| Hdqrs. Dist. of Texas, New Mexico, and
Arizona |
| Galveston, February 26, 1863 |
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| General S. Cooper |
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Adjutant and Inspector General
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| Richmond, Va. |
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| Sir,
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*****
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| I remained a day or two in
Houston, and then proceeding to Virginia Point, on the main-land,
opposite to Galveston Island I took with me a party of 80 men,
supported by 300 more, and passing through the city of Galveston at
night I inspected the forts abandoned by our troops when the city
was given up. I found the forts open in the rear, and taken in
reverse by every one of the enemy's ships in the harbor. They were
therefore utterly useless for my purposes. The railway track {of
the Galveston, Houston & Henderson RR} had been permitted
to remain from Virginia Point to Galveston, and by its means I
purposed to transport to a position near to the enemy's fleet the
heavy gun hereinafter mentioned, and by assembling all the movable
artillery that could be collected together in the neighborhood I
hoped to acquire sufficient force to be able to expel the enemy's
vessels from the harbor. |
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*****
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To attain the object in view I had at my disposal six
siege pieces, the heaviest weighing 5,400 pounds. I also caused to
be constructed a railroad ram, armed with an 8-inch Dahlgren and
mounted on a railway flat. This flat and gun were carried by railway
to a point within a few hundred yards of the Harriet Lane. A large
quantity of cotton was transported in the same way, with the view of
using it in making a breastwork for this gun should we not succeed
in our object before daylight. In addition I had fourteen field
pieces, some of them rifled and some smooth-bore. Three of the
heaviest of the siege guns had to be transported 9 miles, the others
7 miles, between sunset, and 12 o'clock, under cover of the darkness
and over very difficult roads.
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*****
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Lieut. Col. J. H. Manly, of Cook's regiment, was
ordered to Virginia Point to defend that work, which was our base of
operations, and which was connected with Galveston Island by a
railroad bridge 2 miles in length, open to the attack of the enemy.
*****
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I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
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J. Bankhead Magruder
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Major-general, Commanding
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