Solivagant USA

“Veterans of the New Mexico desert and mountains, the wild Texas cavalrymen sharpshooters needed no urging,” in the wee hours of the morning of New Year’s Day 1863. Where? Galveston Island. Specifically, Kuhn’s Wharf (now Fisherman’s wharf). Sibley/Green’s 7th Texas Cavalry had vengeance, not pleasure on their minds.

My 2greatgrandUncle George M. Hill, and his brother-in-law Thomas B. McClendon (and his brother Henry) were actually on their way to the war in Louisiana. Nonetheless, they were easily persuaded by General John Bankhead Magruder’s effort to re-take Galveston, the “Gem of the Gulf.” Galveston had capitulated quite easily on Oct 4, 1862. I imagine it galled Magruder to see Union Massachusetts soldiers enjoying the city and beaches mere blocks from the wharf. (If you’ve been on a cruise out of Galveston, you know the Strand’s historic downtown.) The photo of the Historical Marker jammed surrounded by buildings offering food and fun is all that remains.

But the Union failed to blow up the Railroad, which transported goods to Houston and beyond. Magruder had a grudge and a plan, 1500 men to spread amongst the Union sentries, plus 150 shotgun armed Cavalrymen who hid on the “fleet”: Bayou City (32 pounder mounted), and Neptune with two howitzers captured in New Mexico. I pause at the thought that my ancestors assumed this was sufficient, as they loaded the cotton bales for armor against the inevitable pounding by the Union’s five-gun paddle-wheeler the Harriet Lane.

Everyone, well residents who hadn’t fled to Houston that fall, knew something was afoot. I spent an easy hour walking the downtown, over to the battle site, and searching for the railroad. Rumors had to be flying but the Massachusetts regiment tasked with minding the city may have been at the beach.

They were also sleeping off New Year’s eve celebrations while Magruder used the railroad to haul guns and artillery into position. Magruder fired his guns at 5:00 a.m. and wharves around Galveston and Pelican Island knew that the Neptune and Bayou City wasn’t delivering the mail. Unfortunately, the howitzers and a too-heavy-charge pretty much disabled the Confederate’s two ships on the first shot. The Neptune sank. In eight feet of water. My guys emerged from behind the cotton bales on the Bayou City and “many still wearing spurs used their shotguns and Texas rifles with unerring deadliness and repeatedly swept the Harriet Lane’s decks.” Ramming the Harriet Lane, the two ships locked together.

In a movie, I’d see a storming of a ship. Several newspaper and other reports state that Major Leon “Lion” Smith leapt aboard the Harriet Lane shouting, “Cowards won’t follow me!” Apparently, the 7th Texas Cavalry was all in as the boarded the Harriet Lane blazing away.

As with all Civil War battles, there is much more to the story. I urge you to check out the following links.https://www.marinersmuseum.org/2020/10/battle-of-galveston/