[FHStoday] TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY FOR AUGUST 4

[Nick Wynne]

TODAY IN FLORIDA HISTORY
AUGUST 4
1842            The Armed Occupation Act was passed by Congress.  Each 
settler who would settle and cultivate five acres or more of land in 
eastern and southern Florida for a period of five years would receive 160 
acres of land and one year's rations from the Federal government.  Settlers 
were expected also to provide militia service, if needed, to control the 
activities of the warring Seminole Indians.  This was the prelude to the 
official declaration of the end of the Second Seminole War on August 14, 1842.

1862            The 6th and 7th Florida Infantry Regiments, the 1st Florida 
Cavalry, and the Marion Artillery were assigned to Davis' 2nd Brigade of 
the Confederate Department of Tennessee and were stationed at Knoxville.

1864            Federal General Birney's Brigade from Florida, some 3,000 
troops, arrived as reinforcements for Hilton Head, South Carolina.  Many of 
these troops were former slaves, who have been recruited into the U.S. 
Colored Infantry.

1898            American generals commanding U.S. forces in Cuba petition 
the War Department to remove their soldiers from the island in order to 
prevent additional casualties from yellow fever.

1944            Ceremonies were held at the Underwater Demolition Training 
facility in Ft. Pierce to celebrate the 154th anniversary of the U.S. Coast 
Guard.

1984            The Cypriot freighter, Wellwood, rammed Molasses Reef, the 
only living coral reef in continental United States' waters, and destroyed 
19,000 square feet of living coral.  Stuck on the reef for 12 days, 
additional sections of the reef were destroyed when tugs worked to free her 
from her perch.