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

! been damaged in the engagement Tho
balance OF the fleet disappeared rapidly,
the men being cony need tlat sabine PISS
was mpregnable. 1t was hard to convince
tne prisoners hat the entire NUMBER o.
their captors was but forty-one men. One
of the mountain howtzers at the fort was
lost at the first or second discharge. as 8
recoil ran Ii of the platform. All the
guns were mounted en- barbette and In
running them In and out Of the battery
the men were exposed to the Federal are
from the wais, up. yet strange TO say not
one of them was killed. The arm OF one
man was marked by grapa shot, bu II
drew no blood. The firing n the fort
lasted from thlrty-flve to forty minutes.
during which time 137 shots were fred
without stopping TO swab he guns. Post
Surgeon Bailey and Lieutenant Smith took
their turns at the guns with the men. The
thumb 81 lls of two Of the gunners We e
burned of and their flesh scared TO tao
b1ne. The guns became Sd hot from the
continuous rapid firing that 1t WIS ;
O'Clock the next day before nd could
be laid comfortably upon the larger ones.
General Magruder at Houston was so
aston shed and gnatifed al the remarkable
result Of the tight that nc went nme
diately in persln 10 the scene o. the en-
sagemen, 10 personally honor the me u
who had so CALAMITY defended the Texas
border. lie entered The fort With uncov-
cred head and compl.mented the ofice
and men most heartily up0n their glorious
achievement. Lieutenant Bowling III
officer in command y A. Smith ieuten-
ant of engineers, and Or. Bailey were
presented with a captured sword Thus
ended the most remarkable achievement
o. the civ war
This defeat Of the United States forces
saved Texas from invasion by that army.
Mr. jefferson Davis. in his book on the
Rise and Fall Of the Contederacy." says:
There Is no parallel in ancient or modern
warfare - the victory OF Bowling and his
mei AT Sauins Pas. considering the greh.
odds asains' whi'h they mad TO contend.
SaL.1e Pass viii stand, perhaps. Tor all
time to come tho greatest military victory
on the American soil II rot In the worhl.
and win stamp with undyue fame the
names 81 al! who were members of tie
Davis Guards. The men who composed
that mpany we're all horn in ireland. the
land thar has giver - lberty's cause 81
manv brave and rohle men whether i,
home or on foreign soil
~
On March 6, 1889 the anniversary CT toe
Independence OF the Republic Of Texas
the citizens Of Houston. which vas tho
home Of Major Bowling at the time Of his
dedth, through Hon. w p Hsmb,en their
representative Ia the Twentieth leg'sla,
ture Of Texas. then In seesion at the carl
tai presented to Mrs Robertson then
Miss Downing. a handsome gold media
with diam7nt setting as a token Of thei!
esteem FOR hor distinguished fatheI and
as an expression Of their appreciation 4
the services he rendered the Lost Cause
and especially the people Of Texas In say
ing their State from invasion In 1853 hy
the Federal army. The medal has on one
side the inscription: presented to An
ME DowllnE, the Daughter ri our Hero,
ana on the other side From Citizens ot
Houston The presentation took place
in the house OF representatives, in II,
presence Of both branches Of the legislq.
ture and the heads OF tho departments ana
large coucourse OF citizens and friends.
Ex-Governor Lubbock who accepted the
medal on behalf Of Miss Downing, was the
executive # the great State ut the time
and knew personally nearly every one O
the Irishmen who were engaged unde'
Lieutenant Bowling in that marvellous bat.
tie.