Battle of Fort Brooke

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Fort Brooke
partof=American Civil War


caption=
date= October 16 – October 18, 1863
place= Tampa, Florida
casus=
territory=
result= Union victory
combatant1= flagicon|USA|1863 United States (Union)
combatant2= flagicon|CSA|1863 CSA (Confederacy)
commander1= A.A. Semmes
commander2= John Westcott
strength1= USS "Tahoma", USS "Adela"
strength2= 2nd Florida Infantry, Company A
casualties1= 16
casualties2= Unknown
notes=

The Battle of Fort Brooke was a minor engagement fought October 12 through October 18, 1863, near Tampa, Florida, during the American Civil War.

Two Union Navy ships, USS "Tahoma" and USS "Adela", bombarded Fort Brooke on October 16, 1863, as a diversion, while a landing party under Acting Master T.R. Harris disembarked at Ballast Point and marched 14 miles to the Hillsborough River to capture several enemy steamers. Harris and his men surprised and captured the blockade runner "Scottish Chief" and the sloop "Kate Dale". The Confederate defenders destroyed the steamer "A.B. Noyes" to preclude her capture.

On its way back to the ship, Harris's force was surprised by a detachment of the garrison, the 2nd Florida Infantry Battalion, causing casualties in a brief, but sharp exchange.

References

* [http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/fl004.htm National Park Service battle description]
* Kennedy, Frances H., ed., "The Civil War Battlefield Guide", 2nd ed., Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998, ISBN 0-395-74012-6.