He is buried in St. Vincents Cemetery in Houston. As the gunboats approached Fort Griffin, they came under accurate fire from six cannons. Regarding this battle no mention is found in official U.S. Navy reports of whether Union sailors were making observations and taking depth soundings from the gunboats' now dangerous top decks, while the Confederate cannon shots pounded and shook their ships. [13], The expectations of the earlier settlers, as well as the founders of Sabine Pass, never materialized. A Confederate supply line from Mexico to Texas had existed out of the Port of Bagdad, since the outbreak of the war but was held by the increasingly isolated Mexican Republicans. Sabine Pass[1] is a neighborhood in Port Arthur, Texas. The Davis Guards fired their cannons 107 times in 35 minutes of action, a rate of less than two minutes per shot, which ranked as far more rapid than the standard for heavy artillery. Dick Dowling was born in Galway, Ireland in 1836. Dowling's well practiced Irish-Texan artillerymen, whose chosen and officially approved unit name was "Jefferson Davis Guards", had placed range-stakes in the two narrow and shallow (5-to-7 feet or 1.5-to-2.1 m) river channels. A vote was taken. . The withdrawal order triggered a rout. This group of Texans was able to sink two gunboats and capture around 200 . The next day, the USS Monitor, the North's own ironclad, moved out to challenge the Virginia . The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Help Us Save Hallowed Ground in Tennessee and Kentucky, Help Save 820 Acres at Five Virginia Battlefields, Save 343 Acres at FIVE Battlefields in FOUR Western Theater States, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign. He is a naval architect by training, and has worked in both space navigation and e-commerce. The Second Battle of Sabine Pass took place on September 8, 1863, and was the result of a Union expedition into the Confederate state of Texas during the American Civil War. The U.S. Army battle plan was that after the U.S. Navy gunboats silenced the guns of Fort Sabine, the wave of about 200 U.S. Army infantrymen, riding the deck of one of the main fleet's reserve gunboats, would debark immediately below (east) of the fort and effected the fort's surrender. No Confederate reinforcements were available, except for a five-man headquarters group in Sabine City. 3: Iss. The combined Union Army and Navy invasion force withdrew and returned to New Orleans. The Confederate gunners at Fort Griffin had been sent there as a punishment. [7] Less than three miles southeast downriver, well out of range of the Confederate fort's cannons, were anchored seven U.S. Navy transports carrying most of the U.S. Army soldiers of the landing force. Typical of much of the Union Navy, the ships were lightly armored and carried a mixed battery of guns. The Granite City, an iron-hulled side-wheeler, was 450 tons, 160 feet long, and drew 9 feet, 2 inches. The Battle of Hampton Roads March 8-9, 1862 On March 8, Union blockaders were stunned by the approach of the CSS Virginia, one of the first ironclad warships the world had ever seen. Two guns had been struck glancing blows, but the only gun disabled was one of the howitzers, which rolled off its platform after being fired. The few maps to which they had access were old and outdated or could not account for recent changes in river-bottom conditions. At 6 am on September 8 Clifton crossed the bar, anchoring within three-quarters of a mile of the fort. History [ edit] Contents 1 Background 2 Battle 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 References Background Over in Union-occupied territory, Franklin and Banks gained ridicule for inept leadership. A grateful Texas erected two statues to him, one in Hermann Park in Houston, and one where Fort Griffin once stood. While the fort concentrated fire on the other two ships, Cliftons 9-inch smoothbore carved huge chunks out of the dirt ramparts. Banks's original intent was to launch a combined Army-Navy campaign in northwest Louisiana. Houston stayed with Sublett while recuperating from wound received at San Jacinto. In recognition of the victory, the Confederate Congress passed a resolution of special thanks the officers and men of the Davis Guard. As Sachem entered among the range-stakes, the Confederates opened fire. Union interest in Texas and other parts of the Confederacy west of the Mississippi River resulted primarily from the need for cotton by northern textile mills and concern about French intervention in the Mexican civil war. Further excavation eventually produced more kegs of black powder and several hundred cannonballs. The cited contemporary U.S. Army map shows the nominal positions of the bombardment fleet of four, the seven ships of the transport squadron, and the relative position farther out in the Gulf of the remaining vessels. The official Confederate silver medals were presented in a public ceremony a year later. The Irish Southerners struck Sachem with the fifth round they fired. The channel has been dredged, allowing deep-draft tankers access to Sabine Lake. On the afternoon of September 8, 1863, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Frederick Crocker ("Acting Captain") was in command of the advance squadron composed of four gunboats. Leon Smith, who was at Beaumont, Texas, immediately ordered all Confederate troops in Beaumont, some eighty men, aboard the steamer Roebuck and sent them down the river to reinforce Fort Griffin. France had been openly sympathetic to the Confederate States of America earlier in the war, but had never matched its sympathy with diplomatic action. Confederate President Jefferson Davis wrote in 1876 that he "considered the [second] battle of Sabine pass the most remarkable in military history."