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Confederate Defenses At the Mouth of Caney
Creek
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During the Civil War (1861-65), Federal
forces tried
several times to seize Texas forts.
Galveston was taken on
October 5, 1862, but recaptured by a
Confederate army on
January 1, 1863. Lt. Dick Dowling's troops
stopped a
federal invasion at Sabine Pass on Sept. 5,
1863.
Another thrust began on Nov. 78, 1863, when a federal
expedition under Maj. Gen. N. P. Banks
seized Brownsville,
then moved up the coast, capturing Corpus
Christi,
Aransas Pass, Pass Cavallo, and Port-Lavaca
(Dec. 26). Maj.
Gen. John B. Magruder, Confederate commander
of Texas,
ordered fortification of the mouth of Caney
Creek in an
attempt to halt the invasion in Jan. 1864.
An earthen
fortress, rifle pits, trench works, and four
redoubts were
erected near this site. Defended by
4000-6000 Confederates,
the area was bombarded by federal gunboats
during
January and February.
No ground combat occurred at Caney Creek, but the
preparations deterred a further Federal
advance. In March
1864, Gen. Banks moved most of his troops to
Louisiana
and launched an unsuccessful invasion along
Texas'
eastern border. Removal of Federal forces
from key Texas
ports allowed blockade runners to continue
transporting needed materials to Civil War
Texas. |
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(1976) |
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