Show ship island military post ship island in mississippi was reserved for military purposes by the executive order of august 30 1847 in 1861 the island was occupied d by confederate troops in september 1861 the united states naval forces took possession of the th e island the present works w arks on the island were commena commenced ed in 1862 ship island was used as a base for military operations in the gulf from that time on it was sold in 1933 to the joe graham post no of the american am legion |