[3]. Considering the dominant size of the Union expeditionary force, taking control of Sabine Pass and environs was not expected to be a great challenge to the U.S. forces. Twenty-eight Federal soldiers and sailors were dead, 75 seriously wounded, and over 300 taken prisoner. The Confederate defenders suffered no casualties, and Union operations in the area ceased. This was a flat, often muddy area already cleared of brush by the Confederate garrison as a clear field of fire for the canister and grape of the fort's artillery. In an attempt to escape poverty, his family fled the country in 1846 for the U.S. and initially resided in New Orleans. Much of this coast was tidal flat and swamp. They found Cayuga there with the remaining transports, waiting at anchor. Camping on the Gulf of Mexico beach at Sea Rim State Park is a popular attraction. It had been incorporated in 1861 before being formally annexed by Port Arthur in 1978. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. Franklins 5,000 men would have been quickly reinforced to 15,000. Granite City hovered out of range behind Clifton, having orders not to risk debarking the 500 assault troops until the fort surrendered or its guns were silenced. Sabine Pass is known for its wildlife. Fort Manhassett was a series of earthworks constructed by the Confederacy in 1863 to defend the western approaches to Sabine Pass. Then Clifton came into range, followed by Arizona. 27 of 32 28 of 32 Second Battle of Sabine Pass (Sept. 8, 1863) The Union army sent a large expeditionary force to invade Texas and discourage burgeoning ties between the South and Mexico. As Crocker attempted to back Clifton off the bank, Confederate shot raked the ship. It has often been credited as the most one-sided Confederate victory during the conflict. Each "Davis Guards" gun crew during gunnery practice thereby worked to predetermine the approximate charge (amount of gunpowder) needed for each type projectile available for their specific gun (ball, canister, or grapeshot); and which specific guns, charges, and loads had the best potential to hit each range-stake. The executive officer was killed, and the second officer refused to obey Crockers orders to fight fires. The nearest observation point affording a view of Fort Griffin, other than from the mast "top" of a naval vessel seaward of the Pass, was the Sabine Pass lighthouse on the Louisiana (opposite) side of Sabine Pass at the mouth of the Sabine River. One exposed spot was Sabine Pass. Sabine Pass Independent School District serves the community. The few maps to which they had access were old and outdated or could not account for recent changes in river-bottom conditions. Dawn found them off the Louisiana coast where Granite City joined them. Today the battlefield is a state park. The U.S.S. The Second Battle of Sabine Pass took place on September 8, 1863, and was the result of a Union expedition into Confederate -controlled Texas during the American Civil War. about 2 miles (3.2km) upstream of the river mouth. Despite a brief incursion by the CSS Alabama in January, the Union Navy was dominant in Gulf of Mexico waters, allowing the Federals to strike anywhere along Texass 400-mile coast. Thus the Union ships were approaching the fort individually rather than collectively. Each "Davis Guards" gun crew during gunnery practice thereby worked to predetermine the approximate charge (amount of gunpowder) needed for each type projectile available for their specific gun (ball, canister, or grapeshot); and which specific guns, charges, and loads had the best potential to hit each range-stake. The medals were hung on green ribbons, and presented to the members of the Davis Guard. The Virginia had devastated the timberclad fleet before nightfall. In 1841, William Kennedy, in The Rise, Progress and Prospects of the Republic of Texas (published in London in 1841), mentioned the settlement of the area and wrote, "Taylor's creek, a small stream that enters Sabine Bay from the west, a few miles above the city of Sabine ", By not capitalizing "city" it appears that the city was named Sabine. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. Behind the fort, Confederate officers gathered reinforcements, although their limited numbers would make resistance difficult if the federal troops landed. Fort Griffins small force of 44 men, under command of Lt. Richard W. Dowling, forced the Union flotilla to retire and captured the gunboat Clifton and about 200 prisoners. Another shot struck the forward 9-inch gun. In September 1863, Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks sent 4,000 soldiers by transport from New Orleans under the command of Gen. William B. Franklin to gain a foothold at Sabine Pass, where the Sabine River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Captain Odlum, commanding at Sabine City in Colonel Griffins absence, telegraphed General Magruder with news of the invasion. Their practice paid off. