John Malveaux: The first soldiers of African descent reached Texas in October 1863, so word of The Emancipation Proclamation was in Texas before June 19, 1865

John Malveaux of 

www.MusicUNTOLD.com 

writes:

The first African descent soldiers in Texas arrived in October 1863 as part of General N.P. Banks's Expedition. Union forces captured Brownsville, Texas, and occupied the southern most tip of Texas for the duration of the Civil War. African descent soldiers were member of the occupying force. Therefore, "the word" of the Emancipation Proclamation was in Texas long before June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger had his General Order No. 3 read on Galveston Island. General Granger arrived on the Texas island almost a month after African descent soldiers (62nd USCI) had fought in "the last action of the war," the Battle of Palmeto Ranch.

Source: Hari Jones, Curator, African American Civil War Museum, Washington, D.C.

John Malveaux