Locals can change history for the better

The events in our history that directed major changes in the evolution of our world are often thought of as far away and detached from local history. But, several people who changed our history lay at rest today in this county. One of the most notable was a man who by his vision and actions helped change the concept of military sea power; his story is well worth revisiting. Now buried in St. Michael’s at Pensacola, his name was Stephen Mallory.

The months of 1860 were the beginning of our nation’s largest failure, the Civil War. During this time, one southern state after another were...