USA > Texas > A comprehensive history of Texas, 1685-1897 > Part 17
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that a fight in the town would expose them to great danger, Major Nolan did not deem it proper to enter the town upon the heels of the enemy and harass their embarkation. On the ISth, still keeping the town invested and his main force con- cealed, Major Nolan entered with a party of twenty men, and found that the enemy had made close search for several well-known Southern men with a view to their arrest. They had searched the residence of Colonel Lovenskiold and Major Nolan's own residence, and had arrested Miss McMahon and kept her confined under guard for some time, mistaking her for Mrs. Nolan. Upon discovering their mis- take, however, they released Miss McMahon. They also arrested Miss Savoy, mistaking her for a Miss Mullen, a sister of a soldier in the Confederate army. Several of the male citizens were also arrested and kept confined the day of the skirmish, but were released when the enemy departed. Several citizens of the town-H. W. Berry, Christian Anderson, Thomas Finney, and others-who had joined the Union army, and were, therefore, called renegades by their neighbors, were seen with the enemy, and were under arms.
On March 19, 1864, about two hundred Americans and Mexicans under Colonel E. J. Davis, of the First Texas (Union) Regiment, marching up the Rio Grande from Brownsville, attacked the town of Laredo. Their advent was un- known to the citizens until they were within a very short distance. Colonel Santos Benavides, a brave, trusty, gallant, and loyal Mexican citizen of Texas, was in command of the Confederate forces at Laredo. The advancing enemy avoided all roads, having been piloted through the chaparral by Mexican spies well acquainted with the country, and hence were unobserved by Colonel Benavides's pickets until in close proximity to the town. As soon as their approach was known, Colonel Benavides assembled his small force, consisting of about forty-two men of Captains Refugio and Cristoval Benavides's companies and about thirty men of Captain Chapman's company and a few American volunteers. The citizens rallied gal- lantly to the assistance of Colonel Benavides, and aided in erecting barricades on the plaza. After posting Captain Chapman's company and the citizens for the defence of the interior of the town, Coloncl Benavides proceeded to the outskirts with the forty-two men of his regiment, divided them into squads, and placed them in the adjacent hou es to await the approach of the enemy. When within about half a mile from the town the enemy halted, formed several assaulting parties of about forty men each, and charged upon the houses occupied by Colonel Benavides and his men. The brave Benavides says : "As soon as they came in reach of our guns my men gave the Texas yell, commenced firing on them, and compelled them to retreat to their main force." The enemy then advanced on foot, keeping up a rapid fire, which was returned with splendid effect by the Confederates, as they were "full of fight," as described by their commander. The fight was kept up until dark, when the enemy retreated about three miles below town and encamped. The Confederates maintained their position all night, expecting a renewal of the attack at any moment. About two o'clock that night reinforcements arrived for the Confederates from Lapata, about twenty-five miles north of Laredo, where Colonel Benavides had encamped the larger part of his regiment on account of the abundance of grass for his horses, and for whom he had sent a courier as soon as the advance of the enemy was discovered. The arrival of reinforcements caused
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such general rejoicing that it was manifested by the ringing of church bells and the blowing of trumpets, which doubtless gave the enemy sufficient warning for them to make their escape. Early the next morning Captain Refugio Benavides, with sixty men, was sent to flank the enemy and get into their rear, but upon reaching their camp, he found that they had retreated in great disorder, leaving five horses branded U. S. and a large quantity of camp equipage. Lieutenant-Colonel George H. Giddings, who was in command of the Confederate forces at Eagle Pass, con- sisting of about one hundred and fifty men, was also sent for by Colonel Benavides at the time of the attack, but he did not arrive until the enemy had made their escape.
On March 21, 1864, the blockading steamship off Velasco passed to the east- ward, some three miles from the Confederate forts, and opened fire on the steam- ship Matagorda, which was aground on the bar. She fired four shots, which passed over the vessel and exploded some distance beyond her. The blockader then passed to the eastward again, and the second time came down within range of both the land batteries, when the Confederates opened fire on her, and a spirited engagement took place. One shot struck the blockader, when she retired to sea, and came to anchor about three miles off.
