Though far from the fighting, the day-to-day lives of Sarasota (Florida) Bay-area residents were affected by the Civil War.
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Sarasota produced salt and cattle for the Confederacy, and one particularly troublesome Yankee blockader was the Bark Ethan Allen. From wikipedia:
"Ethan Allen was built in 1859 at
Boston, Massachusetts; purchased by the Navy 23 August 1861; and commissioned 3 October 1861, Acting Volunteer Lieutenant W. B. Eaton in command.
During her first wartime cruise, 27 October 1861 to 30 March 1863,
Ethan Allen patrolled in the
Gulf of Mexico, capturing eight prizes, and destroying extensive
salt works along the
Florida coast, thus hampering the Confederate war effort and civilian economy.
Ethan Allen returned to Boston for repairs, and between 22 June and 28 October 1863, cruised along the
New England coast to protect merchantmen and fishing craft from Southern cruisers.
On 9 November, she sailed from Boston to join the
South Atlantic Blockading Squadron off
Port Royal, South Carolina, 26 November. During the following year and a half, she patrolled the Carolina coast, and for several months served as practice ship for junior officers of her squadron.
She arrived at
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 5 June 1865, and was decommissioned there 26 June 1865, and sold 20 July 1865."
Ethan Allen carried six 32-pounders (four heavy and two light), one 20-pounder rifle and one 12-pounder brass howitzer.On at least one occasion, she fired on a blockade runner.
0 by
Stephen Duffy, on Flickr