In November 1862, the town was seized by Federal forces and served as a major base for Union Army and Navy operations in the Teche Campaigns, a staging area for advances against the salt works on Avery Island and the temporary Confederate state capitol of Opelousas, and later for an attempted invasion of Texas. Brashear was occupied until the war's end except for a brief period in June 1863 when it was daringly recaptured by Confederates. The Union erected Forts Brashear (Star) and Buchanan here and destroyed the nearby Confederate Forts Chene and Berwick.
