Pensacola Navy Yard

Pensacola Navy Yard
The yard in 1861, occupied by Confederate troops
Tartar Point at present-day NAS Pensacola
Built	1826
In use	1826-1911
Controlled by	United States (1826-1861, 1862-present) Confederate States (1861-1862)
Events	Civil War
Present status	Decommissioned Now part of NAS Pensacola
Current owner	Federal government

The Pensacola Navy Yard was a shipyard at the site of present-day NAS Pensacola. Originally constructed in 1826, it was decommissioned and abandoned in 1911; however, it was reopened three years later as Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Occupying a roughly square area in the southeast corner of the present-day station, many original structures from the Navy Yard still exist, including portions of the yard's walls.

Civil War

On January 10, Florida became the third state to secede from the Union. Shortly after Florida's secession, Lieutenant Adam J. Slemmer decided to abandon Forts Barrancas and McRee and consolidate Union forces at Fort Pickens. His soldiers, along with 30 loyal sailors from the Navy Yard, evacuated to Fort Pickens. On January 12, rebel troops from Alabama and Florida approached the gates of the Navy Yard, demanding surrender. Having no means to defend the yard, Commodore James Armstrong, the commanding officer, signed the surrender. Quartermaster William Conway famously refused to strike the Union colors and was jailed. The two Union naval ships in the harbor, Wyandotte and Supply, were commanded by officers loyal to the Union and did not fall into rebel hands.