Print of Fort Taylor, Key West. From Frank Leslie's Magazine, 1861.
Image no. 1998-413-1.
Image no. 1998-413-1.
2011 is the sesquicentennial year of the start of the Civil War (150 years ago). Hostilities began April 12, so expect this anniversary to be in the news for the next few weeks and years.
Florida joined the Confederacy, but its largest and wealthiest city, Key West, remained under federal control, a situation that affected all of South Florida throughout the war. Southern sympathizer Jefferson Brown described the situation in his book, Key West: the Old and the New, first published in 1912:
“The election of Abraham Lincoln … stirred up the people of Key West, in common with the rest of the Southland. The cultivated and wealthy citizens were nearly all strongly pro-Southern. …
“The succession of South Carolina was soon followed by a proclamation from the Governor of Florida for a convention of the people to take into consideration the present and future relations of Florida towards a Federal Union, which brought our people to the question of succession or submission.
“A meeting was held … for the purpose of nominating delegates to the State convention to assemble in Tallahassee … for the object of taking into consideration the dangers to this State in remaining in the Federal Union. … [Three] pronounced secessionists were elected by an almost unanimous vote. …
“[Soon thereafter Federal army] Captain [James M.] Brannan on the night of the 13th of January, while the city slept, marched his entire command from the barracks to Fort Taylor, and took possession of it. …
"Key West, the most strategic point within the Southern Confederacy, being in the hands of the Federal government during the entire war and used as a naval base, was one of the determining factors in the result of the War between the States. The sentiment of Key West was strongly Southern, but with the fortifications in possession of the Federal troops, and no military organization here sufficient to wrest this control from them, the secessionists were deterred from taking any active steps to capture them. …
“Facts were distorted or manufactured to curry favor with the Federal army officers. One instance of this was when a young scion of a distinguished family was given a small toy pistol, from which a cork was driven out by compressed air, with a loud ‘pop.’ It happened to be about the time that news of a Confederate victory reached Key West, and Union sympathizers carried the report to the Federal commanding officer that Mr. ----, a rebel, was celebrating the Confederate victory by a champagne party, and that the popping of champagne corks could be plainly heard.”
-- Rebecca A. Smith, Head, Special Collections