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Shots struck the boiler so that steam and boiling water sprayed across the deck. However, low water in the Red River prevented the Union gunboats from entering it. The Port Arthur Convention and Visitors Bureau stated that Sabine Pass is "often regarded as" being a "self-contained" community.[2]. Instead, Texas remained the only Confederate state whose heartland remained inviolate until after Appomattox. The transports had left New Orleans in two groups on the previous day. While Port Arthur annexed Sabine Pass in 1978, the census of the two began to be enumerated together since the 1990s. The Union plan was to send Union Navy warships from the Mississippi up the tributary Red River, which was navigable upstream as far as where the boundaries of the Confederate states of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas came together. Granite City and the transport Suffolk were close at hand, and six other transports, loaded with combat-ready troops, were inside the bar. This article appears in: Early Summer 2014. In 1863 the tide was running against the Southexcept in Texas. The otherFort Griffinis located in Albany, Texas, and was constructed as one in a line of frontier defensive forts from 1867 to 1881. Crocker's squadron had no local river pilots, only general knowledge of the river's channels, no assurance of locations of the constantly varying depths especially of large oyster-shell "reefs" or "banks" between the river's two channels. No records indicate that the settlement was ever called just "Sabine" so this might have been referring to the name of the place as "City of Sabine". President Lincoln wanted Texas back under Union control before Texas and the French made common cause. Magruder lacked the forces to stop a Union advance over the coastal plain. The Confederacy was therefore forced to continue its reliance on blockade running to import valuable materials and resources. The U.S. Army's invasion plan, therefore, absolutely required that the Confederate guns be silenced before any troops were debarked. After 35 minutes of intense and accurate fire from the Confederate garrison at Sabine, two Federal ships were destroyed, 200 prisoners were captured, and the Union forces withdrew. But Magruder had to cover all these invasion pointsand the eastern border of Texaswith only 2,500 men. After the main force was landed and united with the initial assault company the intention was to march the few miles north to the railroad and cut the railroad between Houston and Beaumont. The fort consisted of an earthwork that mounted six cannons, two 24-pounders and four 32-pounders. The Confederate garrison at Fort Griffin, established to protect Sabine City, only numbered 46 men. But the Kountze brothers, who owned the land Stilwell needed for the railroad, refused to make a deal so Port Arthur was born.[14]. General William Buell Franklin would command the army contingent. Outside the principal Gulf shore sand bar, an additional two miles (3.2km) downstream of this squadron, lay at anchor the remaining ships of the 22-vessel invasion fleet. Lamsons Confederate battery multiplied in the telling. Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History, On the Banks and Along Streams: Battlefield Preservations Positive Impact on Water Sources. It was successful in ensuring that the anticipated overland Union invasion of Texas was delayed indefinitely. Seeing the enemy vessel, Sachem fired three rounds with her Parrott gun. The Western Gulf Blockading Squadron of the U. S. Navy sent four gunboats mounting 18 guns to protect the landing of the transport troops. When the battle began with the Union gunboats' bombardment on September 8, 1863, at the fort were forty-six men; all but two or three were members of the Davis Guards. Donations to the Trust are tax deductible to the full extent allowable under the law. Join historians and history buffs alike with our Unlimited Digital Access pass to every military history article ever published (over 3,000 articles) in Sovereigns military history magazines. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. Odlum soon received a response from Dowling: The garrison would stay and fight. France was openly sympathetic to th The combined Union Army and Navy invasion force withdrew and returned to New Orleans. The Confederate detachment residing at the Sabine Pass fort was the Jeff Davis Guards (named for Confederate president Jefferson Davis), a company of mostly Irish-American men from the Houston and Galveston area, recently had merged into the First Texas Heavy Artillery. Sachem and withdrew from the action. Despite their old smoothbore cannon, one of which had just become inoperable, after only a few rounds it was obvious the Confederate artillerymen's months of training and target practice was an astounding success as their aim was deadly accurate. Outside the principal Gulf shore sand bar, an additional two miles (3.2km) downstream of this squadron, lay at anchor the remaining ships of the 22-vessel invasion fleet. One cannon in the fort ran off its platform after an early shot, but the artillerymen fired the remaining five cannons with great accuracy. The U.S.S Clifton shelled the fort from long range between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. on September 8. Franklins