Mayport's missing confederate cannon

Publication

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Jacksonville History Center

Name/Title

Mayport's missing confederate cannon

Entry/Object ID

2021.59.78

Tags

Library newspapers

Description

Mayport's missing confederate cannon by Joe Pickett, Librarian. This was published in the Mirror, a base newspaper for the Navy community in North Florida published by the Public Affairs Office of Naval Station. Handwritten notation on typed article notes submitted to Public Affairs Office (PAO) on Monday, Feb. 6, 1989. Have typed article and photocopy of newspaper article which was published Feb. 17, 1989 attached. Includes photo of the found cannon being hoisted out of the water. Somewhere in the bottom of the Mayport turning basin, three confederate cannon lie buried. They date back to the first occupation of Jacksonville by Federal forces during the civil war. On March 11, 1862, 4 Union gunboats crossed the bar at the mouth of the St. Johns River as they were escorting two transports carrying six companies of the Fourth New Hampshire Regiment. These troops occupied Jacksonville the next day. The Jacksonville Light Infantry had been ordered to the site when Florida withdrew the Union on Jan. 10, 1861 and the Company volunteered its services to "The Cause" of the Confederacy. The men of the company constructed a fort named Fort Steele in honor of their commanding officer. It was situated just east of the old lighthouse erected in 1835. Although these troops were ready to fight, Captain Steele was ordered to abandon the fort , to spike (temporarily disabling the cannon) and bury the guns. Here they remained for 115 years until one was found during dredging operations in 1977. Three confederate cannons still lie buried.

Collection

Library

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Newspaper

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Serial

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Other Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Search Terms

Naval Station Mayport (Fla.) -- History., Navy-yards and naval stations -- Florida -- Mayport (Jacksonville, Fla.)., Steele, Holmes, 1821-1867., Jacksonville Light Infantry.

Publication Details

Call No.

Newspaper shelf filed by shelf location