In Texas, the Confederate fort defending the Sabine Pass defeats a far superior Union amphibious attack

Union General N.P. Banks led a task force aimed at the invasion of Texas into the Sabine River. Four U.S. gunboats and eighteen transports carrying 5000 infanytrymen made the initial attack against Sabine City but met with disaster.  Concentrated fire from the tiny Confederate garrison under Lieutenant Richard Dowling at Fort Griffin, defending the mouth of the river, shattered the attack, capturing two of the gunboats and around 200 sailors. (By John Osborne)