Florida's Senators Advise Against Attacking Fort Pickens

January 18--20, 1861
Florida Senator David Yulee
While most attention was focused on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, a second flash point was developing in Florida---Fort Pickens, on Santa Rosa Island, commanded the entrance to Pensacola Bay, but was occupied by a tiny garrison, although supported by  U.S. Navy warships with reinforcements aboard.  The governors of both Florida and Alabama wanted to forcibly capture Fort Pickens, but in these letters a number of Senators---not just from Florida---argue restraint on the part of Gov. Perry (of Florida) and Gov. Moore (of Alabama)
*Chase here refers to Col. William Henry Chase, a militia Colonel and Commissioner for the State of Florida, who at this point commanded the state troops confronting Fort Pickens.
         

Florida Senator Stephen Mallory












Private.] [STATE OF FLORIDA,] EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
January 10, 1861.


Hon. JNO. C. McGEHEE,  President of the Convention:

SIR: The inclosed dispatch has this morning reached me, and I hasten to transmit it through you to the Convention.

Very respectfully,

M. S. PERRY.


[Inclosure]
(By telegraph from Washington, dated January 9, 1861. )


WASHINGTON, January 20, 1861.

Gov. M. S. PERRY, Tallahassee, Fla.:

The Southern Senators all agree that no assault on Fort Pickens should be made; that the fort is not worth one drop of blood at this time, and desire us to invoke you to prevent bloodshed. First get the Southern Government in operation. The same advice has been given as to Charleston, and will no doubt be adopted there.

                             S. R. MALLORY.

                             D. L. YULEE.  


 
 WASHINGTON, January 18, 1861.

 

His Excellency Governor PERRY,  Tallahassee, Fla:

We think no assault should be made. The possession of the fort is not worth one drop of blood to us. Measures pending unite us in this opinion. Bloodshed now may be fatal to our cause.

 

                             JNO. SLIDELL.

                             J. P. BENJAMIN.

                             A. IVERSON.

                             JNO. HEMPHILL.

                             LOUIS T. WIGFALL.

                             C. C. CLAY, JR.

                             BEN. FITZPATRICK.

                             JEFF. DAVIS.

                             S. R. MALLORY.

We sent this to Chase* to-day.

 
WASHINGTON, January 19, 1861.

 

Gov. A. B. MOORE,  Montgomery, Ala.:

Telegraph not to attack Fort Pickens. Florida Senators and friends think it unwise.

                             C. C. CLAY, JR.

                             BEN. FITZPATRICK.  




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Source:  Official Records, Vol. 1, pp. 444--45. 

Date added to website:  January 10, 2025.