 Barrett commanded the 62nd United States Colored Infantry and the 2nd Texas Cavalry, and advanced towards Fort Brown with the intention of reoccupying Brownsville with Union forces thinking they would not encounter any problems, assuming all the Confederates surely had heard of Lee's surrender by this time.To their surprise they encountered Confederates that did not know of Lee's surrender.A ferocious battle erupted at Palmito Ranch, about 12 miles outside Brownsville.