In the Battle of Galveston, Confederate forces retook Galveston Island using which method?

• A. Cotton Clads
• B. Ironclads
• C. Naval Bombardment
• D. Amphibious Assault

Answer: (A)

Cotton-clads use improvised armor built from bales of cotton wrapped around wooden steamers. In Galveston, Confederate forces relied on these lighter, quickly prepared vessels to close with the Union blockading fleet and deliver a surprise attack. The cotton bales provided protection against shot while the maneuverable, shallow-draft ships could operate in the harbor, allowing the Confederates to break the blockade and retake the island with support from ground forces. Ironclads were powerful but scarce and not the method actually employed here; naval bombardment alone wouldn’t have enabled the successful, close-quarters assault that the cotton-clad ships facilitated.