Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-11-24
A NOTED BATTLE.

from recently issued nlSGOry OF Tic
United States. The statements con-
tanned therein Gf true) are of SO re-
markable character that | believe a
recital by you of the details of the en-
gagement would prove of general inter-
est at the present time.
Philadelphia, Oct. 8. 1898.
The extract referred to does not indi-
cate from what book it is taken, other
than suggested in the writer's missiye,
but it reads as follows:
Sabine Pass, Texas a
| Federal fleet mum boring % vessels and
force estimated at 10000 men, at
| tempted to take possession of Sabine
river and attacked Fort GrigSby, lOca-
ted at Sabine Pass, and defended by AZ
men of the DAVIS Guards" two lieu
tenants and six guns, all under the com
lnand of Lieutenant Richard w. Dow
| ling. Captain t. III. Odlum being tem-
porarily absent. The result OF the battle
was that the heroic defenders of the
| fort not only held their position, but
| CAPTURED two gunbOats. disabled third,
took IS guns and large quantities of am
munitiOn and stores, captured $50 prls-
oners. killed so, wounded a large num-
her and drove the feet out of the river,
without the loss of d single man on their
part or serious damage to the fort
History shows no more heroic light or
more glorious victory.
The above is certainly a remarkable
narration, and, it must be confessed, is
made up of statements that we of the
North are not accustomed to reading
The declarations contained in it are SO
astounding that the narrator has been at
great pains to ascertain the exact facts
in the case. Histories of the late civil
war have been searched in vain for
Confederation of the tale. Moore s IKE
bellion Records in Vol. VI. among
DIARY of Events" under date of April
IS, 1868, dis1nisses the incident referred
to with these few lines:
"A reconnaissance of Sabine Pass, OF
Texas, was made by party from the
national gunboats Cayuga and New
London. On landing near the light
house they were fired on by concealed
rebels, Captain McDermott being kill
ed. and his crew of five men captured.
Captain Reed, of the New London, Was
wounded, together with four OF his
men,"
Only that and nothing more.
Yet. a painstaking investigation OF the
) matter. that has continued to this time,
warrants the statement that the words
, of the extract are undeniably true-only
not strorg enough-and the story should
hereafter figure in any fairly written
history of the civil conflict.
The student OF the rebellion OF lo5l-6o
who wishes to obtain absolutely accu-
rate data regarding that unfortunate
internecine strife must henceforth look
to that compilation of the Official re-
cords of both the Union and Confeder
4 ate armies engaged in She civil war, and
which is now issued under the direction
of the Secretary of War in pursuance OF
= an act of Congress approved June 70,
1874 The undertaking has been huge
one and already over 100 volumes have
been issued, and the work is still incom
plete. The records are published with
out comment. They present cold facts
as contained in the correspondence and
official orders which makeup the re-
cords Of the opposing forces. The Coz
federate documents when OOtalnabie
!, are given with the same fullness and
fairness that charac 5erizes the present
alton of the Union records. FROM these
authorized papers the narrator has been
enabled to Gull the story OF the remark
able battle Of Sabine Pass. Volume
= XVI, OF the official records of the re-
bellion, contains a letter from Major
General j. Bankhead Magruder from
the HEADQUARTERS of the District Of
e Texas and addressed to Brigadier Gen
eraI w. r, Robbs, chief of staff, al
/ Shreveport, La, in the beginning Of
, which he says:
=, "A foot rf twalfy-tWO steam trans
ports (arge size) attempted to pass into
: this river (the Sablne) on the Sth inst.
as predicted in my letter to you from
S Piedmont. The number of troops Il
estimated by the coolest men and STATED
: by prisoners TO be $4,000 picked men
$ mostly of Grants army. The trans
I ports could not pass unless the wal
g steamers reduced our fort OF six 81
FOUNDER guns. Lieutenant R. "
t Downing, in immediate command of the
g fort, directed his men not to return the
fire of the enemy, as our guns were o.
/ short range. The enemy at length ap
s proacaed with his war steamers. four II
number, backed by whole feet of trans
e ports, to point well within our range
4 when Lieutenant bowling, of the Davi
1 Guards, opened upon the advance snip:
of war, and ia some thirty-five minutes
j wv SllfTGluGTCu Will OfCi oUO
and another left in crippled condition
: Tbs feat then backed out and sailet
: east | expect their return soon with
S ironclads, and hope to be prepared tt
q meet them successfully. Had they gO
in they would have proceeded at once
I 10 Nibett's Bluff, cut US off from MaJO-
General Taylor and probably advanced
Oh Houston. Now it will be more dit1i
n cult The prisoners all stated that the,
b | were bound for Houston, and would ye
@ get there. The flag officer commanding
:, 0f1icer1 of the navy squadron of the Gui
i was captured. l. is the most briiian
1 affair have ever read OF. +"
~ x x y x 4
! There are many other documents bear
ing upon the battle which created sucf
enthusiasm among the Confederate
y forces that Major General Magruder is
y sued a spirited proclamation to the Tex
q an Confederates, which is presented il
the official records authorized by Con
gress, as follows:
e Headquarters District Of Texas,
}, New Mexico and Arizona,
Beaumont, Septemb Der 10, 1868.
To the Men of Texas:
J Fellow citiZens-Almighty God. il
r His divine mercy, has given us anothe
S signal victory over our enemies.
o handful of determined men, in the fac
of Is 600 of the eneny's troops and ;
powerful feet of gunhoats, have for tn
d present defeated their landing, captur
o ing two and crippling two others of TIL
p gunboats, with eighteen pieces of artil
lery and over 800 prisoners.
Fellow-citiZens, | need your assist
e anee. Form yourselves into companie
q and assemble at Beaumont with you
\ arms as rapidly as possible. Thos'
:, passing through Houston will be furnish
ed transportation, ammunition and IA
J. tons by reporting to LieutenantCol
f onel J. D. McAdoo, assistant adjutant
p general State troops. The enemy vii
: return to the attack upon the works al
t Sabine Pass, and threatens vengeance
It for his defeat. Let us meet him With mer
resolved to conquer or die.