Texas History for Kids by Karen Bush Gibson

Author:Karen Bush Gibson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Published: 2015-07-03T16:00:00+00:00

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The Union Navy renewed its efforts to capture Galveston. The plan of Major General Nathaniel P. Banks was to land at Sabine Pass and overtake Galveston from inland. Sabine Pass wasn’t seen as a problem as there was only a small fort with 47 soldiers commanded by a local Irish barkeeper. Four Union gunboats fired on the fort. The Confederates returned fire with alarming skill. In 35 minutes, the Confederates fired 107 rounds from its six cannons, putting two of the gunboats out of commission and capturing their crews.

What the Union couldn’t do in Galveston, they were able to accomplish in Brownsville, at the southernmost point of the Texas coast at the mouth of the Rio Grande. This cut off trade between Texas and its nearest trade partner, Mexico. However, when many Union troops were transferred to Louisiana in the spring of 1864, Confederate Texans were able to recapture Brownsville. The only area that the Union was able to hold onto was Brazos Island.

The governor, Francis R. Lubbock, was so committed to the Confederacy that he spent the first half of the war raising troops and funds for the cause. But by December 1863, he thought his efforts would be put to better use behind the front line, and he joined the Confederate military.

Not all Texans supported the Confederacy, but those Texans who supported the Union learned to be quiet about it. Union support was found in the German Hill Country and north of Dallas. Texas Germans issued a resolution declaring slavery to be evil, which led to mistrust from other Texans. When 65 mainly German Union sympathizers tried to leave the state, they engaged in conflict with state Confederate troops at the Nueces River and 35 members were killed.

Other people supporting the Union left the state, either to join the Union army or to feel safer in Union territory. Approximately 2,132 whites and 47 African Americans from Texas joined the Union army.

Unlike other Southern states, life didn’t change drastically for many Texans during the Civil War. The blockades resulted in a shortage of items such as clothing, medicine, and coffee. This was particularly bad when the Union was in control of Brownsville and Texas couldn’t get items from Mexico. Coffee was missed by many, but some creative folks tried to create substitutes from peanuts, corn, okra, or sweet potatoes. Newspapers published erratically due to a shortage of paper to print on. Farmers moved from growing cotton to growing corn and other crops to feed the troops.

Other businesses started due to war needs. Cannon foundries, percussion-cap factories, and textile miles were important businesses for maintaining the Confederacy.

In April 1865, word began filtering into Texas that General Robert E. Lee had surrendered. But Texas had one more battle left to fight, the Battle of Palmito Ranch. The four-hour battle resulted in only a few dozen wounded Confederate soldiers. On the Union side, there were 30 wounded and 111 Union soldiers killed. When word spread that

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