Col. J. J. Dickison, Confederate Military History, a library of Confederate States Military History: Volume 11.2, Florida
Clement Anselm Evans, Ed.

[25] and more, there was nothing approaching a fortification except the works at Key West and Tortugas, and those posts, the keys to the Gulf, were held by the enemy. There were a few cannon mounted at St. Augustine, at Fort Clinch on Amelia island, at the mouth of St. John's river, at Fernandina, Cedar Keys, St. Marks, Apalachicola and Tallahassee; but there were only two guns at each of the gulf points, and St. Augustine had but eleven. At this time (May) it was estimated that Florida had 70000 men in the field at Pensacola, and nearly 2,000 more, organized under the last call of the President and equipped by the State, ready to march where ordered.

On May 10th the Confederate steamer Spray captured off Cedar Keys the United States schooner William C. Atwater, with thirty-one men. The boat was taken to Apalachicola and converted into a blockade runner, but was recaptured off the same port in January following by the Federal steamer Itasca. Tampa bay was blockaded in July, and in August the port of St. Marks was covered by the steamer Mohawk, whose crew also obstructed the channel by sinking a captured sloop. In July the Federal steamer Massachusetts captured four schooners and sent them as prizes to Key West, but when off Cedar Keys they were recaptured by the Florida forces and the Federals in charge were sent to Tallahassee as prisoners.

The Federal blockade was established at all the important ports, and the sight of the enemy's war vessels was a common occurrence to the troops on the coast. Governor Milton sought to have the harbors protected, especially the important one of Apalachicola, and received notice from Secretary Walker, August 30th, that BrigadierGen-eral Grayson of the Confederate army had been assigned to the military command of Middle and East Florida. He was succeeded by Gen. James H. Trapier in October, and early in November the east coast was included in the new department of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, first under command of Gen. Robert E. Lee.