Under date of March 23, 1864, Major-General John A. McClernand, com- manding the United States army in Texas, reports from Matagorda Island that a number of colored refugees had escaped from Port Lavaca and brought within the Union lines the Confederate schooner Fanny Fern. No mention by Confederate reports is made of this affair.
On April 3, 1864, one Bingham, a companion of T. P. McManus, and who held a commission in the Union army, crossed the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass and robbed the stage running between that place and San Antonio and several freight wagons, carrying off the stage horses and a number of mule teams into Mexico. They carried away a negro boy, a slave, who escaped from them and returned to Texas. He reported to Captain J. B. Weyman, commanding the post at Eagle Pass, that Bingham's band was encamped near Monclova Viejo, where they had accumulated a large quantity of stolen plunder and many horses and mules. Cap- tain Weyman at once demanded of the commandant of Piedras Negras that these robbers be arrested and delivered to the Texas authorities, to receive the punish- ment justly due to their crimes, and that the stolen property be returned. Captain Weyman also offered to go with the Mexican soldiers to point out the camp of the robbers and assist in their capture. A halting reply was given by the Mexican commandant, promising to return the stolen property if it could be found, but re- fusing to surrender the robbers and declining the services of Captain Weyman and his company in arresting them. He enacted the farce of sending out fifteen Mexi- cans under the pretence of hunting for the stolen property, In his report of this affair, Captain Weyman says that if the course so far pursued by the Mexican authorities is continued the whole Rio Grande frontier will be broken up. That renegades from all portions of Texas are continually arriving on Mexican territory in that vicinity, animated with the strongest personal hatred to all Confederates and the Confederate cause, and are tolerated, if not protected, by the Mexican authorities. That it was a matter of general notoriety that officers of the United
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States army had their well-known recruiting officers and agents in the town of Piedras Negras, as well as commissary and quartermasters' stores from which they were publicly supplied. He sums the whole matter up, so far as the Mexican authorities are concerned, when he says : "When we have a strong force they are civil and obliging, and grow insolent when our force is weakened."
On April 12, 1864, two of the Union boats, the Zephyr and the Estrella, each with a company of infantry on board, left Pass Cavallo for the purpose of recon- noitring up Matagorda Bay and gaining information respecting the movements of two vessels inside the peninsula. At the Matagorda reef they met the Confederate gunboat Carr and the armed schooner Buckhart, when an interchange of shots took place, the Confederate boats retiring before the superior guns of the enemy's vessels. The same evening the Zephyr captured a small sloop on her way from Matagorda City to Lavaca, but the crew escaped by jumping overboard in the shallow water and wading to the shore. The next day the Zephyr and the Estrella sailed to Indianola, and thence to Oliver's Point, in Trespalacios Bay, where they captured another small sloop and burned still another.
On May 6, 1864, Lieutenant-Colonel William H. Griffin, Twenty-first Texas Infantry (A. W. Spaight's regiment), in command at Sabine Pass, captured the gunboats Granite City and Ware, at Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana, with one hundred and seventy-four prisoners. He reports a loss of eight killed and twelve wounded, and claims that the enemy's loss was twenty killed and nineteen wounded.
Major J. Simpson, of the Union army, reports that he arrived at Calcasieu on Sunday, the 8th of May, at seven A. M., on the steamer Ella Morse, Captain Pep- per. She crossed the bar and entered the river, and when within about five hun- dred yards of the two gunboats, things looking a little suspicious, he stopped the boat. Then the Granite City fired a broadside at her. She then ran down the river with the Granite City following and firing at her for about half a mile, when she was attacked by sharp-shooters from both banks of the river. The pilot was wounded, and Captain Pepper took the wheel and ran the boat out and escaped to New Orleans.
