The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-09-08

Following is n report OF the battle OF
Sabine Pass, synopsised from historical
sketch written by Mrs. Adele b. Laoscan
the Republic of Texas and printed in the
Texas illustrated Magazine in November
1897:
1T was on January ], 1868, that the
Federal forces at Galveston were detected
by General j. b. Magrudsr, and encour-
aged by this success he determined to
fcrtify ell points on the Texas c5ast A
fort wss built at Sabine Pass in August,
1853. 1t was called Fort Grigby. 1t con
sisted OF a simple earthwork barely large
enough to mount six guns and was built
on the PASS about mile from the Town
The armament consisted Of old Unitet
States guns, which had been condemned
and were available only at short range,
one and half miles at the utmost; On
August 20. 1883, the DAYS Guards. gal"
IAN company OF lr.shmen. comm nded by
Captain F. A. Odlum were ordered 20 take
up quarters near the fort where tne men
were soon engaged In mounting the guns.
These consisted Of two 32-pothders. two
24-pounders and two 24-pound monnta.u
howPSers The last were put in place
on Ss:...emher $ during the night. Th+
garrison ccnsieted OF the Davis Cures
Lieutenant y. II Smith Of the engineer
ing corps and Dr.. J, II, Bailey. surgeon OF
Da.ly's reg mem, who had been made post
surgeon First Lieutenant r. W. Bowling
commanded The Davis Guards, as CAPITA n
Odlum was in command at the town OF
subj where he could De in constant con-
munication with the military headquarters
at Hcaston There were in all forty -ono
of the navis Guards. exclusive of the com-
mander "a list printed elsewhere shows
forty-two, bu, Peer O'Haro, who was
member o. the Guards and whose name
appears on the roster. was ok in tue hos
pltal and did not participate In the tlght)
About 10 a. m. on the morning of sep
TENDER Z FIVE Federal gunboats and I'VE
transports were sighted from the south
ward and from that time until sundowu
the number kept Increasing until the
greater part Of General Franklin's heet
o. twenty shlrs appeared of the lar At
daylight on the morning OF September .
several Of the vessels came over he bar,
the Clifton approaching near enough t.
open fire Her first shot fell In the m DIST
Of he Davi. Guards. as they We're cooking
breakfast The Clfton fred twenty shots
and her exampN WAS followed bv Other
vessels but none ~ the shots took effect.
Before 10 q. m. the entire fleet, excepting
three vessels was In h pass, the gun
boats all engaged in Smelling the fort. The
b5mtardmeni continued until 3 p. m. a
which time some Of the vessels had az
preached very cose 70 the fort from
which up - this time no. a shot had been
fred Captain Odlum, from SABINE Pass,
hsd in the meant me notified Ganeu9l Ma
Cruder Of the approach az he formidable
feet. General MaEruder sent orders to
spike the guns. blow up the fort end re-
treat 10 Taylors bayou aud there attempt
to hold the enemy IN check, When the 9
orders were conveyed 10 Lieutenant Dow
ling he addressed his men. asking II they
wanted 10 spike the guns and retreat.
With loud cry Of Indignation they said
NO We prefer to fight while there is a
detachment to man the guns About tn :
time the Federal gunboa-s ell opened FIRE
a. once The Sachem was about a mile
distsrat from the fort. She was closely Col
lowed hy tile Granite State and upon the G
two vessels the fort opened fire. A. tho
second round bali f.om one Of the 90
FOUNDERS entered the stem, chest of the
Sachem, causing an explosion, badly scald.
ing the men and creating such c0nsterna.
tion that nearly all jumped overheard
u1dnN dying as soon "a, they struck tho
water, others swan ashore on the Louis.
lana side and were picked up b. theit
TRANSPORTS The Sachem being thus d h.
molished, the guns Of the fort were turn d
upon the Granite State. The first shot dis.
abb ne her so that she dropped her color.
md swung across he channel Near. lime
the clifton, with eighteen guns, carryin1
the eommodore's flag, approached close L
the fort. The Clifton was SO low In the
water and so near that it was necessary
10 dig away some OF the breastworks II
order TO bring the guns to bear upon her
rms was ehected at great risk. burt not
lie was lost. The shot and she'll raine,
down upon the vessel with such effect tina
IN an incredibly short me not less thar
fifty men on board had been killed an,
wounded, Such a rlpid success ion OF shot,
were fired that the officers of the vessel
concluding that the fort must be name,
by powerful garrison. with large rein
forcements in the rear hoiStad the viii ,
nag. while all the other Vessels that wer,
not disabled hastily left the scene of ac
don. AS soon as the Clifton raised tn,
white nag Lieutenant Bowling and foui
men stepped on the breastworks and re-
quested that boat be sent to carry then
on board, this being done. the officers q
the ship drew up in line and offered TO sur
render their swords which Bowling re-
fused to accept The prisoners, compris
Ing $50 men, were conveyed ashore. Tn,
Sachem also surrendered The Grant,
state floated out to sea and one OF tn
transports went to pieces soon after eros
sing the bar, showing that she too ma,