Texas in the Civil War

1
Texas in the Civil War

• Objective I can explain why defending Texas was
  important to the South during the Civil War.

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The Civil War Basic Facts

• From 1861 to 1865, more than 500,000 Americans
  were killed in the Civil War. More men died in
  this war than all other wars we have fought
  combined.

3
The Civil War Basic Facts

• The 3 Strategies to Union victory
• Invade Virginia and capture Richmond, the
  Southern Confederate capital
• Gain control of the Mississippi River
• Blockade all southern ports
• This was called The Anaconda Plan!

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Overviewofthe NorthsCivil WarStrategy Anaco
ndaPlan
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The Civil War Basic Facts

• Union advantages
• Large population 22 million people (meant more
  soldiers)
• Huge factories
• 75 of railroads
• Navy ships

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The Civil War Basic Facts

• Confederacy advantages
• Fighting a defensive war
• Superior military leaders
• Better soldier skills
• Highly motivated

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Texas Confederates

• The Confederate Congress passed the Conscription
  Act that required men b/w the ages of 18 and 50
  to serve in the Confederate military. However,
  the act excused some people allowing the hiring
  of substitutes.

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Texas Confederates

• The Texas governors during the Civil War were
  Confederates Frances Lubbock (1861-1863) and
  Pendleton Murrah (1863-1865).

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Texas Confederates

• Nearly 60,000 Texans joined the Confederate Army.
  
• Texan Albert Sidney Johnston was the
  second-highest ranking Confederate general that
  fought and died at the Battle of Shiloh in
  Tennessee.

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The Confederate States of America

• 60,000 Texans join the CSA army
• Some who join the CSA army do so for their love
  of Texas not the CSA
• Texans join the cavalry not the infantry or navy

Young Johnny Reb ready for war.
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Texas Confederates

• The most famous Texans were 3 groups who served
  in the deep South
• Hoods Texas Brigade Gen. Robert E. Lee called
  them his finest soldiers led by John Bell Hood
• Terrys Texas Rangers fought in more battles
  than any other cavalry regiment led by B.F.
  Terry
• Rosss Texas Brigade fought primarily in the
  western Trans-Mississippi River department led
  by future governor and Texas AM President
  Lawrence Sullivan Ross

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The Union Army

• Those who join are called the Texas Unionist
• Mexican Americans and African Americans join the
  Union army
• Mexicans tend to join for the pay and because the
  Union is against slavery

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Texas Unionists

• Some Texas Unionists hid, but were later captured
  and arrested. Others were forced into the
  Confederate army.
• Vigilantes, or citizens who act as an
  unauthorized police force, hanged about 40
  suspected Unionists at Gainesville, Texas in
  1862.

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Texas Battles

• Galveston
• Because Texas was an important link in the
  Confederate supply line, the Union navy used its
  ships to blockade, or using troops or warships to
  prevent passage of supplies to the coast of
  Texas. Cotton was transported through Mexico and
  sent to Europe in exchange for war supplies.
• Although Union forces captured the city of
  Galveston, Confederate forces led by General John
  B. Magruder recaptured the city on January 1,
  1863.
• Galveston was crucial because it was the states
  busiest seaport.

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The Battle of Galveston

• Cotton is shipped through Mexican waters and sold
  to England and France
• Union ships and troops capture the port of
  Galveston in Oct. 1862
• CSA retakes the port on January 1863

Union gunboat docked at Galveston port.
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Texas Battles

• Sabine Pass
• The Confederate Davis Guards led by Dick Dowling
  turned back the Union invasion of Texas at the
  Battle of Sabine Pass in September 1863.
• They took 350 Union soldiers prisoner and
  captured 2 ships.
• This battle was an important victory for the
  Confederacy since Union plans to launch a major
  campaign against Texas were dashed.

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The Battle of Brownsville

• November 1863, the Union forces capture
  Brownsville
• The capture of Brownsville hurts the CSA because
  cotton and weapons move through the port for the
  CSA

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Texas Battles

• Brownsville
• Confederate Colonel John S. Ford drove the Union
  army back and recaptured Brownsville in July
  1864.
• Red River Campaign
• Tom Green, a former member of the congress of the
  Republic and a veteran of the Battle of San
  Jacinto and Mexican-American War, also led
  Confederate forces during the Red River campaign.
  

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Texas Battles

• Palmito Ranch
• At Appomattox Courthourse, Confederate General
  Robert E. Lee surrendered to U.S. General Ulysses
  S. Grant on April 9, 1865.
• However, on May 13, 1865, Confederate forces led
  by John S. Ford defeated Union troops in Texas at
  Palmito Ranch the final land battle of the war.
  The Confederates did NOT know Lee had surrendered
  a month earlier! They were informed by Union
  prisoners of the news!

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Surrender at Appomattox
April 9, 1865
After the War ended, Lee dedicated his home
above in Arlington, Virginia for a military
burial grounds today known as the Arlington
National Cemetery
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The Civil War Ends

• The Norths victory in the Civil War meant the
  Union was preserved.
• On April 14 (five days after Appomattox), a
  southern sympathizer named John Wilkes Booth
  assassinated President Lincoln in Fords Theater
  in Washington D.C. As a result of this tragic
  event, the whole nation grieved together.

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The Assassination
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The Assassin
John Wilkes Booth
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The Civil War Ends

• As a result of the Souths surrender, the Texas
  state government collapsed due to lack of
  leadership. Governor Pendleton Murrah fled to
  Mexico in June 1865 to escape Union troops. This
  action resulted in Texas being lawless for a
  brief period of time.

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Recap Texas in the Civil War

• What were the 3 key strategies to Union victory?
• What was the Conscription Act?
• What 3 Texas units were famous for fighting in
  the Civil War?
• Why was Galveston so important?
• Where else in and around Texas did Civil War
  battles take place?