The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-03
How Forty-Two Irish Confederates
Defeated Federal Fleet.
A PIECE OF UNWRITTEN HISTORY
Killed More Than Three Times Their
Own.Numbcr and Put to Flight
Fleet Carrying an Army of Over
Four Thousand Men.


tire occasionally In this end of Jefferson
county OF talking about deep water, and
now and then there are lulls in the con-
versation when the rice crops and the
rapid progress of the Southern Pacific are
up for discussion but the story of Fort
Bowling recOUnting the bravery of the
fOrty-two Irish confederates is as fresh
to-day rs ii was thirty years ago. There
are different versions. and with each
generation the number Of federals Is IN
creased and the number Of gunboats lost
is magnided The driver OF the town
carry-all. who transfers passengers from
the old town TO the new, has version
Just n little bit different from any OF
the others. He has had more opportuni'
ties TO tell the story than the rest. for
large per cent. Of his passengers ask TO
be taken via tho old fort.
But exaggeration does not improve the
story bf daring which the old fort located
between the towns recalls. Not until the
War Department began 10 collect ma
terial for n complete history Of all the
doings Of the civil war. with n view TO
their preservation i'm authentic history.
were the true facts known. Prejudice
and enthusiasm had annihilated the
truth.
No history that 7 recall mentions the
disaster which bcfell the force that was
sent under General Franklin i'm Scpiem
Der. 1864. TO make Sabine Pass and march
on to Houston. Yet tho story which the
records at Washington tell reads like a
chapter from a medieval romance.
NOT FORMIDABLE.
The old mud fort is not "a formidable
looking affair now. nor indeed was II
then. The impcrfcct,y constructed mud
them is timely because q goes to show
how invincible is the pass TO foreign in
vasion. even with imperfect fortified
lions. Now the government has a big
eight-inch gun. the same kind Of gun
which was described as tho largest
Dewey had a Manila. located just about
one mile south Of the new town. II COM
mands the entire pass. At present there
are no Notifications 10 speak of. but
was told that the engineers. when II WAS
placed there. declared that with little
or no labor hurried forihcations could
be thrown mp which would command the
entire situation.
But this is hit OF DEPRESSION. The
di'apidated fort and the story associated
with il mOnonolizc the interest Of sight
seers and travellers. In 1864 the fort was
known as Fort Gricsbv Now a weather
beaten sign informs the sightseer that
tho name IS Fort Bowling. Why tho
change I'm name was made what follows
will explain:
Late in the sumner Of 1854 General Banks
conceived the idea OF Wrestling from the
confcderates the leading cities Of South
Texas. Galveston was discussed. but it,
approaches were commanded by the Con-
fe1erates and the CITY WAS thought 10 be
too strong for attack. Tho idea then oc-
CURED that a fleet could enter Sabine
Pass. sweep away the mcager fortiiica-
tions that commanded and proceed on 10
Houston. To Fort Grigsbv with its mud
walls. six 2i-pounders and half hundred
soldiers the union soldiers gave scarcely
u thought 4 feet Of twenty-four yes
sells CARRYING an army OF 0oo mon was
accordingly dispatched TO force the pass,
capture the fort and fortity 10 while Cen
eral Franklin should disembark. and
marching across the country, take Hous-
ton.
ORDERS misunderstood.
II would appear that the orders Of the
union officer commanding were misunder-
stood. 1t IS said that his plan of cam
paign was 10 disembark several miles
from the fort and proceed 20 70 through
the marshes. The fleet OF eunboats and
transports male most formidable look
low the forts. as had been the order, they
proceeded through the pass as r. making
direct for the fort. on the morning of
September % five ironclads cleared their
decks for acton. They were almost IN
musket range OF the Old fort. which was
defended by only forty-twO lrishmen' UNI
der Lieutenant Downing. The men in the
fort bided their time. The ironclads
rained shot and shell upon them. but the
Notifications could not be battered down
The old town Of Sabine was the scene or
the greatest agitation. The people gatn-
cred about the town hotel momentarlly
expecting 10 see the only fortncatlon 10
tho mass demolished. They could not
what was going on within
the fort. The irOnclads were drawing
closer and closer. Finally one OF the
women I'm the hotel could stand the ex-
element no lorger. Calling one OF her
trusted negro servants she sent a mos
sage bv him 10 the men i'm the fort Ira
dltion has il thai a gallon Of whiskey
accomplished the message.
An MPERIOUS MESSAGE.
The message read: UNLESS you open
fire rpon receipt Of this message I will
come to the fort and man enc OF the
suns myself
But no report was heard from the guns
inside the fort. The women shouted In
mysteries. the men swore. Finally one OF
Inc eunboats turned her broadslIe tc the
fort She was scarcely 200 yards away. |
The first shot from the fort was well |
aimed The ball passed through the |
steam boilers and the men were forced |
IA iumD into the sea. Lieutenant Dowl- |
ing sprang upon the parapet and ordered |
an Guns 10 be trained upon the nearest |
lronclad The first volley disabled her |
and she drifted helpless out OF the chan
mel and into about eight feet Of water. |
All the men on board were al the mercy |
of the fort. for they could not fire gun. |
The order was given for the remaining |
vessels Of the fleet to sail away. Tor the |
impression had been created that the Tort |
vas held bv 2 thousand men. In the |
meanwhile Lieutenant Bowling was won
lering what ne could do with 80 prison. |
ars who had surrendered AMI were walt
Inc. 10 be cared for. The arrival Of 200 |
recruits enabled Lieutenant bowling to |
make a showing and he hOisted his flag |
On the two big ironcads and brought his |
prisoners ashore.
THE CORRECT STORY.
These are the facts which are vouched |
for by historians. but the story Is not |
complete. nor does It read well IN the
telling. unless the speech Of one Of the |
captains Of the ironclads Is given. The |
War Department records do not give this |
speech. but II the captain OF the disabled
ronclad didn't make the speech he ought
10 have done so. The driver OF the carry
I'll got a trific mixed in his version Of |
he speech. and the farmer on the back
ridge. who told me the story sDrinkled
, few cuss words here and there by way
" emphasis. but from an old copy Of
Sabine Pass paper | take the following,
which is the version the Oldest inhabl-