Late to the Fight - The Battle of Palmetto Ranch May 13, 1865

On May 13, 1865 just east of Brownsville, Texas along the Rio Grande River. Although the Confederate forces and their leaders knew of the surrender of Confederate forces in the east, as well as the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, die-hards in state government and the remaining forces in Texas remained defiant. Union forces had occupied Brownsville, Texas in November 1863, but most of the Union forces there were withdrawn in November 1864 to where the Rio Grande emptied into the Gulf of Mexico at Brazos Island, Texas to guard against smuggling by pro-South Mexicans.

A "gentlemen's agreement" between the Union and Confederate forces in the area meant a relative calm had prevailed since then. However, when Union General Lew Wallace's attempts to negotiate a surrender of all Confederate forces and the state of Texas were rebuffed in March, tensions grew. When General Wallace learned of a large Confederate force assembling at Brownsville, orders were issued for the 34th Indiana Infantry Regiment and 62nd United States Colored Troops Regiment to retake the town and disperse any rebel forces found there.