reputation was hurt most, especially because he cited the strength of the Confederate resistance as a reason for his withdrawal. The name of the community evolved over time from City of Sabine, to Sabine City, and then to Sabine Pass. Tibbets and Arizona revived their reputations with outstanding service off Brownsville in the fall and winter of 1864. The United States Navy blockaded the Texas coast beginning in the summer of 1861, while Confederates fortified the major ports. Magruders experience with the Davis Guard was positiveit had led the charge that sealed Magruders victory at Galveston. United States President Abraham Lincoln was well aware of Confederate intentions and sent an expedition to establish a military presence in Texas and to discourage Maximilian from opening trade with the Confederacy. Magruder had no reinforcements immediately available, and felt resistance would cause unnecessary bloodshed. In 1863, the French were making foreign intrigue in Mexico. ", Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad Company, Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site, Louisiana Sportsman; Garrison Ridge location, TV.com; After the Storm- Texas, Extreme makeover, TV.MSN: Extreme Makeover; After-the-Storm-Texas, Partnership of Southeast Texas -- regional economic development site, U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sabine Pass, Texas, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sabine_Pass,_Port_Arthur,_Texas&oldid=1158462207, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Texas House of Representatives; District 021, This page was last edited on 4 June 2023, at 06:54. Another well-aimed projectile into the boiler of the U.S.S. With the gunboats in the lead, the flotilla would move through the two channels and land troops. As she passed the Suffolk, Lamson signaled that the Confederates were bringing up horse artillery to reinforce the fort and continued south. Two reactivated 32-pound guns from Fort Sabine were installed at Fort Griffin prior to the historic second battle of Sabine Pass on September 8, 1863. Regarding this battle no mention is found in official U.S. Navy reports of whether Union sailors were making observations and taking depth soundings from the gunboats' now dangerous top decks, while the Confederate cannon shots pounded and shook their ships. Holding on to Texas challenged Magruder, however. ite is most known for its role in the Civil War, it was also used as a U.S. Army coastal artillery battery during World War II. Magruder assigned two bay steamers armed with 12-pound guns and cotton-bale armor to Sabine Pass. Magruder ordered the fort destroyed, and instructed the garrison to retreat west. In addition, Houston residents raised funds to provide medals to the Guard; the Davis Guards Medals were made from silver Mexican pesos by smoothing off the coins, then hand-stamping and hand-engraving on one side, the battle name and date and on the other side the initials "D G" and a cross patte. Records also indicate that in 1839, Sam Houston, along with Philip Sublette and associates, laid out what is referred to as "the first townsite of Sabine", containing 2,060 lots with Niles F. Smith[7] as the agent. To prevent intervention from Confederate forces in Louisiana that consisted of Brigadier General Thomas Green's First Cavalry Brigade and Brigadier General Alfred Moutons infantry division, the Union division of Major General Francis J. Herron moved to Morganza as a diversion, which precipitated the Battle of Stirling's Plantation. Arizona acknowledged the signal and indicated she would assist. The Santa Anna had instructed two schooners loading cotton to stop at the custom house to pay a tonnage fee. Second Battle of Sabine Pass About 6:00 am on the morning of September 8, 1863, a Union flotilla of four gunboats and seven troop transports steamed into Sabine Pass and up the Sabine River with the intention of reducing Fort Griffin and landing troops to begin occupying Texas. When news of the defeat reached northeastern cities, it caused a sensation. Crocker's squadron had no local river pilots, only general knowledge of the river's channels, no assurance of locations of the constantly varying depths especially of large oyster-shell "reefs" or "banks" between the river's two channels. Despite their old smoothbore cannon, one of which had just become inoperable, after only a few rounds it was obvious the Confederate artillerymen's months of training and target practice was an astounding success as their aim was deadly accurate. However, Sabine Pass retains its own distinct identity with its own school district, post office, water district, and port authority. Lamson escaped punishment for his actions, as did Tibbets, commanding Arizona. Further Union operations in the area ceased for about a month. The site was chosen due to its hurricane-prone location. It has often been credited as the war's most one-sided Confederate victory. It has often been credited as the war's most one-sided Confederate victory. Less than three miles southeast downriver, well out of range of the Confederate fort's cannons, were anchored seven U.S. Navy transports carrying most of the U.S. Army soldiers of the landing force. During the American Civil War, Fort Manhassett, Fort Sabine, and Fort Griffin (not to be confused with the later frontier fort) were