Slemmer saves Fort Pickens for the Union

On 20 December 1860 South Carolina passed an ordinance of secession. In short order Mississippi (January 9, 1861), Florida (January 10, 1861), Alabama (January 11, 1861), Georgia (January 19, 1861), Louisiana (January 26, 1861) and Texas (February 1, 1861) also seceded. Each seceding state demanded the surrender of the various United States military installations and all their armaments. In Pensacola Harbor were three such installations, the unoccupied but primary defensive post of Fort Pickens, the army Barrancas Barracks, and the Pensacola Navy Yard.

Fort Pickens (from Battles and Leaders)

The army garrison, at Barrancas Barracks, consisted of Company G, First Artillery, under the command of Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer. The Navy Yard, with the steamers Wyandotte and Supply, a handful of marines and shore personnel, was under the command of Commodore James Armstrong.

Lieutenant Slemmer, seeing the political winds, had taken steps to ensure the government property in his charge, including gunpowder and many heavy cannon, did not fall into the hands of the secessionists. While Commodore Armstrong vacillated, Slemmer acted. On the 8^th of January he had moved all the gunpowder from its exposed magazine and placed a regular guard on his facility.

These actions were immediately tested when a party of twenty civilians came with the apparent intent of occupying the barracks. The corporal of the guard raised the alarm and the civilians withdrew.  The next day Slemmer began the process of putting Fort Pickens in shape, making the living spaces habitable and mounting the cannon that made up its primary armament.

Although Armstrong promised the steamer Wyandotte to assist the army, it did not arrive. Slemmer and his men labored until midnight without any help from the navy. The next day, January 10^th, Captain O. H. Berryman of the Wyandotte detached 30 seamen to help Slemmer, and the lieutenant moved all of the powder and all of the fixed ammunition for the field artillery under his command over to Fort Pickens.  That night he moved his men to the fort as well, spiking the guns at Barrancas since he had no means of moving them.

Although the Supply held provisions for Slemmer, she was not allowed to bring them to Fort Pickens on the 10^th, only a small barge-full were offloaded. However, Slemmer convinced Armstrong to allow Wyandotte and Supply to dock at Pickens the 11^th and managed to offload the much-needed provisions. He also acquired muskets and bayonets to arm the seamen still attached to his command.

On January 12, 1861 Armstrong surrendered the Pensacola Navy Yard to the State of Florida. Slemmer ordered what cannon he had mounted loaded with grape and canister and made what dispositions he could with a total garrison of only 81 men (44 artillerist privates, 4 artillerist NCOs, 31 seamen, 2 ordnance sergeants, a hospital steward, and Lieutenant Gilman, second-in-command). That afternoon a delegation led by Major Marks came to Fort Pickens and demanded its surrender. Slemmer refused.

Three days later, Colonel Chase, commanding the assembling Florida state troops, formally requested the surrender of Fort Pickens. Slemmer steadfastly refused. On the 18^th Chase tried again. The Wyandotte and Captain Berryman still cruised nearby (Supply had sailed north on the 15^th). Slemmer continued to deny Chase. With help from the Wyandotte, Slemmer even managed to mount a huge 10-inch Columbiad.

In a demonstration of how new the conflict was, once the status quo was clear, Chase allowed fresh provisions and mail to be delivered to Slemmer on a regular basis. Telegraphic exchanges with Washington were also allowed. The coming effusion of blood would soon render these amenities void for the rest of the conflict.

By February 5 Slemmer had mounted, by his report, no less than 54 cannon and had provisions and water for five months. He was opposed by almost 2,000 state troops but Chase had been unable to mount any heavy cannon to discomfit Slemmer. The next day the steamer Brooklyn arrived with reinforcements, ending any chance Chase had of taking the fort.

Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer (from Battles and Leaders)

Slemmer’s sound judgment, quick action, and steadfastness had allowed the Union to retain the key position, essentially controlling the harbor of Pensacola. Fort Pickens would remain in Federal control for the war.

References:

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, volume 1.

Gilman, J. H. “With Slemmer in Pensacola Harbor” in Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, vol. 1, Buel and Johnson, eds.

Lossing, Benson J. Pictorial Field Book of the Civil War, volume 1. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, MD, 1997 (reprint).