearby Fort McRee, Fort Barrancas, and Advanced Redoubt today lie within Gulf Islands National Seashore. They provide an intriguing setting for the important events that occurred in the Pensacola area just prior to and during the Civil War.

TABLE OF CONTENTS About This Lesson Getting Started: Inquiry Question Setting the Stage: Historical Context Locating the Site: Maps 1. 1861 map of harbor defenses for Pensacola Determining the Facts: Readings 1. The Civil War in the Pensacola Area 2. Major Chase Versus Lieutenant Slemmer 3. Key People and Critical Decisions Visual Evidence: Images 1. Aerial view of Fort Pickens 2. Diagram of Fort Pickens 3. Aerial view of Fort Barrancas 4. Diagram of Fort Barrancas Putting It All Together: Activities 1. Surrender or Not 2. Researching Pensacola in the Civil War 3. Isn't It Ironic? 4. Military Installations in the Local Community Supplementary Resources

RELATED INFORMATION How to Use a TwHP Lesson Lessons on Related Topics TwHP Home National Register Home About the National Register How the National Register Helps Teachers Contact TwHP Gulf Islands National Seashore This lesson is based on Fort Pickens, one of the thousands of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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