Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in to episode 252 of our Civil War podcast. I'm Rich.

And I'm Tracy. Hello y'all. Welcome to the podcast. As y'all recall with the last show,

we set the stage for the Battle of Galveston, Texas, which took place on January 1st, 1863.

With the start of this show, we're going to pick back up right where we left off last

time. And at the end of the last episode, we said that at Galveston, Colonel Burrell's

defenses and Commodore Renshaugh's resolve were soon to be put to the test. Because Confederate

commander John B. McGreeter had been told that New Year's Eve would present the perfect combination

of tied and moonlight to launch his surprise attack on the Yankees. And so on the evening of

December 31st, even as the Confederate ground force readyed itself to march over into Galveston,

Leon Smith and the rebels little cotton-clad fleet steamed slowly by Morgan's point

at the northern entrance to Galveston Bay. Suddenly a messenger caught up to them with a note

from the flamboyant and theatrical McGreeter. It read,

To Major Smith in command of the gunboat expedition and Colonel Green in command of the land forces on board,

I am off and will make the attack as agreed whether you come up or not. The Rangers of the Prairie

send greetings to the Rangers of the Sea. But when Smith and Green received that message,

McGreeter's Rangers of the Prairie were already encountering their first difficulty.

You see, Prince John's plan called for his men to haul over to Galveston Island more than 20

pieces of artillery and some of them were quite large. But at the time, the only bridge to the

island was a two-mile long railroad bridge. Previously, the railroad bridge had been crudely

planked over to facilitate the crossing of Confederate cavalry patrols which crossed it from time to time.

But now the mules that were pulling McGreeter's artillery took one look at the ramshackle arrangement

and refused to step foot on it. Precious time was lost as the mules were unhitched and the rebel

...