Battle of Fort Esperanza

The Battle of Fort Esperanza (November 27–30, 1863) was fought in Texas during the American Civil War. Maj. Gen. Cadwallader C. Washburn led two brigades from the Union XIII Corps to capture a fort on Matagorda Island defended by Colonel William R. Bradfute and a small Confederate garrison. After some skirmishing, the Confederates evacuated the fort. Casualties were light on both sides.

Battle of Fort Esperanza
Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
Date November 27–30, 1863 Location Cedar Bayou and Matagorda Island, Texas Result Union victory
Belligerents
United States (Union)	CSA (Confederacy)
Commanders and leaders
Cadwallader C. Washburn	William R. Bradfute
Strength
1st Brigade, 1st Division 13th Army Corps commanded by Colonel Henry D. Washburn 8th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment 18th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment 33rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment 99th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment Battery G, 1st Michigan Light Artillery 23rd Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment attached from 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 13th Army Corps 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 13th Army Corps commanded by Brig. General Thomas E.G. Ransom 34th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment 13th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment 15th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment Battery F, 1st Missouri Light Artillery[1][2]	Detachments from: 8th Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment 5th Texas Militia
Casualties and losses
1 killed 10 wounded	1 killed 10 captured

Background

Following the engagements of Brownsville and Mustang Island, a Union expedition led by C. C. Washburn continued up the Texas coast toward Matagorda Island. On the north end of Matagorda Island lay Fort Esperanza commanded by Colonel William R. Bradfute with a garrison of detachments from his own 8th Texas Infantry and the 5th Texas Militia regiment as well as a few local militiamen from the area.[3]

Action

Leading General Washburn's expedition was Brig. Gen. Thomas E. G. Ransom’s Federal brigade. On November 23 Ransom’s men had difficulty crossing Cedar Bayou due to light skirmishing and bad weather[4] but once across they encamped to wait for the next Federal brigade under Colonel Henry D. Washburn to cross. On November 27 General Washburn arrived on the scene and ordered Ransom’s brigade up the center of the island while Colonel Washburn’s brigade moved on a parallel route along the coast.[5] Washburn’s brigade reached Fort Esperanza first. The Federals encountered pickets from the 8th Texas Infantry who retreated within the fortification after a brief reconnoitering skirmish.[6] Bad weather limited activity on November 28 to minor skirmishing and occasional artillery fire which produced no results for either side.[7] On November 29 with Ransom’s brigade in place two Union batteries opened the fight with an artillery bombardment.[8] Union infantry then drove in the Texas infantry from the exterior rifle pits while artillery continued with great accuracy against the Confederate defenses.[9] Colonel Bradfute held a council of war that evening and decided to abandon the fort. Shortly after midnight on November 30 Bradfute’s men detonated the fort’s magazines, spiked the cannon and withdrew.[10] The explosion signaled the Confederates’ evacuation and the Union force entered the fort only to realize the Confederate had already withdrawn. Two Indiana regiments were ordered to pursue the retreating garrison but managed only to capture an artillery piece used to guard the crossing point. Though much of the artillery and ammunition was destroyed, Washburn's expedition succeeded in capturing the fort and found much needed supplies left behind. The Confederate suffered one killed and 10 captured while the Union soldiers suffered one killed and 10 wounded.[11]

Notes

1. Official Records of the War of the Rebellion Series I, Volume XXVI, Part 1. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1889, 418-423
2. Dyer, Frederick H., "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion," Dyer Publishing Company, 1908
3. Howell p.156
4. Townsend p.29
5. Howell p.158
6. Howell p.158
7. Howell p.159
8. Townsend p.29
9. Howell p.159
10. Townsend p.30
11. Townsend p.30

References

• Howell, Kenneth Wayne, ed. The Seventh Star of the Confederacy: Texas During the Civil War, University of North Texas Press, 2011
• Townsend, Stephen A., The Yankee Invasion of Texas, Texas A&M University Press, 2006
• Official Records of the War of the Rebellion. Series I, Volume XXVI, Part 1, Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1889. 418-423
• Dyer, Frederick H., "A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion," Dyer Publishing Company, 1908