The significance of Ft. Pickens during the early part of the Civil War is best described by the statement that it was one of the few forts in the South that remained occupied by the Union.
Ft. Pickens, located in Florida on Santa Rosa Island, was one of the most important Union strongholds in the South after the outbreak of the Civil War. It was strategically positioned to control access to the Gulf of Mexico and to protect the port of Pensacola. Its occupation was significant because it remained in Union hands despite the Confederacy's attempts to take control of the fort, making it a key point for Union forces in the Gulf region throughout the early years of the war.