Lazy Bayou
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2011
- Location
- Mississippi
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]After falling to the federals in October 1862, Galveston was all but a ghost town. The gas company was closed, so the few remaining civilians made do with candles and oil lamps. Food was in short supply. The waterfront was occupied by some 260 Massachusetts infantrymen, who arrived in the city on Christmas Day. Otherwise, the town was held by six Union ships that patrolled the harbor. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But the new military commander of Texas, John B. Magruder, had an audacious plan ready to retake the city for the Confederacy. In the early morning hours of January 1, 1863, Magruder and General William B. Scurry staged a New Year's invasion, leading several thousand troops across the abandoned railroad bridge from the mainland and surprising the Union garrison at the Galveston waterfront. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Magruder's troops faced heavy fire from the Union barracks and especially from federal gunboats in the harbor. But the naval aspects of the raid had not been neglected. Two Confederate "cottonclads", Bayou City and Neptune, steamed into the harbor to attack federal ships. Both the Confederate gunboats were quickly crippled by superior federal firepower, and the Neptune ran aground. However, Bayou City's captain Henry Lubbock (brother of the governor) rammed his crippled ship into the federal gunboat Harriet Lane and boarded her, killing most of the Union officers and capturing the ship. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Lane's capture was the pivotal moment of the battle. Lubbock demanded the surrender of the rest of the Union fleet. Commander William Renshaw angrily refused. His flagship, the Westfield, had run aground when maneuvering after the Confederate ships. He made preparations to scuttle it to avoid its capture by the enemy. Unfortunately, the explosives detonated prematurely, killing Renshaw and many others on board. After Renshaw's death, the remaining Union ships sailed away, leaving the Massachusetts troops and the survivors of the Harriet Lane to their fates. [/FONT]
The Battle of Galveston exhilarated Texas. Governor Lubbock, bursting with national and family pride, called it "the most dashing affair of the war." The Texas legislature passed a special resolution commending the Confederate forces. General Magruder was hailed as a hero and feted in Houston with a parade and a grand ball in his honor.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]From the Union perspective, the loss of Galveston was one of the great debacles of the war. Admiral David Farragut called the battle the "most shameful" incident in the history of the U.S. Navy. The loss touched off a chain of events, most notably the disastrous Red River campaign in 1864. Civil War historians speculate that this ill-fated campaign prolonged the war and cost both sides untold lives and treasure. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The recapture of Galveston by the Confederates brought little relief to the residents of the area. Over the next several months, Magruder fortified the city with an elaborate defense of new earthworks, wooden blockhouses, guns, and a new fort at Sabine Pass, Fort Griffin. In Magruder's drive to complete the construction, at least 62 African-American laborers died from overwork. These men had been impressed into service from their owners, who were shocked to learn how the slaves had been treated and bitter that they were not compensated for their deaths. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The deaths of the slaves were only the beginning of growing dissatisfaction with Magruder's regime. The civilians of Galveston soon learned that they were to be treated not as loyal Confederates come back to the fold, but residents of an occupied camp. After the fortifications were completed, Magruder withdrew most troops for use elsewhere, leaving only a small and undisciplined force that became known for drunkenness and petty theft. In part the bad behavior could be explained by the terrible conditions for the troops on Galveston. In August 1863, the troops actually mutinied against the spoiled and weevil-infested cornmeal they were issued. For the rest of the war, mutinous incidents and desertions became increasingly common on Galveston Island. [/FONT]
More can be found at this link: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/exhibits/civilwar/1863_1.html
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But the new military commander of Texas, John B. Magruder, had an audacious plan ready to retake the city for the Confederacy. In the early morning hours of January 1, 1863, Magruder and General William B. Scurry staged a New Year's invasion, leading several thousand troops across the abandoned railroad bridge from the mainland and surprising the Union garrison at the Galveston waterfront. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Magruder's troops faced heavy fire from the Union barracks and especially from federal gunboats in the harbor. But the naval aspects of the raid had not been neglected. Two Confederate "cottonclads", Bayou City and Neptune, steamed into the harbor to attack federal ships. Both the Confederate gunboats were quickly crippled by superior federal firepower, and the Neptune ran aground. However, Bayou City's captain Henry Lubbock (brother of the governor) rammed his crippled ship into the federal gunboat Harriet Lane and boarded her, killing most of the Union officers and capturing the ship. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Lane's capture was the pivotal moment of the battle. Lubbock demanded the surrender of the rest of the Union fleet. Commander William Renshaw angrily refused. His flagship, the Westfield, had run aground when maneuvering after the Confederate ships. He made preparations to scuttle it to avoid its capture by the enemy. Unfortunately, the explosives detonated prematurely, killing Renshaw and many others on board. After Renshaw's death, the remaining Union ships sailed away, leaving the Massachusetts troops and the survivors of the Harriet Lane to their fates. [/FONT]
The Battle of Galveston exhilarated Texas. Governor Lubbock, bursting with national and family pride, called it "the most dashing affair of the war." The Texas legislature passed a special resolution commending the Confederate forces. General Magruder was hailed as a hero and feted in Houston with a parade and a grand ball in his honor.
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]From the Union perspective, the loss of Galveston was one of the great debacles of the war. Admiral David Farragut called the battle the "most shameful" incident in the history of the U.S. Navy. The loss touched off a chain of events, most notably the disastrous Red River campaign in 1864. Civil War historians speculate that this ill-fated campaign prolonged the war and cost both sides untold lives and treasure. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The recapture of Galveston by the Confederates brought little relief to the residents of the area. Over the next several months, Magruder fortified the city with an elaborate defense of new earthworks, wooden blockhouses, guns, and a new fort at Sabine Pass, Fort Griffin. In Magruder's drive to complete the construction, at least 62 African-American laborers died from overwork. These men had been impressed into service from their owners, who were shocked to learn how the slaves had been treated and bitter that they were not compensated for their deaths. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The deaths of the slaves were only the beginning of growing dissatisfaction with Magruder's regime. The civilians of Galveston soon learned that they were to be treated not as loyal Confederates come back to the fold, but residents of an occupied camp. After the fortifications were completed, Magruder withdrew most troops for use elsewhere, leaving only a small and undisciplined force that became known for drunkenness and petty theft. In part the bad behavior could be explained by the terrible conditions for the troops on Galveston. In August 1863, the troops actually mutinied against the spoiled and weevil-infested cornmeal they were issued. For the rest of the war, mutinous incidents and desertions became increasingly common on Galveston Island. [/FONT]
More can be found at this link: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/exhibits/civilwar/1863_1.html
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