On May 22, 1864, the blockader at the mouth of the Brazos River gave chase to the schooner Stingaree, which appeared in the offing southwest of Velasco. After passing out of sight from Velasco the schooner was captured and placed in charge of a prize crew, consisting of an ensign and six men, Captain McClosky, of the Stingaree, and his crew remaining prisoners on board the schooner. The steamer then sailed back towards her anchorage, the Stingarce following in her wake. Captain McClosky then produced some liquor, and in a short time suc- ceeded in getting the prize crew drunk, and at the proper moment, with the aid of his own crew, secured their arms, made prisoners of the prize crew, and resumed com- mand of his vessel. Captain McClosky continued in the wake of the steamer until within about four miles of Velasco, when he changed his course and made all sail for the beach. The steamer immediately gave chase, firing several shots at her, but without effect, and the Stingaree was beached about two miles west from Velasco. In the mean time, Lieutenant-Colonel II. P. Cayce, of the Thirteenth Texas Infantry, commanding the port at Velasco, seeing the movements of the schooner, sent to her assistance a company of cavalry and twenty-five infantry.
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During the contest on board the schooner two of the prize crew escaped in small boats and one of Captain McClosky's crew was lost overboard. The other five of the prize crew were made prisoners.
On June 19, 1864, a body of Union men, aided by a considerable number of Mexican bandits, made a very serious attack on Eagle Pass with the intention of capturing the government property, including several hundred bales of cotton which had been accumulated there. The post was commanded by Captain James A. Ware with thirty-four men. Captain Ware had received intimations that some hostile movement was contemplated, and made the best preparations for defence which were possible with the small force at his command. The attacking party was under the command of one T. P. McManus, who had been sent to Piedras Negras for the purpose of organizing this expedition. About ten o'clock in the morning the attacking party attempted to cross the river at a point three miles above the town, but finding the ford impracticable, they subsequently effected a crossing about five miles higher up, and immediately commenced to march against the town. Receiving a check from the Confederate pickets they retired about six miles from town, un- furled the United States flag, and waited for reinforcements from the Mexican side of the river. During the day they received a considerable augmentation to their numbers, consisting of Union men who had sought refuge in Mexico and Mexican robbers, who were always awake to any enterprise which promised an opportunity for plunder and pillage. Captain Stone's company of home-guards under Lieu- tenant Burke and Captain Pickerell's company of twenty-five men were called out by Captain Ware, and, although only about half of them were armed, they were as advantageously posted as the small force and want of arms would allow. About one o'clock on the morning of the 20th the attack was made by about one hundred men, and Captain Pickerell and his company, after a gallant defence, were driven from the hospital building, with a loss of five men severely wounded, nine of their guns, and all of their horses. After having posted the home-guard company behind temporary barricades in the streets of the town, Captain Ware with four men started to the relief of Captain Pickerell, not knowing that he had been driven from the building occupied by him, and was captured by a guard which the enemy had left there. In the mean time the enemy marched into the town, and met with a handsome repulse from the home-guards under Lieutenant Burke from behind the barricades. In the confusion incident to the repulse and retreat of the enemy Captain Ware made his escape. About daylight the enemy retired across the river without having effected their purpose or doing any injury to the property. The loss of the enemy was one man killed and six wounded.
After the first attack the enemy received farge accessions to their numbers, and evidently intended to make another. The better class of citizens on both sides of the river promptly responded to the call of Captain Ware, and on the night of the 22d the second attack was easily defeated. The Mexican authorities of Piedras Negras threw every obstacle in the way of the citizens of that town crossing over to the defence of Eagle Pass, even prohibiting them from crossing the river at the public ferry ; but many of them found other means of passage. The conduct of the Mexican authorities towards the reinforcements for the McManus party was in strange contrast with that displayed towards those who wished to cross the river
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to aid in the protection of life and property. These were given every facility for crossing the river, and no effort whatever was made to prevent or stop the organiza- tion or movements of the lawless band whose object was known to be plunder.
In their official correspondence Generals Dana and Herron both approve the doings of McManus, and speak of him as having been sent by them to pillage and plunder a defenceless frontier.
