1862 – The City of Pensacola surrendered to Union forces on this date. In January of 1861 Confederate troops from Alabama and Florida took over the Navy Yard and Fort Barrancas, while Union Forces held on to Fort Pickens. Both sides received troop reinforcements over the next few months and in September the first major engagement occurred during the Battle of Santa Rosa Island. Artillery fire was exchanged regularly into 1862 until thousands of Confederate troops were transferred to other campaigns and Pensacola was left to the acting mayor, John Brosnaham who peaceably handed the city over to Union forces. Later in the war many Union troops were also sent to other campaigns.