The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-28
HERO OF SABINE PASS.
Answer to Some Questions in Re-
gard to Richard Bowling.

at the last meeting OF Dick Bowling camp.
U. C. ":
Commander Dick Bowling Camp, Houston.
Texas.
Dallas, Texas, May IL, 1ses.--Dear sir:
am writing for my comrades OF Sterling
Price camp here monograph OF the battle |
OF Sabine Pass. lack some information. |
which you win greatly favor me by fur |
nishing
Did the Confederate congress vote a
medal TO Downing
Was he ordered to retreat from the tort. |
and did he submit the order to a vote Of
his men and they voted to fight?
Did Houston and Galveston give D5wl- |
ing's daughter a diamond Jewel In conf
memoration Of her fathers victory?
Is there any survivor OF this fight IL
Houston, or can | get the address Of one
living elsewhere
Does your camp possess any special doc
uments upon the subject? Respectfully.
James b. Simpson,
OF Camp Sterling Price.
In response TO this query, Mr.. c. c.
Beavens has furnished The Post the fol-
lowing extract from a biographical sketchs
published In the Confederate Veteran OF
October. 1896;
Richard w. Bowling was distinguished
soldier in the Confederate army, and white
in command OF the Davis Guards, COM
pany composed of torty-three lrishmen at
Sabine Pass, Confederate post on the
Gulf of Mexico, was attacked on Septem-
Der S, 1868, by a United states fleet con-
tanning 10000 or $4,000 men, who we're
preparing to make landing at Sabine
Pass and from there make raid through
Texas. Bowling aud his men opened tle
with two small cannon and some small
arms. killing large number OF men, siuh-
ing one OF tic euemys boats. disabling
two others, also driving away those re-
naming and taking a large number of
prisoners. This defeat Of the United
States forces forever saved Texas from
invasion by that army.
Mr.. jefferson Davis, In his book on the
| Rise and Fall of the Confederacy says
There is no parallel In ancient or modern
warfare to the victory Of Bowling and his
men at Sabine Pass considering the great
| odds against which they had TO contend
| Sabine Pass will stand perhaps, for all
time to come the greatest military victory
on the American soil, If not In the world,
and will stamp with undying fame the
names of all who were members of the
Davis Guards. The men who composed
that company were ali born in ireland, the
land that has given to libertys cause 50
many brave and noble men whether at
home or on foreign soil
On March q, 1889, the anniversary OF
the Independence of the Republic a
Texas. the citizens OF Houston, which was
the home Of Major Bowling at the time o.
his death through Hon w F. tlanolen
~. ,4atf Two Ia he 'TVGnfipt1
islature of Texas then In session at th'
capital presented to Mrs Robertson thei
Miss Bowling handsome gold medal
with diamond setting, as token OF lhei
esteem for her distinguished father and a
an expression OF their appreciation Of th
services he rendered the Lost Cause
and especially the people OF Texas in say
ing their State from invasion IN 1850 b
the Federal army. The medal has on on
side the inscription, Presented TO Ami
Bowling, the Daughter Of Our Hero an
on the other side "Fr7m Citizens
Houston" The presentation took place
in the house Of representatives II th'
I nresence of both branches of the loglsh
4 lure and the heads of the departments "a
s a large concourse OF citizens and friends
@ The house journal Of March &. 1889
states;
u. u.
l TO The hall by Mr.. r. y. Daniel aeon
u panied by Ex-Governor Lubbock, Repro
n sentatives TOlar and Dawson and Captai
d lack White, all of whom were sedtJ1 .
the speakers stand The clerk, bY d'fe'
a tion of the speaker, then read from ID
$ journal the proceedings.
'Nr. Hamblen made a lengthy addres
y In 1t he said to Miss bowling: Homo
II are the gifts of men; heroism is from u
a -. HtrFla
i and craven spirits shrink before dang
: then does God make heroes and STAN
them with His sacred seal.
II Ex-Governor Lubbock accepted the med
n an behalf of Miss Bowling. He was q
o executive of the great State at the tir
J. and knew personally nearly every one
If Inc forty-threo Irishmen who were engage
II under Lieutenant Bowling in that marYe
m Gus battle. In addition to the capiufN
l. Of two gunboats and disabling third, IN
iiIled fifty men, wounded many Other
lie cantured i5O mea and eighteen fine ca
$ mons. without the loss Of a man. The ls
IN lasted an hour and half, during wnl
l. time Lieutenant Bowling displayed t
le utmost heroism."
l. sabine Pass is ut the mouth Of Sabi
of river at which place, and for miles abo'
10 it separates Texas from Louisiana.
Names of the company who manned
We guns at Fort GrlSsDYi anu " "HSA'
On credit Is due for the glorious vic,ol
OF Iieutenants "Diok" Bowling and y
n smith: Prvates Timothr McDonoui
T. Thomas Dougherty, David Fltzgera
3 Michael Monahan, John Hassctt John y
G. Keefer Jack White. Patrick McDonn'
Id William Gleason, Michael Carr Thon
y, T1agerty. Timothy Huggins. Alexander y
or Cahe James Flemming, Patrick Fitzg
d. I'D THOMAS Nc Kernop. Edward Pritcha
charles Rheims, Timothy Hurley John \
"a Gath Matthew Walshe Patrick Sulliv
he Michael sullivan. Thomas sullivan. P
te, ricI clare. John Hennesy, Hugh Deag
as, Maurice Powers. Abner Carter, Daniel
a MrTray Patrick Malone. James Corcor
IRE potrict Abbott. John McNealis, Mich
gla Nan Daniel Donovan, John Wesley, il
Anderson John Flood, Peter o'Hare MI
in ool delaney, Terence Mulhern. OF
re- nnn,her the only one known 10 be llv
in todoy is Michael Carr, who Is an INN
NJ ~ tbe Confederate home at Austin.
las The Dick Bowling Camp was organi
the T., Iu,y 1892. by Colonel VIII Lamb
emit ,i,o was elected commander, and S
ost oassively three times. The camp was mar
~ honor Of Lieutenant Dick Bowling
be- :" Mrs. Annie Bowling Robertson wife
de- vniiam f. Robertson, Esd" residing
md o,a,.ior Texas. and Richard Sabine D1wl
tue ltc-n November 26. 1854. and now r
nst Ami Of Austin, Texas were the o
the cbndren OF the hero 81 Sabine Pa