Battle of Laredo explained

The Battle of Laredo was fought during the American Civil War. Laredo, Texas was a main route to export cotton to Mexico on behalf of the Confederate States amid the Union blockade of ports along the Gulf of Mexico. On March 18, 1864, Major Alfred F. Holt led a Union force from Brownsville, Texas, to destroy 5,000 bales of cotton stacked at the San Agustín Plaza. Colonel Santos Benavides commanded 42 Confederate soldiers and repelled three Union attacks at Zacate Creek. Colonel Santos Benavides secured passage of the 5,000 cotton bales into Mexico.^{[2] [3]}

External links

• Report of Colonel Santos Benavides, Texas Cavalry

Notes and References

1. Roll of Honor reports of the 1st Texas Cavalry list Corporal Wilson Fensell and Private Peter Purcell of Company F died March 23, and March 24, 1864; both were buried in Brownsville Texas. see .pp.20-21
2. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fbe47 Handbook of Texas Online; Colonel Santos Benavides (accessed November 25, 2008)
3. http://www.webbheritage.org/waronriograde.htm Webb County Heritage Foundation; War on the Rio Grande