The 1840 Linnville Raid was a major event in Victoria County's early history

In August 1840, a large Comanche force swept through South Texas and reached the coast at Linnville, a trading port on Lavaca Bay in what is now Calhoun County. At the time of the raid, the area was part of Victoria County. The raiders sacked and burned the port before turning back north. The raid was part of a broader conflict over control of South Texas during the early Republic of Texas era.

The raiders were later intercepted at the Battle of Plum Creek near Lockhart. The destruction of Linnville ended its role as a port, and Victoria became the dominant regional center. The Handbook of Texas documents this event in detail.