During the Civil War (1861-65), Federal forces repeatedly tried to seize Texas ports. Galveston was taken on October 5, 1862, but a Confederate army recaptured it on January 1, 1863, and Lt. Dick Dowling's troops stopped a Federal invasion at Sabine Pass on Sept. 8, 1863. Another Federal thrust began on November 7, 1863, when an expedition under Maj. Gen. N. P. Banks seized Brownsville and then moved up the coast, capturing Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass, Pass Cavallo, and Port Lavaca on Dec. 26. Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder, Confederate commander of Texas, ordered the mouth of Caney Creek fortified to try to halt the invasion. In Jan. 1864, an earthen fortress, rifle pits, trench works, and four redoubts were erected near this site. Defended by 4000-6000 Confederates, the area was bombarded by Federal gunboats during January and February. No ground combat occurred at Caney Creek, but the preparations deterred any further Federal advance. In March 1864, Gen. Banks moved most of his troops to Louisiana and launched an unsuccessful invasion along Texas' eastern border. The removal of Federal forces from key Texas ports allowed blockade runners to continue transporting needed materials to Civil War Texas.