Fort Waul was built in Gonzales, Texas to defend inland Texas from possible Federal advances up the Guadalupe River from the Gulf of Mexico, as well as to provide protection for military supply trains.

The Official CW Atlas found at many libraries and research centers has a map of Texas (Plate LIV) showing prewar roads and railroads. The two most direct routes from Houston to Matamoras:

Houston Tap RR from Houston to Columbia - From Columbia the map shows good roads to Texana and then to Victoria, San Patricio, and Kingsville and finally after a long haul, Matamoras. South of San Patricio, the road splits and goes to Rio Grande City and Laredo.

A second railroad between Houston and Alleyton (today Columbus) and then to Texana or Victoria, &c.