In the latter part of 1863 Colonel John S. Ford organized at San Antonio an expeditionary force for the recapture of Brownsville, and during that winter and the following spring was actively engaged in its organization. Early in June Colonel Ford, with four companies of his own regiment and two of Colonel Santos Bena- vides's regiment and one section of artillery from Captain H. H. Christmas's light battery, under Lieutenant C. B. Gardiner, formed a junction at Como se Llamo Ranch with Colonel Baird's regiment of Arizona troops, under Lieutenant-Colonel Showalter, and with all the best mounted men proceeded to march on Las Rucias Ranch, twenty-four miles from Brownsville, where Captain Temple, of the Union army, was stationed with two companies one hundred and fifty strong. Colonel Ford succeeded in capturing two Mexicans at Carricitos Ranch, who were forced to guide the Confederates through the chaparral to Las Rucias. On June 25, 1864, the ad- vance arrived within a few hundred yards of the enemy without being discovered, and Captain James Dunn was ordered by Colonel Ford to take his company and feel of the enemy lightly, so as to compel them to develop their strength. Instead of doing so he charged boldly into the midst of the enemy and was killed at the head of his company. Colonel Ford, seeing that Captain Dunn had brought on the engagement, although contrary to orders, with that prescient judgment charac- teristic of the born soldier determined to take advantage of the mistake, and promptly ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Showalter into action, who was immediately followed by the companies of Captain Tom Cater and Captain Cristoval Benavides. The enemy were dislodged from all their covers behind the jacals about the ranch, and fell back behind the bank of a laguna, whence they maintained a heavy fire. At this point Lieutenant Gardiner brought. his two guns into action, and did fine work in dislodging the enemy from behind the bank, where they could not be reached by the cavalry on account of the water and boggy ground in the laguna. Finally, those who had not made their escape across the Rio Grande, or been killed or wounded, surrendered. The Confederates captured two wagons and teams complete and a quantity of much needed stores, and took thirty-six prisoners. Their loss was three men killed and four wounded. The loss of the Federals was twenty killed, twelve wounded, among them Captain Temple, and thirty-six prisoners.
Captain James Dunn, who was killed in the first charge, was an old frontiersman, one of Jack Hays's rangers ; and after having served the State of Texas long and faithfully, fell at the post of honor and of danger while gallantly leading his men in a headlong charge. The victorious shouts of his comrades was sweet music to his dying ears.
In the official reports of Major-General Herron, commanding the United States troops at Brownsville, the name of the ranch at which this affair took place is called Las Renas ; but it is wrong ; the correct name is Las Rucias.
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After the affair at Las Rucias, Colonel Ford withdrew his command to Carrici- tos Ranch to rest and recuperate his men and horses, with a view to the final strug- gle for the reoccupation of Brownsville. During the four weeks that the command lay at Carricitos almost daily skirmishes occurred with the enemy's pickets in the dense chaparral, but they were usually bloodless. On July 25, Colonel Ford moved on to Brownsville and formed his line of investment in Dead Man's Hollow, on the outskirts of the town, and the enemy retired within their intrenchments. The Confederates were placed at great disadvantage in not having any artillery, Lieutenant Gardiner having returned to San Antonio pursuant to orders, on account of not having sufficient men to handle the guns ; the men of the cavalry companies having refused to either volunteer or be assigned to duty in the artillery, even tem- porarily. The enemy declined to come out of their works to fight, and Colonel Ford was too prudent to risk an assault in the face of superior numbers and several pieces of artillery. Colonel Ford pressed up close to the enemy's works several times with the purpose of drawing them out upon the open field, but without suc- cess. In one of these affairs fifteen of the enemy were wounded, but the Confed- crates did not have a man hurt.
There were a number of Texans in Matamoras at the time, and several of them came over to the Texas side and joined Ford's forces in the effort to recapture Brownsville. Among them were Colonel John M. Swisher, an old citizen of Austin and a veteran of the battle of San Jacinto, and Dr. Charles B. Combe. Colonel Swisher was riding one of Dr. Combe's horses, and in the midst of one of the heaviest skirmishes, when the bullets were flying thick and fast, and Colonel Swisher was exposing himself and horse rather recklessly, as Dr. Combe thought, the latter called out to the former : "Take care, there, Swisher ; you'll get my horse killed !" The old man blazed up at once, and stammered back at the doctor : " Da-da-damn your old horse ; yo-yo-you don't care if I get killed !" Those who knew Colonel Swisher and remember how badly he stuttered will appreciate the joke.
