The Battle of Palmito Ranch was fought on May 12-13, 1865, in the southernmost part of Texas, near Brownsville. It was notable for being the last significant land engagement in the American Civil War, occurring weeks after the Confederacy had largely capitulated. Confederate General John S. Griffith led a force to confront Union troops commanded by Major General Daniel Sickles, who had been stationed at Palmito Ranch and tasked with overseeing the area and attempting to hold the lines along the Rio Grande.On the morning of May 12, the Confederate forces launched an assault against the Union position, employing typical military strategies of the era. The Union troops were caught slightly off guard but managed to respond strategically. After fierce fighting that featured artillery exchanges and infantry maneuvers, the Union forces ultimately could not maintain their hold and were forced to retreat. This engagement further illustrated the war's extended nature, as pockets of Confederate resistance operated despite the overarching trend towards Union victory.This battle is particularly significant because it took place after the cessation of hostilities in most regions, essentially highlighting the confusion and fragmentation that characterized the final days of the Civil War. The engagement served as a reminder of the war's unresolved tensions and the complexities involved in union and reconciliation efforts moving forward.