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Fort Barrancas - Pensacola, Florida
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| Fort Barrancas Fort Barrancas (right) overlooks the earlier Spanish built Bateria de San Antonio (the white structure) and Pensacola Bay. |
Fort Barrancas and Bateria de San Antonio
One of the most historic sites in Northwest Florida, Fort Barrancas
overlooks the entrance to Pensacola Bay. Now a part of Gulf Islands
National Seashore, the old fort is a unique relic of America's past.
The Spanish first explored the barrancas or red clay bluffs of
Pensacola during the 1500s and the flotilla of Tristan de Luna
anchored off the site in 1559. The location of de Luna's settlement
has never been found, but the remains of a later Spanish fort
constructed in 1698 have been located just up the shore from Fort
Barrancas.
The French occupied the bluffs in 1719, but soon returned it to the
Spanish. After Florida was transferred to the British in 1763, a new
fort - called the "Royal Naval Redoubt" was constructed here. This
fort engaged Spanish ships during the early stages of the Battle of
Pensacola, a key encounter of the American Revolution. The British
lost the 1781 battle and Florida as well.
After regaining Florida at the end of the Revolution, the Spanish
constructed Fort San Carlos de Barrancas at the site and during the
1790s added a masonry water battery, the Bateria de San Antonio,
that still stands today. In both 1814 and 1818 the forts were seized
by U.S. troops under General Andrew Jackson. The Americans
occupied the forts permanently in 1821 when Florida became a U.S.
Territory.
To protect the nearby U.S. Navy Yard, the Bateria de San Antonio
was improved and a new work, Fort Barrancas, was constructed in
1839-1844. A large military installation, Barrancas Post, eventually
grew on the shore adjacent to the fort. This post provided barracks,
offices, hospitals and other necessary support structures for the fort.
The new fort functioned with Fort Pickens and Fort McRee across the
bay to create a crossfire of artillery through which any attacking fleet
would have to sail in order to reach Pensacola Bay.
Fort Barrancas and the Bateria de San Antonio (by now called the
Water Battery) were occupied by a small contingent of U.S. troops on
the eve of the Civil War, but fearing attack from state militia forces,
these spiked the artillery and evacuated across Pensacola Bay to
Fort Pickens in January of 1861. Militia troops took possession of
the forts on January 12, 1861.
On November 22, 1861, a massive bombardment erupted between
the Union forces at Fort Pickens at the Confederates at Fort
Barrancas, Fort McRee and an array of sand batteries constructed
around the bay under the supervision of General Braxton Bragg. The
shelling continued for two days, but neither Fort Barrancas nor Fort
Pickens was seriously damaged. Bragg described it as one of the
"heaviest bombardments in the world."
The two forces exchanged fire again in January of 1861, but once
again little damage was done to Fort Barrancas.
The Confederates abandoned Pensacola in May of 1862 and Fort
Barrancas was once again occupied by Union troops. It remained in
Federal hands for the rest of the war and was the base for several
important Civil War expeditions.
Fort Barrancas remained in military hands until 1947. In 1971 it was
included in Gulf Islands National Seashore, a new national park
area created to preserve the historic forts and pristine coastline
stretching from Northwest Florida to Mississippi.
Now restored, Fort Barrancas is open to the public daily and can be
reached by exiting Interstate 10 at Pensacola at the Pine Forest
Road exit. Just follow Pine Forest to its intersection with Blue Angel
Parkway, then follow Blue Angel to the west gate of the Pensacola
Naval Air Station. The personnel on duty at the gate provide visitor
passes to see the forts, Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum of
Naval Aviation.
overlooks the entrance to Pensacola Bay. Now a part of Gulf Islands
National Seashore, the old fort is a unique relic of America's past.
The Spanish first explored the barrancas or red clay bluffs of
Pensacola during the 1500s and the flotilla of Tristan de Luna
anchored off the site in 1559. The location of de Luna's settlement
has never been found, but the remains of a later Spanish fort
constructed in 1698 have been located just up the shore from Fort
Barrancas.
The French occupied the bluffs in 1719, but soon returned it to the
Spanish. After Florida was transferred to the British in 1763, a new
fort - called the "Royal Naval Redoubt" was constructed here. This
fort engaged Spanish ships during the early stages of the Battle of
Pensacola, a key encounter of the American Revolution. The British
lost the 1781 battle and Florida as well.
After regaining Florida at the end of the Revolution, the Spanish
constructed Fort San Carlos de Barrancas at the site and during the
1790s added a masonry water battery, the Bateria de San Antonio,
that still stands today. In both 1814 and 1818 the forts were seized
by U.S. troops under General Andrew Jackson. The Americans
occupied the forts permanently in 1821 when Florida became a U.S.
Territory.
To protect the nearby U.S. Navy Yard, the Bateria de San Antonio
was improved and a new work, Fort Barrancas, was constructed in
1839-1844. A large military installation, Barrancas Post, eventually
grew on the shore adjacent to the fort. This post provided barracks,
offices, hospitals and other necessary support structures for the fort.
The new fort functioned with Fort Pickens and Fort McRee across the
bay to create a crossfire of artillery through which any attacking fleet
would have to sail in order to reach Pensacola Bay.
Fort Barrancas and the Bateria de San Antonio (by now called the
Water Battery) were occupied by a small contingent of U.S. troops on
the eve of the Civil War, but fearing attack from state militia forces,
these spiked the artillery and evacuated across Pensacola Bay to
Fort Pickens in January of 1861. Militia troops took possession of
the forts on January 12, 1861.
On November 22, 1861, a massive bombardment erupted between
the Union forces at Fort Pickens at the Confederates at Fort
Barrancas, Fort McRee and an array of sand batteries constructed
around the bay under the supervision of General Braxton Bragg. The
shelling continued for two days, but neither Fort Barrancas nor Fort
Pickens was seriously damaged. Bragg described it as one of the
"heaviest bombardments in the world."
The two forces exchanged fire again in January of 1861, but once
again little damage was done to Fort Barrancas.
The Confederates abandoned Pensacola in May of 1862 and Fort
Barrancas was once again occupied by Union troops. It remained in
Federal hands for the rest of the war and was the base for several
important Civil War expeditions.
Fort Barrancas remained in military hands until 1947. In 1971 it was
included in Gulf Islands National Seashore, a new national park
area created to preserve the historic forts and pristine coastline
stretching from Northwest Florida to Mississippi.
Now restored, Fort Barrancas is open to the public daily and can be
reached by exiting Interstate 10 at Pensacola at the Pine Forest
Road exit. Just follow Pine Forest to its intersection with Blue Angel
Parkway, then follow Blue Angel to the west gate of the Pensacola
Naval Air Station. The personnel on duty at the gate provide visitor
passes to see the forts, Pensacola Lighthouse and Museum of
Naval Aviation.
| Fort Barrancas Constructed between 1839 and 1844, the fort functioned with Forts Pickens, McRee and the Advanced Redoubt to protect Pensacola Bay. |
| Cannon at Fort Barrancas The artillery of Fort Barrancas were mounted atop the fort like this piece and were used by the Confederates in two battles. |
| Artillery Display at Fort Barrancas An impressive assortment of historic artillery is displayed on the grounds of the National Park ServiceVisitor Center at Fort Barrancas. |
| Visitor Center at Fort Barrancas The Visitor Center at Fort Barrancas interprets the long history of the site and provides more information on the old fort and its environs. |