The Texas Thermopylae - Part Two

Note: This and the previous entry are based on an excerpt from the 2016 centennial book: Deep Water: The Story of Beaumont and its Port. The town of Beaumont is about 90 miles east of Houston, Texas, and Sabine Pass is 30-ish miles to the south/southeast, as the crow flies. It is also on the boarder between Texas and Louisiana.

Battle map

A sizable Union force arrived at the mouth of Sabine Pass on 8 September 1863. There were 22 vessels comprised of 4 gunboats and 18 transports. Between 4,000 and 5,000 Union soldiers had the official intent of seizing Sabine Pass, and then proceed upriver to the port of Beaumont in order to cut a suspected Confederate supply line. At that time, this was the largest amphibious assault force on enemy territory in U.S. military history, and it was designed to put a significant nail in the Confederate coffin, as well as satiate a real desire to teach the Southerners a lesson—to reap vengeance for embarrassing losses at Galveston Bay and to wipe out the shame of Union forces abandoning Fort Griffin in fear. This was the Civil War version of D-Day.

Dick Dowling

But the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. The Union knew they were facing a next-to-nothing force defending a mole-hill-sized fort. What they did not know was that small force was a resolute group of 40 tough Irishmen led by another, very clever Irishman named Dick Dowling. These men loved their adopted home of Texas and refused to let Northern soldiers invade it.

One has to wonders what Dowling and and his men thought when realizing the sheer size difference against the Union assault force. Travis had better odds at the Alamo, and King Leonidas had a few thousand Greeks to aid his 300. Standing fast at 44 to 4,000 odds is real courage.

Six small, smooth-bore cannon were not much to fight with from a fort that was really little more than piles of dirt. However, Dowling and his men made do. Remember that the Irishmen placed stakes at specific points along both sides of the oyster reef that split the narrow pass from the Gulf of Mexico into Sabine Lake. Sabine Pass was very narrow and the reef split it into two even more thin passages—one on the Texas side and one on the Louisiana side. Dowling's stakes were range markers, and the men of Fort Griffin spent a couple of summer months practicing with those little smooth bore cannons, learning how to boost their gun range.

This depicts the Clifton (left) and the Sachem.

Hostilities officially began around 6:30 am with all four Union gunboats moving into Sabine Pass—they were the Arizona, the Clifton, the Granite City*, and the Sachem. Holding station not far from a lighthouse on the Louisiana side of the pass, and outside the fort's gun range, the Clifton unleashed a long range bombardment on Dowling and his men for an hour or so. Not much happened until about 3:30pm. That's when things really heated up. The Arizona and the Sachem broke formation and steamed toward the Louisiana side of Sabine Pass. They began firing on Fort Griffin as they made best speed into the channel.

The Granite State steamed into position just south of the oyster reef and remained a hair out of range of the Irishmen's cannon. As it fired on Fort Griffin, the Clifton steamed into the lead and quickly proceeded up the Texas side of the pass. The objective was close on the fort and increase the bombardment as cover so 500 Union soldiers could go ashore for a ground assault on the fort.

Dowling’s men endured the Union bombardment without return fire as the unsuspecting Yankees edged closer to the markers. Before long, the Sachem, the Clifton, and the Arizona steamed into range. As they did, the Irish hammer fell. Salvos from Fort Griffin quickly found the Sachem's boiler, which exploded and left the vessel without power and blocking the Louisiana side of the pass. Consequently, the Arizona had to withdraw.

A representation of the Rebel perspective at Sabine Pass.

The Clifton continued steaming north on the Texas side, exchanging small gun fire and fierce volleys of cannon with Fort Griffin. Bad move. The Irish found their target with ease, damaging the Clifton and forcing her aground, continuing barrages until the boiler was severely damaged. The Clifton's crew and compliment were left with no choice but to abandon their dead ship.

Amidst the mayhem, rumors of a Confederate horde heading south on a fleet of rebel ships somehow jumped from each Union ship to the next. Despite substantively outnumbering their Southern adversaries, the Union withdrew out of fear of a phantom artillery and ghost fleet. In truth, there were a couple of schooners and another couple of steamers trolling Sabine Lake. The only one to enter the fray was the cotton-clad Uncle Henry, little more than a cotton steamer. But she chugged into the battle in order to capture the Sachem crew and secure the wreck.

The engagement ceased between 4:30 and 5:00 pm. Of the four gunboats that entered the pass, two emerged, having suffered severe damage and significant crew losses. They rejoined the remaining 20 vessels of the invasion force and returned to New Orleans. Dowling’s men captured around 300 prisoners. The Sachem and the Clifton were badly damaged but salvageable. Both were refit for later Confederate service.

The Union never again returned to Texas until the postwar occupation. Dowling and his men received medals for their feat—the only Confederate medals bestowed.


*The Granite City is also noted as the Granite State on the official battle map. Academics, however, use Granite City.