MILEPOSTS during this period include the Civil War, in which San Antonio participated more as a supply depot and outpost than as a battle ground; and the tumultuous period of Reconstruction, during which time the city was governed first by federal and then by state officials.

LAW ENFORCEMENT : During the Civil War and immediately afterwards San Antonio became increasingly attractive to deserters and objectors, as well as to people wishing to profit from the war (legally and illegally) and those who formented political unrest. Vigilante activities were frequent, primarily in response to widespread horse and cattle theft. During most of this decade law enforcement in San Antonio was controlled by federal or state officials.

1860:	* POPULATION of San Antonio is 8,235. * The Marshal is C. Byrne (1/3/60) and the Mayor is still James R. Sweet (until 5/26/62).
1861:	* Civil War begins. * Texas secedes from the Union and joins the Confederate States of America. * Colonel Robert E. Lee, stationed in San Antonio, submits his resignation from the US Army and departs to assume leadership of Confederate troops. * General David E. Twiggs, commander of the Federal garrison at the Alamo, surrenders his troops (and $3M of federal property) to a volunteer force led by General Ben McCulloch.
1862:	* All Texas is placed under martial law to enforce conscription laws. Resisters were often punished severely. German settlers in and north of San Antonio were a particular target of official or vigilante punishment, as they tried to remain neutral during the War.
1863:	* Col. John S. Ford ("Rip Ford"), commander of the Cavalry of the West, headquartered in San Antonio, begins to raise volunteer troops to defend against an invasion of the Rio Grande Valley by Union forces. [His forces fought the Battle of Palmito Ranch, May 13, 1865, the only battle fought after the War had officially ended.]
1865:	* Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox. Civil War ends. * San Antonio comes under Federal military rule and occupation. * All city officials, including City Marshal William Lyons, are ousted from office, and replaced with "loyal" officials appointed by military occupation leaders. * San Antonio officials (including the marshal) had little power to stop the lawlessness that resulted from the influx of unemployed, bitter ex-soldiers and deserters.
1867:	* Chisholm Trail started. The trail began south of San Antonio and ended in Abilene, Kansas. San Antonio profited greatly from the thousands of head of cattle that were sent north and east after the Civil War.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on aspects of this early era, you may wish to visit the following sites (NOTICE : YOU WILL LEAVE THE SAPD HOMEPAGE. USE THE "RETURN" BUTTON TO COME BACK TO THIS PAGE.):

The American Civil War Homepage: Armadillo's WWW server calls this "The definitive www site for information about the Civil War. Texas Military Forces Museum : Information on Texas forces in the Civil War. Rip Ford (John S. Ford) : Information on this Texas leader, who died in 1897 and is buried in San Antonio.

More detailed information on this period of Texas and San Antonio history is included in: