February 11, 2021 at 6:30 pm
Thursday, February 11, Michael Acosta, our technology officer will give a presentation on the Battle of Palmito Ranch, the Last Battle of the Civil War. Growing up nearby, Michael will share some insight into the battle and the surrounding area. The battle occurred 33 days after the Appomattox surrender; why did it occur so late when the war was obviously coming to an end? A numerically insignificant battle, what was so important that caused it to happen and in such a desolate location in the southern tip of Texas? Did the fact that Mexico was also in a civil war have anything to do with it? We’ll examine the various commanders and the factors that influenced their decisions. We’ll briefly review some key elements of the Mexican War that both set the stage and also determined the outcome of the battle. In addition to detailing the battle, we’ll examine the political hotbed that surrounded the battle, the nearby international border, and how international politics played into the battle occurring. We’ll also look at the heavy volume of “blockade running” that occurred, how the Confederacy was able to pull it off, and the impact that cotton smuggling had in the area and for the Confederacy. We’ll review how the battlefield was then, today, and the preservation efforts of nearby history has been impacted by urban sprawl.
