First; a tribute to a Rebel victory of sorts. The United Daughters of the Confederacy saved one of the only surviving 19th century Sugar Plantation homes in southern Florida. They didn’t really have interest in the original owner, Gamble, who after 12 years’ attempt at sugar production lost the home and property to his creditors. The Women were more interested in what happened later. The house served as a commissary and service port for confederate blockade runners during the war. Even more significantly, it is said to be the hide out for Judah Benjamin the Confederate secretary of State as he arranged passage out of the country just ahead of would be captures who sought to bring charges of treason. Judah got out of the country, returned to England, and returned to his first profession, the practice of law. They claim he rose to a position of their equivalent of the Supreme Court. I agree, I would call that a Rebel victory.
Next; the Desoto National Memorial. His was an amazing four year exploration of much of the south. He didn’t find the precious metals and gems they hoped for and Desoto himself did not survive. The group inflicted a lot of pain on the indigenous peoples, not a good thing. History identifies perhaps the greatest impact of Desoto’s mission as the information his party gathered and documented on the south eastern part of the continent and its influence on explorers and settlers that followed. One has to marvel on what drove these early explorers. Desoto came on his own dime (ok, so his wealth came from participation in earlier raids on South American civilizations) and driven by the need for something to do since Spain no longer needed its soldiers to fight the Moors. History is fascinating.
Park Rangers gave talks in period costume on the weapons and armor used by Desoto and his men. They brought war dogs they set loose on the Indians to tear them to pieces. They wore chain mail and full armor on horseback. They brought a long gun, miserably inaccurate but frightening in its noise and smoke. They were certainly an intimidating bunch.