Blockaders, Refugees, and Contrabands: Civil War on Florida's Gulf Coast, 1861-1865

Fire Ant Books

by George E. Buker

Chronicles the role of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron as an important Federal contingent in Florida.

"[Buker] argues that the presence of Union sailors and their extensive contacts ashore did serious damage to home-front morale and retarded Florida's value as a component of the rebel war machine. Since the state's long coastlines made it a ready target for a naval cordon, its commercial life suffered beginning in 1861 and deteriorated even further as the war progressed despite the efforts of blockade runners. Florida Unionists, antiwar natives, and runaway slaves flocked to these Federal warships to seek protection and quickly became a source of manpower for their crews as well as for land forces."

—Journal of Southern History

"The proliferation of publications concerning the American Civil War occasionally produces one that really contributes to our understanding of that conflict. George E. Buker’s Blockaders, Refugees, and Contrabands is such a book."

—Journal of American History

Genres: Civil War, American Civil War, American History

248 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1993

Reviews

[Josh Liller · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Blockaders, Refugees, and Contrabands" is more or less a history of the East Coast Gulf Blockading Squadron during the Civil War. That squadron was the only 1 of 4 blockading the Confederacy to not have a significant port in their area and thus was often treated as the least important naval theater. However, the squadron's history is far from unimportant. Rather than a general history, Buker focuses on the Blockaders interactions with Refugees (Florida Unionists, neutrals, and deserters) and Contrabands (escaped slaves). He spends a few chapters setting the stage before getting to the meat of the topic. He also contrasts the successes of the 1862-1864 operations with less successful operations in 1864-1865 after the Army and Navy leadership in the theater changed, and in the last chapter looks at examples elsewhere along the Southern coast where the Blockaders failed to use their Refugees and Contrabands even though the human resources were available.

Readers familiar with Florida's Civil War history have probably heard of the Union 2nd Florida Cavalry that formed in the Fort Myers area late in the war to interfere with the beef supply to Confederate armies. They've probably also heard of some of the coastal raids and saltwork destruction conducted by blockade ships. What I think most readers will be unfamiliar with are the Taylor County refugee bands (the modern Nature Coast in the crook of Florida) and also the extent of the interaction between the blockaders and the locals ashore.

Although the titular focus (which is referenced on quite a few occasions throughout) might make this sound like a thesis paper, I found the book to be a pretty enjoyable read and usually not dry. Serious readers will be happy to find a solid collection of Endnotes, Bibliography, and an Index.

This work may be eclipsed in a few years when the Blocking Squadrons series is completed (the others being Lincoln's Trident: The West Gulf Blockading Squadron during the Civil War, Success Is All That Was Expected: The South Atlantic Blockading Squadron During The Civil War, and From Cape Charles to Cape Fear: The North Atlantic Blockading Squadron during the Civil War), but I think it is one of the best books on the Civil War in Florida.

Strong recommendation for those interested in the Civil War and/or Florida history.

[PMB · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is the story of the civil war in my backyard. i know these rivers, towns, swamps, and islands like the back of my hand, and even recognized some of the family names mentioned in the book (my roots go back a ways in FL). You really have to go out of your way to learn the history of north florida and the gulf coast during the war b/c frankly, not a lot happened. the major ports (cedar key, st marks, st joe, apalachicola, and tampa) along with forts pickens, jefferson, and taylor were all in union hands for the duration, and there was no interstate railroad connecting florida to georgia or alabama. most confederates from FL were sent north to TN or west into MS and LA, leaving what the north must have considered a rather inconsequential in-state military presence (there was only one major battle in FL, which was a southern victory). union sentiment was pretty strong in the panhandle to begin with, and a heavy handed confederate home guard didn't win much support from the war weary population. the blockaders used this to their advantage and recruited slaves and dissidents to the union navy by the hundreds to disrupt cattle drives and destroy salt works. doesn’t sound like much, but this type of supply chain destruction was a major thorn in the side of the confederacy. taylor county, just east of my hometown of tallahassee, had particularly high percentage of locals who abandoned the southern cause and pledged their allegiance to the union. a bit ironic, as there's now a pretty obnoxious SCV monument in perry, taylor's largest city. i wonder how many folks know what the real history of their county is.

“Blockaders…” would appeal to anyone interested in naval and/or florida history. If you’re a civil war buff living in FL, I’d say it’s a must read. The big picture is presented via tons of minor details (names, dates, muster rolls, ship logs, etc.). I won’t lie, it’s tedious at times, but it’s a pretty short book, and well researched. You get the full story.

incidentally throughout the summer of 2012, the tallahassee historical society sponsored a really great exhibit of artifacts from a sunken union transport ship that was found on the bottom of the st johns river in jacksonville. the wreck was briefly mentioned in the book.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a broad, and yet succinct review of the East Gulf Blockade Squadron and its actions during the Civil War. The squadron was unique in its cultivation and support of anti-Confederate dissent in Florida, in addition to its regular blockading duties. Besides helping "contrabands" (runaway slaves) and Unionist (or at least Confederate dissident) refugees escape to safe havens that it set up, by supporting and cooperating with deserter and dissident bands, and by forming and cooperating with the US 2nd Florida Cavalry the squadron also had a wider effect on the Civil War in Florida. Their support of these forces, in addition to their own successful military actions, curtailed effective Confederate government of much of Western and Southern Florida, and disrupted vital supplied of salt and beef to the Confederate government/military.

Also included is a brief discussion of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and Union Armys actions in Eastern Florida. Although the Navy's was largely successful here, they didn't have as much impact ashore as in the west, and the Army was quite a bit less successful. This closing chapter mostly serves as a comparison/contrast to the Eastern Blockading Squadron and to highlight the ways in which they were successful, as well as their reasons for success.

Bukers writing is easy to follow, and makes learning about this obscure but interesting subject quite enjoyable. There are a couple of maps (although more would have been nice) that aid in keeping track of all the movements of ships and troops. My only complaint is that sometimes in discussing the dissident groups and Rebels (read, Confederates) it can getting a little bit complicated keeping track of who was on which side. This is somewhat unavoidable, as loyalties were a bit fluid in the time and place discussed in the book.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding Civil War history. Blockaders, Refugees, and Contrabands takes a very little-known area of the Civil War and makes it both clear and interesting. The operations of the East Gulf Blockading Squadron have long been a footnote (at most) to history, but the author does an excellent job of showing how, lacking significant ports to blockade, the squadron mounted aggressive forays and pinprick raids into western Florida, teaming up with Unionist and dissident Floridians to hamper the Confederacy.

The book could use a few more maps for orientation for those not familiar with 1860s and modern Florida geography, but overall is well-researched and smoothly-written.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ton of information was new to me so thats awesome. I learned a lot of details pertaining to what actually happened at events we reenact so I will be incorporating it into information and portrayals we do. So much of what went on in FL was by Navy and local formed units. I was also unaware that FL really was very divided on loyalties and fielded a USCT Unit from contrabands as well.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent history of an overlooked paart of the American Civil War.