The Union
began blockading Galveston Harbor in July 1861, but Galveston continued to be
held by the Confederates. The morning of
October 4th 1862 saw the Union ship the USS Harriet Lane coming into
Galveston with a flag of truce. Union
Commander William Bainbridge Renshaw sent her in to inform the Confederate
authorities in Galveston that if they didn’t surrender, they would come under
attack in one hour. The Confederate
commander in Galveston, Colonel Joseph J Cook refused to receive the
communication. The USS Harriet Lane
returned to fleet.
Four Union
steamers moved into Galveston Harbor, causing the Confederates in Fort Point to
fire upon them opening the battle. The
Union ship returned the fire disabling one of the guns in Fort Point. Renshaw and Cook sent officers to discuss an
end to hostilities, but Cook turned down the Union commander’s demand for
unconditional surrender. Renshaw made
preparation to being bombing the city again, when Cook; re-thinking his
position, sent an officer back to negotiate a truce so that women and children
could be evacuated from the city.
Cook used
the truce to evacuate not just the women and children, but also to move all the
Confederate troops, and supplies out of the city. Although this placed the port city in Union
hands, it was for just a short time, as the Confederates moved back in, which
led to the Second Battle of Galveston in January 1863.
2 comments:
I want to know the name of the major that went over to negotiate the evacuation was. My resources are limited so any help at all would be wonderful.
Lauren I have looked through my information, and am unable to come up with the name for you. Can anyone else out there help?
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