Tampa, Florida

===Civil War and Reconstruction===

{{Main|Florida in the American Civil War}}

During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], Florida seceded along with most of the southern states to form the [[Confederate States of America]], and Fort Brooke was defended by Confederate troops. [[Martial law]] was declared in Tampa in January 1862, and Tampa's city government ceased to operate for the duration of the war.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tampagov.net/dept_City_Clerk/Information_resources/previous_mayors/No_Municipal_Form_of_Government.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070923073552/http://www.tampagov.net/dept_City_Clerk/Information_resources/previous_mayors/No_Municipal_Form_of_Government.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 23, 2007 |title=Military Rule of Tampa During Civil War |publisher=tampagov.net |access-date=February 23, 2008}}</ref>

In 1861, the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] Navy set up a [[blockade]] around many southern ports to cut off the Confederacy. Several US Navy ships were stationed near the mouth of [[Tampa Bay]], but small [[blockade runners|blockade running ships]] were often able to slip by the blockade to deliver cattle to Spanish Cuba, earning gold for the Confederate cause.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tampagov.net/dept_City_Clerk/Information_resources/previous_mayors/james_mckaysr.asp |title=James McKay, Sr.&nbsp;– 6th Mayor of Tampa |publisher=tampagov.net |access-date=February 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615171041/http://www.tampagov.net/dept_City_Clerk/Information_resources/previous_mayors/james_mckaysr.asp |archive-date=June 15, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/fl/fl002.html |title=Florida Civil War Battle Tampa Bay American War Between the States |publisher=americancivilwar.com |access-date=February 24, 2008 |archive-date=April 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425075041/http://americancivilwar.com/statepic/fl/fl002.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp/battles/fl002.htm |title=Battle Summary: Tampa, FL |publisher=nps.gov |access-date=February 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080218024028/http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp/battles/fl002.htm |archive-date=February 18, 2008}}</ref> On June 30, 1862, the gunboat [[USS Sagamore (1861)|USS ''Sagamore'']] sailed into [[Tampa Bay]] and opened fire on Fort Brooke, which returned fire. The ''Sagamore'' withdrew after a few hours, and the [[Battle of Tampa]] caused little damage. During the [[Battle of Fort Brooke]] on October 16 and the [[Battle of Ballast Point]] on October 18, 1863, Union forces inflicted serious damage to the city's economy when, under the cover of another bombardment of the fort, troops landed and destroyed two blockade running ships that had been hidden upstream along the Hillsborough River.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/article516881.ece |title=Hull of Civil War sloop likely found in Tampa river&nbsp;– St. Petersburg Times |work=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=February 23, 2010 |archive-date=February 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202153138/http://tampabay.com/news/article516881.ece |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 1864, Union troops landed again and took Fort Brooke largely unopposed. They destroyed much of the fort's facilities and confiscated the remaining military supplies other than the canons, which they tossed into the Hillsborough River, then left the "desolate" town after two days.<ref name="attack">{{cite news |last1=Morelli |first1=Keith |title=Tuesday marks anniversary of Union attack on Tampa |url=https://www.tbo.com/news/florida/tuesday-marks-anniversary-of-union-attack-on-tampa-20140504/ |access-date=August 3, 2018 |work=The Tampa Tribune |date=May 4, 2014 |archive-date=August 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803133915/https://www.tbo.com/news/florida/tuesday-marks-anniversary-of-union-attack-on-tampa-20140504/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[Appomattox Court House National Historical Park|Civil War ended]] in April 1865 with a Confederate defeat. In May 1865, federal troops arrived in Tampa to occupy the fort and the town as part of [[Reconstruction era|Reconstruction]]. They remained until August 1869.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

During the immediate post-war period, Tampa was a poor, isolated fishing village with about 1000 residents and little industry. [[Yellow fever]], borne by mosquitoes from nearby swamps, broke out several times during the 1860s and 1870s, causing more residents to leave.<ref>Brown, Cantor. ''Tampa During the Civil War and Reconstruction''. [[University Press of Florida]].</ref> In 1869, residents voted to abolish the city of Tampa government.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tampagov.net/dept_City_Clerk/Information_resources/archives/City_of_Tampa_Incorporation_History.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824182934/http://www.tampagov.net/dept_City_Clerk/Information_resources/archives/City_of_Tampa_Incorporation_History.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 24, 2007 |title=Archives, City of Tampa Incorporation History |publisher=tampagov.net |access-date=February 23, 2008}}</ref>

The population of "Tampa Town" was about 800 by 1870 and dropped to about 700 by 1880. Fort Brooke was decommissioned in 1883, further impacting the local economy in the short run but opening up the waterfront for development. Except for two [[cannon]]s displayed on the [[University of Tampa]] campus, all traces of the fort are gone.<ref name="attack"/>