The Middle of Nowhere: The Walton Guard on the Narrows

The American Civil War was a defining event in American History and it had an important local episode.

In the spring of 1861 Pensacola was a critical port for both sides of the conflict. The Confederacy needed it to access the Gulf of Mexico to ship out goods and bring in war supplies. The Union needed to keep Pensacola blocked off so the Confederacy couldn’t profit from the deep-water port or navy yard. Both sides held forts that controlled Pensacola Bay and nothing could go in or out of the bay.

In the middle of this strategic situation was the Walton Guard, a local militia unit from Eucheeanna in modern Walton County. They were stationed in what is now downtown Ft. Walton Beach but was then a wilderness with no city and limited sparse settlement. They were a critical part of the Confederate defense of Pensacola...even though they were 40 miles from the city and in The Middle of Nowhere.

Museum speaker Michael Weech will explain why and talk about the life of a soldier in camp and in battle. Michael Weech is the Museum Programming Coordinator for Heritage Park and Cultural Center. He has a degree in history from the University of West Florida and has previously worked at the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida.