Texas Almanac, 1964-1965 Page: 48
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48 TEXAS ALMANAC-1964-1965
in which the brigade was incorporated. The brigade ed by Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks were defeated by
became famous for its valor in almost constant action Confederates under Gen. Richard Taylor, April 8.
in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. 1864. The battle of Pleasant Hill, near Nachitoches.
Another notable organization, Terry's Texas Rang- La., a few days later was indecisive but ended in-
ers, was organized at Houston in 1861 as the 8th Tex- vasion attempts.
as Cavalry, C.S.A., and derived its name from the The last shot of the War Between the States was
brilliant leadership of Benjamin Franklin Terry. Ter- at Palmito Ranch near Brownsville, May 13, 1865. A
ry's Texas Rangers distinguished themselves in Ken- Confederate force under Col. John S. Ford captured
tucky and Tennessee. Terry was killed near Woodson- about 800 federal soldiers, learning from their cap-
ville, Ky., in 1861. tives that General Lee had surrendered on April 9.
The most important Texas engagements were the Pendleton Murrah succeeded Lubbock and served
capture and recapture of Galveston, the principal Nov. 5, 1863-June 17, 1865, when he fled to Mexico
port. The Texas coast was blockaded from the be- with the fall of the Confederacy. Gen. E. Kirb
ginning of the war, and on Oct. 4, 1862, Galveston Smith, who commanded the Confederate department
was captured by U.S. forces. On Jan 1. 1863, how- including Texas, surrendered May 30. After the de-
ever, Confederate forces under Gen. John B. Ma- parture of Governor Murrah for Mexico, Leut. Gov
gruder recaptured Galveston, attacking simultaneous- Fletcher S. Stockdale performed some acts as Gov-
ly by land and sea. The Confederates held Galveston ernor, but Gen. Gordon Granger of the United States
until the nd aof the war. eArmy had been placed in command of Texas and
until the end of the war. A. J. Hamilton was appointed Governor by President
In September, 1863, Sabine Pasas was attacked by Andrew Johnson.
gunboats of the U.S. Navy convoying a force of 5,000 There is a question as to whether Stockdale ac-
soldiers to invade Southeast Texas. A force at Sabine tually became Governor before Governor Hamilton
Pass under Lieut. Dick Dowling hotly repulsed the was appointed. Some historians think that he should
federal attack, causing heavy losses. There was also not be included among those who served in this
U.S. Army activity along the Mexican border in the office.
Rio Grande Valley where a lucrative business had On landing at Galveston, June 19, 1865, General
grown up in the export of cotton which was in great Granger issued a general order that "in accordance
demand because of the federal blockade of all Con- with a proclamation by the executive of the United
federate ports. States all Negroes are free." This date, June 19, has
The last major effort to invade Texas was re- always been celebrated by Texas Negroes as Emanci-
pulsed in the Battle of Mansfield about 40 miles patron Day. It is popularly referred to by them as
south of Shreveport, La., where federals command- Juneteenth.
Era of Reconstruction
Military rule lasted only briefly. But even after cessed, meeting again in December, 1868, and in
constitutional government was set up the institution February, 1869. The convention, which had included
of the "ironclad oath" barred from elections prac- only extreme Unionist citizens and had been constant-
tically everyone who had controlled state policies ly under military domination, did not finish its work.
prior to the War Between the States. Texas was The document was finished by the Secretary of State,
flooded with fortune seekers and adventurers from under military orders and adopted by popular ballot
the North, known as Carpetbaggers because it was (of those who could vote) on Nov. 30, 1869.
said they came with all their possessions in a single Governor Pease, a Unionist but stanch Texas
carpetbag. Southerners who joined in the Reconstruc- patriot, had become discouraged and resigned Sept.
tion, as members of the Republican Party, were 30. For several monrns there was no head of the
called Scalawags. Texas civil government. In the November election
During that disorderly time the State Treasury at which the Constitution was ratified, Edmund J.
was robbed, June 11, 1865. by a band of about 40 out- Davis was elected Governor. Davis did not officially
laws. They obtained $17,000 before being driven off become Governor until Jan. 8, 1870. Governor Davis
by hastily-organized Austin citizens. There was about is the only Republican Governor ever to serve Texas.
$100,000 in gold and silver in the Treasury.
Governor Hamilton served June 17, 1865-Aug. 9, The Union Leagues had sprung up in Texas during
1866. A Reconstruction convention, to which Unionist the two preceding years. Dominated by white Union-
citizens selected delegates, met in Austin Feb. 10, ists. they held power largely through the Negro vote.
1866, and declared acts of the secession convention The secret, oath-bound Ku Klux Klan was active in
void. A Constitution was adopted harmonizing with Texas, and throughout the South, and exerted an in-
the Federal Constitution and an election ordered in fluence in opposition to the Union Leagues until re-
July, at which J. W. Throckmorton was elected Gov- moval of requirement of the "ironclad oath" per-
ernor. mitted the former dominant political element to re-
Pease Administration gain control.
Governor Throckmorton served Aug. 9, 1866-Aug. Bitter controversy marked the administration of
8, 1867. After much conflict in the U.S. Congress, Governor Davis (Jan. 8, 1870-Jan. 15, 1874). Davis'
however, Texas. with the remainder of the South newly organized state police force was unpopular. In
was placed under military rule, Gen. Philip H. Sheri- his favor were his efforts to improve the school sys-
dan commanded the district which included Texas. tem.
Throckmorton and Sheridan could not agree on policy Texas Re-enters Union
and the Governor was removed. Elisha M. Pease, Texas was readmitted to the Union, March 30,
who had been Governor from 1854 to 1857, was ap- 1870. after ratifying the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and
pointed Governor and served from Aug. 8. 1867, until Fifteenth Amendments to the Federal Constitution.
Sept. 30, 1869. \ The "ironclad oath" was removed and the radical, or
Constitution of 1869 Carpetbag, element lost control of Legislature during
A constitutional convention was convened in Austin the second biennium of Davis' administration (a 4-
June 1, 1868, but after much bitter wrangling re- year term under the Constitution of 1869).
Reconstruction to End of Century
Texas' civic and economic development rapidly people Feb. 15, 1876. It is the present State Constitu-
revived after Reconstruction. tion, although many amendments have been added.
Reconstruction and Carpetbag rule finally ended Coke's administration saw the opening of the Agri-
with the defeat of Davis, Republican. by Richard cultural and Mechanical College. Oct. 4, 1876. Coke
Coke, Democrat, 1873. by a vote of 85,549 to 42,633. was elected to a second term under the new Consti-
tution in 1876, and thereafter elected to the U.S. Sen-
Davis contested the election and was sustained by ate. He resigned the governorship to enter the Sen-
the courts, but the newly elected Democratic Legis- ate Dec. 1, 1876.
lature went ahead with organization, canvassed the Last of the Indians
vote and declared Coke elected. For a brief time, Indian resistance to white men ended during
part of the capitol was held by Coke and the Legis- Coke's administration. In 1845 the United States had
nature while part was held by Davis and an armed established a line of camps and forts along the bor-
guard. The clash ended when President Grant refused der from the Red to the Rio Grande.
to sustain Governor Davis' appeal for assistance. Establishing Indian reservations for the remnants
The Carpetbag Constitution of 1869 remained, of Texas tribes was difficult !ccause the United
Coke's administration (Jan. 15, 1874-Dec. 1, 1876) States had no land in Texas, all public domain hay-
was devoted to reforms and writing a new Constitu- ing been retained by the state in the annexation
tion. This was written by a convention which met at agreement. In 1852 the State Legislature authorized
Austin, Sept. 6-Nov. 4, 1875, and was ratified by the the setting aside of land for two reservations in the
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Texas Almanac, 1964-1965, book, 1963; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth113807/m1/50/?q=hardscramble: accessed May 22, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.