Battle of Galveston Harbor (1862)

Battle of Galveston Harbor
Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
USRC Harriet Lane
Date October 4, 1862 Location Galveston, TX 29°20′23″N 94°46′26″W / 29.3397°N 94.774°W / 29.3397; -94.774 Result Union victory.
Belligerents
United States (Union)	Confederate States (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
William B. Renshaw	Joseph J. Cook
Units involved
Western Gulf Blockading Squadron	Galveston garrison
Strength
Five naval vessels	Artillery regiment
Casualties and losses
None	None

The Battle of Galveston Harbor was fought at Galveston, Texas on October 4, 1862, during the American Civil War. After attempts to blockade the Texas coastline were unsuccessful, the Union Navy decided to attempt to capture the port of Galveston. While Galveston was defended by Confederate forces, most of the cannons in the city's defenses were removed, as Galveston was thought to be indefensible. On October 4, five Union naval vessels commanded by Commander William B. Renshaw approached Galveston, and a single ship, USRC Harriet Lane was sent into Galveston Bay under a flag of truce.

The Confederates, commanded by Colonel Joseph J. Cook, could not get a boat to Harriet Lane in a timely manner, and the Union ship left the bay. The Confederate boat headed for the Union fleet, which moved towards the bay under flags of truce to meet it. Misunderstandings led to artillery fire, although a four-day truce was eventually made. The terms of the truce were unclear, and the Confederates used the truce to evacuate the city, which was initially objected to by Renshaw. At the expiration of the truce, Union troops landed in Galveston and raised the United States flag over the city. The Confederates recaptured Galveston on January 1, 1863, in the Battle of Galveston. The battlefield has lost historical integrity due to development and changes in the shoreline.