Tampa FL002

supportedunresolved Finegan's report rests on advices that the batteries were replying and says he apprehended no attempt to capture Tampa; Pearson relies on onlookers for the claim that the vessel was struck and says he cannot tell what damage was done.

Secondhand knowledge in both reports. No original reconnaissance, order or message chain was inspected to establish contemporary knowledge. Surprise in a summary does not independently establish what each commander knew. Finegan's report is dated July 8 but speaks of the firing in the present tense.

supportedunresolved Pearson moved part of his ammunition a mile to the rear under guard, and on July 1 did not reply because the vessel was out of range and his ammunition too scarce to waste.

One commander's statement; no ordnance return inspected.

supportedunresolved Pearson says the launch's lieutenant demanded, for Captain Drake, the unconditional surrender of the town and announced shelling at 6 o'clock; Finegan presumed the aim was to annoy the Confederates for killing and capturing Union men on the coast.

The Union aim is known only through Confederate reports.

supportedpost_outcome The frozen result reads Confederate victory (Inconclusive, but Union gunboat withdrew.); the live result reads Confederate Victory. Pearson says the firing ran about an hour from 6 p.m. on June 30 and two hours on July 1, after which the vessel weighed anchor and left the town in Confederate possession; NPS says the gunboat withdrew in the afternoon of July 1.

Retain the original result and engagement interval; later movements and campaign contribution are different measures. No new probabilities or individual causal credit. The frozen text's own qualifier (inconclusive) is preserved.

supportedpost_outcome The frozen casualty text reads None (0); the live field reads zero. Pearson reports nobody hurt on his side and cannot say what damage was done to the vessel.

Original casualty returns were not inspected; preserve totals, categories, cutoffs and differences. No canonical reconciliation or casualty-based opening count; related actions must not be added without resolving population overlap. No Union report was inspected.

supportedunresolved Pearson, signing as captain of the Osceola Rangers and commander of the post, refused the demand himself and credits Captain Gettis with commanding a battery; the gunboat was commanded by Captain Drake. The frozen commanders are Captain John W. Pearson (CS) and Captain A. J. Drake (US, navy); the live page gives Captain Andrew Drake and Captain J Pearson.

Command roles from the Confederate report only; neither listed commander receives automatic sole credit.

unknownunresolved

No inspected return establishes matched personnel at a common opening boundary. The frozen side-specific numerical strength bounds are blank (missing_numeric_strength). No figure in this pass is adopted as a simultaneous opening force.

disputedunresolved The frozen force text reads one gunboat (US) and a company of Osceola Rangers (CS); the live field reads zero. Pearson says the gunboat sent a launch with a lieutenant and 20 men, that he met it with 18 men in one of his boats, and that his batteries consisted of three 24-pounder cannon, one manned by a green squad under Captain Gettis. Finegan, reporting from Tallahassee, says two companies, Pearson's and Chambers's, were stationed at Tampa and that the enemy force was one vessel.

Unit and gun counts from two Confederate reports; no Union report was found (see open questions). One company (frozen) against two (Finegan) is preserved. None is adopted as a matched opening strength. The live zero is not measured absence.

supportedunresolved Pearson says the vessel anchored after sounding and manoeuvring, turned her broadside to the town, and lay out of range of his guns at a distance printed as '2£ to 2£ miles' in OCR.

Distances garbled in OCR; one interested report; no map verification.