The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-06-24
The Battle OF Fort Bowling.

Where the Gulf Of Mexico comes
into the Sabine Lake, on tie coast of
iexus, near the Louisiana line, there
is narrow channel of water which is
about four hundred yards wide. On
the north bank of this little channel
today one sees the snokestack, a few
feet above the water, of sunken boat.
just opposite to it, on the southern
bank, there is dirt wall, square in
its shape, and about ten feet high,
and over this painted sign that reads
Fort Bowling" That is all that
now lives as evidence OF o thrilling
drama, the equal Of which the world
has never seen, and that was played
out at this place back yonder in the
closing days of our civil war.
Gen. Banks, with plenty of men
and boats and plenty of ammunition
and supplies had gone up the Red
river into Louisiana and was hammer
mering Kirby Smith and Dick Taylor
into destruction. The Federal gov
ernment conceived the idea that Smith
and Taylor might be attacked in the
rear by an expedition landed On the
shores OF Sabine Lake, and consisting
OF some ten thousand men, who would
be transported to their landing by a
part of the Federal feet. To reach
the banks Of the lake, Of course, it
was necessary to go through the Sabine
Pass-this narrow channel of which I
have spoken. Richard Bowling, in
commend of about forty men, was
acting as . scout for Smith and Tay-
lor, and saw the evidence Of the COM
ing of this feet Of gunboats and trans
ports and with his forty men, took
possession Of little mud fort at the
mouth Of the pass, in which there
were three or four six-pounders and
perhaps siege gun. There he waited
with guns loaded and instructions
given to his men that they must not
fire until the gunboats came we'll
abreast of him, only about 300 yards
away. His plan of action was not to
shoot until they were Immediately
opposite, and then to discharge his
whole battery at the gunboat. This
was done successfully; her boilers
were exploded, and together with hun
dreds of soldiers, she sank to the spot
where che now rests. Many died
from the steam that scalded them.
more from the water that engulfed
them.
Loading his guns, he sank the next
vessel with the same disastrous result
to the enemy, and, loading, yet agsin,
he turned his guns on the transport
following, with a thousand men aboard
of her. She, in response, ran up q
white flag. The rest Of the feet turn
ed and sailed away, leaving the dead
bodies of the drowned soldiers and
the sunksn vessels. Bowling, in q
dugout (this is followed log or
canoe, as it is variously oalled,) pad
died himself ont to receive the sur
render Of this transport with q thous-
and men. The commander Of the ves-
sci expressed his surprise at such
reception Of his shite-Aag token, and
asked why the commander ee ..he eo1t
didn't come in person to receive his
surrender. Dowling replied, II am
the commander and have come il per-
son" to which the captain said:
well, what do you mean by coming
this way, in canoe By yourself?"
Dowling answered: II have no other
way Of getting here, and hence I came
in my dugout." He received the
surrender, paroled the prisoners, for
he could not take them in charge, and
went back to his comrades. OF these
forty, only one had received wound
at all, though the gunboats had she'll
ed the little mud earthwork diligently.
In the history of the world nothing
similar. unless it be tho battle Of New
Orleans, has ever happened. aud yet,
such is the large carelessness Of the
southern character in recording it's
wonderful and numerous deeds Of
heroism, that but little notice has
ever been taken of this extraordinary
battle. Nashville, Tenn, Tribune.