Chapter 15: The Civil War

Chapter Overview (1 of 2) Many issues began to divide the Northern and Southern states. Above all, the North and the South clashed over slavery. Many Northerners who were against slavery joined the new Republican Party. When Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election, Southern leaders carried out their threats to secede and formed the Confederate States of America. Many Texans urged Governor Houston to call for a convention to consider the secession of Texas. He was against secession and refused to call the convention. In January 1861, citizens who favored secession set up their own Texas Secession Convention in Austin. In February 1861, Texas became the seventh state to withdraw from the Union. Houston was removed as governor, and Lieutenant Governor Edward Clark assumed the post.

Chapter Overview (2 of 2) About 60,000 Texans served in the armed forces of the Confederacy. Many Civil War officers came from Texas, including Albert Sidney Johnston. Hood's Texas Brigade and Terry's Texas Rangers were among the better-known units serving east of the Mississippi River. About 2,000 Texans joined the Union army. Texas suffered less physical damage than did other Confederate states because few battles were fought in the state. The war brought economic changes, however. The Union blockade of Southern ports stopped many goods from reaching Texas, and the people made many sacrifices. After four long years of fighting—on April 9, 1865—Confederate forces surrendered. The last land battle of the Civil War took place on May 13, 1865, near Brownsville. The state government collapsed, and Texas faced the task of rejoining the Union.

I. Many Texans Become Soldiers A.Thousands of Texans joined the Confederate army immediately. B.In April 1862, the Confederate Congress passed the Conscription Act. C.German American settlers objected to fighting against the Union.

What reasons might German American settlers in Texas have for objecting to fighting against the Union? 1.Germans probably did not believe in slavery 2.Some might have had religious objections to the war

II. Most Texans Support the South A.After the war began, most Texans who previously had been against t he secession now supported the Confederacy. B.James W. Throckmorton, who had voted against secession, realized that he could not fight against Texas. C.About 60,000 Texans joined the armed forces of the Confederacy.

Why did some Texans fight for the Confederacy even though they previously had been against war? Some Texans, like James Throckmorton, realized they could not join the Union and fight against Texas even though they had opposed secession.

III. Some Texans Join Union A.About 2,000 Texas Unionists, including 50 African Americans, took up arms. Mexican Americans, too, served on both sides. B.Texas Unionists who did not want to fight on either side left Texas.

Why did some Texans, including some African Americans and Mexican Americans, join the Union forces? They did not support the Confederate cause. Mexican Americans fought against the Confederacy to strike back against the Anglos who took their land.

IV. Texans on the Attack A.The Confederacy's first objective was to overtake Union garrisons and supplies. B.Texans launched a preventive strike on Union forces in New Mexico. C.The New Mexico campaign failed and was abandoned in July 1862.

Why did Texans attack New Mexico? Some Texans had long wanted New Mexico for economic reasons. They saw the present war as an opportunity to take Santa Fe.

V. Fighting for Galveston A.Union ships blockaded Texas ports. B.Cotton was transported through Mexico and sent to Europe in exchange for war supplies. C.In October 1862, Union forces attacked and captured Galveston. D.Texas Confederate forces retook Galveston in January 1863.

Why did Texas send cotton to Europe through Mexico? The Union Navy blockaded Texas ports. Texas wanted to sell its cotton overseas to obtain supplies for the war, and traveling through neutral Mexico was the only way to get shipments out.

VI. Texans Defend Sabine Pass A.Confederate soldiers defeated Union forces at Sabine Pass. B.Dick Dowling and the Davis Guards played a major role by capturing 350 soldiers and two boats. C.The Battle of Sabine Pass was an important Confederate victory, foiling the Union’s major campaign against Texas.

Why was the Battle of Sabine Pass important? The Confederate victory blocked a major campaign by the Union army.

VII. Forces Battle over Brownsville A.Hoping to cut off the overland supply line, the Union focused on Brownsville. B.In November 1863, Confederate troops drove back a Union attack on Brownsville.

Why were the Union forces interested in Brownsville? Supplies reached the Texas forces overland through Brownsville. Cutting off the supply line would weaken the Texas Confederates.

VIII. Red River and Beyond A.Union forces captured New Orleans. B.With 25,000 troops, they moved toward East Texas C.A smaller Confederate army met the Union forces 25 miles from the Texas border in one of the bloodiest campaigns. D.Hood’s Texas Brigade and Terry’s Texas Rangers served bravely in East Texas. E.General Robert E. Lee called Hood’s men his “finest soldiers.”

Why did Lee consider Hood’s men his “finest soldier”? They fought bravely.