But a blockade alone could choke off theĬonfederacy from trade as well as well as alliances with Europe, plus threaten invasion, particularly of Texas. Lincoln himself confessed to knowing “little of ships,” and he had precious few, just 70 when the war began. Shallow bays, and hundreds of miles of hot, dry, impenetrable brush and cactus country that separated almost any landing beach from a valuable target - made enforcing the blockade a tall order for even theĪnd, in 1861, the Union Navy was far from the best. Yet the harsh and vast Texas coast promised anxiety to defending Texans and frustration to Union naval officers, while other obstacles - including the world’s largest barrier island, cumbersomely To thwart invasion, they would have to be everywhere at once along 400 miles of bays, beaches and harbors, a Confederate state coastline second only to Florida’s On paper, the situation did not seem to favor the Texans.
Library of Congress The port of Galveston, Texas before the Civil War.
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