In a few days the Federals evacuated the city, and on July 30, 1864, the advance of Colonel Ford's command under Lieutenant-Colonel Showalter re-entered and occupied it. Giddings's battalion pursued the retreating enemy on the road to Brazos Santiago, and about fifteen miles from Brownsville Captain Robinson of that command came up with their rear-guard, and after a spirited brush drove it upon the main body, killing two men and capturing two prisoners. When the Confed- erates entered Brownsville they found Major E. W. Cave, of Houston, in command of a company of citizens and business men, temporarily organized for the protection of life and property against the depredations of the lawless element which predom- inated that section in the absence of a sufficient military force to overawe them and keep them in subjection.
On August 9, 1864, a party of about seventy-five negroes, from the Union Corps d' Afrique Engineers, was sent to Point Isabel from Brazos Santiago, for the purpose of tearing down the houses and removing the lumber to the latter place for the construction of quarters for the troops. While engaged in tearing down the houses they were attacked by Lieutenant Colonel George H. Giddings with a small force of cavalry and driven to the steamer which brought them over, after killing two of them and wounding several others.
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The next day the colored troops were sent back on the same errand, under the protection of a strong infantry foree from the Ninety-first Illinois and the Nineteenth Iowa Regiments, and, as they were too strong to be attacked by the Confederates, they tore down every house in the town and shipped the lumber to Brazos Santiago.
In August, 1864, Lieutenant-Colonel Showalter succeeded by a bold and adroit movement in capturing the United States steamboat Ark in the Rio Grande River, a short distance above its mouth. The boat was carried to Brownsville, and a ses- sion of the Confederate States court convened with Hon. Thos. J. Devine presiding. and by regular proceedings it was condemned as a prize of war, and sold for thirteen thousand dollars.
On September 6, 1864, a strong body of Union cavalry, with one piece of artillery, were crossed over to the mainland from Brazos Island, and advanced up the Rio Grande for the purpose of attempting the capture of a herd of cattle which was being held in the bend of the river just above the White Ranch. The advance- guard of the enemy was met at the Palmito Ranch by a small detachment of Con- federate cavalry under Captain Richard Taylor, of the Thirty-third Texas Cavalry, and a brisk skirmish ensued ; but the main body of the raiders with artillery soon arrived upon the ground, and the Confederates were forced to retire, and the enemy succeeded in driving off the cattle.
Captain Taylor fell back with his company upon the main body of Baird's regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel Showalter at Palmito Ranch, and preparations were there made to resist the advance of the Federals. A detachment of the French army, in support of Maximilian's pretensions in Mexico, had landed at the mouth of the Rio Grande the latter part of August, and driven Colonel Juan N. Cortina, who commanded the Republican troops of Mexico, back from the coast, and when the United States troops advanced up the river on the Texas side, Colonel Cortina opened fire with artillery on the Confederates at Palmito Ranch. They returned the fire with small-arms, killing several of the Mexican cannoneers, and then retreated to Brownsville. The enemy, however, did not follow, and Colonel Cortina sent a small part of his command across the river to reinforce the Federals. He, however, did not eross in person, as it was said that he was afraid of the adverse influence of his rival, Colonel Canales, being used for his overthrow during his absence. He was very friendly towards the Federals, and it was then said by those most intimate with him that he was scheming for a commission as brigadier-general in the United States army.
At all events, a very cordial feeling existed between Colonel Cortina and the officers of the United States army, which was doubtless prompted on Cortina's part by his great ambition, and his sagacity enabled him to see that the United States government was the stronger, and would ultimately succeed. The evidence is pretty elear, however, that the United States officers only intended from the first to use him for their own purposes ; encouraging him to make raids across the Rio Grande River into Texas, under the implied promise of a commission in the United States army.
The terms of intimacy and the friendship existing between the two is abun- dantly shown by the fact that Brigadier-General William A. Pile, commanding United States forces at Brazos Santiago, reports, under date of November 14, 1864,
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A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY OF TEXAS.
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