Old West New West Magazine – Your Travel & History Guide for Western Adventures. Enjoy Travel Tips, Discounts, Specials, Restaurant Reviews, National Park Information and Much More… http://www.oldwestnewwest.com/civil-war-and-the-west/texas/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:24:15 +0000 Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management en-us http://www.oldwestnewwest.com/2008083196/civil-war-and-the-west/texas/the-south-gets-troops-guns-cotton-and-a-link-to-mexico.html http://www.oldwestnewwest.com/2008083196/civil-war-and-the-west/texas/the-south-gets-troops-guns-cotton-and-a-link-to-mexico.html The plan seemed perfect. About 5,000 Union Army troops aboard 20 Navy vessels would leave from New Orleans, travel up the Sabine River in Texas, capture Sabine Pass and begin a Federal invasion of Texas. And why not? By mid-1863 Union forces controlled New Orleans, and with the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, the entire Mississippi River.

But Federal Admiral David Farragut and Union Army Major General N. P. Banks hadn't counted on Lt. Richard William "Dick" Dowling, a red-haired Irishman born in Galway County who was cocky, self-assured and only 25 years old.
]]> Mikeharris@oldwestnewwest.com (Mike Harris) Texas Sun, 31 Aug 2008 16:47:59 +0000