built by the Confederacy to protect the waterway of Sabine Pass, the Sabine River, and the Neches River[15] under General J. The gunners practiced firing artillery at range markers placed in the river to break the day-to-day monotony. Arizona had finally freed herself from the shoal. [16] 225 families lived in Sabine Pass pre-Ike, and in January 2009 Steve Fitzgibbons, the city manager of the City of Port Arthur, estimated that at that time, half of the families had returned to Sabine Pass post-Ike. Crocker felt that all four gunboats attacking simultaneously would overwhelm the fort. He took two 24-pound iron long guns and two 32-pound howitzers from forts upstream of Sabine Pass. The Second Battle of Sabine Pass (September 8, 1863) was a failed Union Army attempt to invade the Confederate state of Texas during the American Civil War. Kellersberg dug a three-sided earth embankment reinforced with iron rails and cross-ties. The Battle of Sabine Pass was of little tactical or strategic significance to the Civil War. Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site is located in the Texas Forest Trail Region. Instead, he decided to move against Sabine Pass. Day, James M. (1965) "Leon Smith: Confederate Mariner," East Texas Historical Journal: Vol. The U.S.S. On Captain Crocker's signal the Sachem, followed by Arizona, advanced up the right channel (Louisiana side) as fast as they dared, firing their port-side guns at the fort. 6731 Whittier Avenue, Suite C-100 McLean, VA 22101, Stay up to date with all of our latest news, The Union Navy supported the effort and lost three gunboats during the battle, two captured and one destroyed. Careful fortification, range marking and artillery practice had produced a successful defense of Sabine Pass. The Confederates had no casualties. d. In the Third battle of Sabine Pass, Union Admiral David G. Farragut and General N.P. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! Sign up to receive the latest information on the American Battlefield Trust's efforts to blaze The Liberty Trail in South Carolina. Sabine Pass is outside of the Jefferson County levee system, which protects other communities in the county.[16]. The Confederates held fire until Sachem was well within the range stakes they had laid out. The white-painted stakes were for determining accurate range of the fort's guns: six old smooth-bore cannon. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! No doubt he was aware of his own benefit were the venture to succeedas department commander, Banks profited from any prize money collected. This article appears in: Early Summer 2014 By Mark N. Lardas In 1863 the tide was running against the Southexcept in Texas. Possibly the smoke of Uncle Ben steaming toward Sachem influenced Franklin. He simply did. This engagement was to be the largest amphibious assault on enemy territory in the history of the U.S. military up to that date. Because the fort was initially preoccupied with Sachem and Arizona, Clifton steamed to within 500 yards of the works unmolested. The Second Battle of Sabine Pass took place on September 8, 1863, and was the result of a Union expedition into the Confederate state of Texas during the American Civil War. Clifton approached in the lead, ascending the Texas channel at full speed. Instead, the Granite City withdrew. By September the Irish-bred soldiers could use their guns with deadly efficiency. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. She drew 13 feet. He spent the rest of the war recruiting on the Civil War equivalent of the War Bond tour. They were stationed at the hastily built earthworks a mile (1.6km) upstream (north) on the southwest bank of the Pass. Only 120 feet long, she carried a 20-pound Parrott rifle and four 32-pound long guns. Confederate Victory. Father Quesart, in charge of the Catholic Church in Houston during the American Civil War, started the project by popular subscription. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. The official reports of the battle generally reflect the map's information. In the Second battle of Sabine Pass, Confederate troops reoccupied Fort Griffin. The US claimed jurisdiction down the Sabine River to the Gulf of Mexico and Texas claimed it ended at the Sabine River delta. The surgeon hid by the sternpost. The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government (Complete), Confederate Military History: A Library of Confederate States, Volume 11, Richard Dowling, The Battle of Sabine Pass, and The Davis Guards Medal, History Under Siege: Sabine Pass battlefield designated by CWPT as one of the top 10 most endangered Civil War battlefields of 2009, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Second_Battle_of_Sabine_Pass&oldid=1149451458, Battles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War, Confederate victories of the American Civil War, Battles of the American Civil War in Texas, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Company F ("Jeff Davis Guards"), 1st Heavy Artillery Regiment, This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 09:47. During the summer of 1863, the president of Mexico, Benito Jurez, was overthrown and replaced by the emperor Maximilian, whose allegiance was with France. Nevertheless, John Magruder had gained a new worry. The outlet for the Sabine and Neches Rivers, it guarded the eastern approaches to Texas. Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. About that time, at 11 oclock, the cottonclad Uncle Ben approached the fort, steaming to within a thousand yards of the boat carrying the generals. The Second Battle of Sabine Pass (September 8, 1863) was a failed Union Army attempt to invade the Confederate state of Texas during the American Civil War. So, in the spring of 1863, Magruder sent his chief engineer for East Texas, Major Julius Kellersberg, to Sabine City with 500 slaves and orders to build a new fort. [5] Under the immediate command of Lieutenant Richard W. Dowling, the Davis Guards had mounted their unit's six old smoothbore cannon on the elevated platform of the small earthen fort. As Sachem entered among the range-stakes, the Confederates opened fire. [19][20] Saunders said that a fewer number of houses remained livable after Ike than after Rita. Join us online July 24-26! "Holes left in wake of storms: Ike hit before some Texas communities recovered from Rita. The Union commander, Lt. Frederick Crocker, formed a plan for the gunboats to enter the pass and silence the Fort Griffin guns so the troops could land. The fleet missed the hidden Granite City, and Lamson either did not see them or ignored them. Granite City hovered out of range behind Clifton, having orders not to risk debarking the 500 assault troops until the fort surrendered or its guns were silenced. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. The First Battle of Sabine Pass (September 24-25, 1862), also known as the Bombardment of Fort Sabine, was the first American Civil War bombardment by the United States Navy of a Confederate fort below Sabine City (now Sabine Pass, Texas .) A Confederate supply line from Mexico to Texas was never established, and in any case it could not have effectively supplied the states east of the Mississippi once the Union controlled the whole of that river after its victory at Vicksburg in July. The Clifton, originally a side-wheel ferryboat, displaced 892 tons, was 210 feet long, and carried four 32-pound and two 9-inch smoothbores. A new Confederate commander, John Magruder, chased the Yankees out of both Galveston and the Rio Grande Valley. The first salvo missed the ironclad. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. Two battles, the First Battle of Sabine Pass, and the Second Battle of Sabine Pass, both occurred around the Sabine Lake estuary, in Sabine Pass, between the southern end of the current community of Sabine Pass, Texas and the Sabine Pass Lighthouse on the Louisiana side. Our database is searchable by subject and updated continuously. With a garrison of only 46 men, it is astonishing that they could defeat a Federal force of almost 5,000 men in such a short time, damage two Federal gunboats, and capture 200 prisoners. B. Magruder, "ordered construction of a major fortification of five redoubts seven miles west of Sabine City " in 1863,[12] but Sabine Pass was incorporated on June 15, 1861. Although unimpressive to Union observers and scouts, the fort's gun positions were high enough to afford a clear view to the horizon for many miles: the flat marshlands stretched northeastward into Louisiana, westward toward Houston, southwestward toward Galveston, northward toward Port Arthur and Beaumont, and southeastward into the Gulf of Mexico. List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces, Confederate organizations from the State of Texas, History Under Siege: Sabine Pass battlefield designated by CWPT as one of the top 10 most endangered Civil War battlefields of 2009, Richard Dowling, The Battle of Sabine Pass, and The Davis Guards Medal, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Battles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War, Confederate victories of the American Civil War, Battles of the American Civil War in Texas, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A small artillery was included. events, and resources. In 1836, Sublett nominated Houston for president of the Republic of Texas.[10]. Gen. Godfrey Weitzel, departed first. At 2 am they reversed course, sailing northeast. When the Sachem was within 1,000 yards, at the closest approach to the fort and in the narrowest stretch of the channel, Fort Griffin finally spoke. At Sabine Pass, the Davis Guardsa Confederate Army unit composed of 45 enlisted men, one engineer, and one surgeon, all Irish and all in their 20s or youngermanned Fort Griffin, which was constructed by 500 conscripted slaves. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. [8] The total number of Union infantry assault troops in the landing force is given as 5,000 infantrymen, which included 500 listed as aboard the Granite City, those aboard the six troop transports in the seven-ship squadron headed by Suffolk, plus an artillery company somewhere among them. Leon Smith, who was at Beaumont, Texas, immediately ordered all Confederate troops in Beaumont, some eighty men, aboard the steamer Roebuck and sent them down the river to reinforce Fort Griffin. United States President Abraham Lincoln was well aware of Confederate intentions and sent an expedition to establish a military presence in Texas and to discourage Maximilian from opening trade with the Confederacy. [9] The Union casualties amounted to two dozen killed and badly wounded, about 37 missing, and 315 Navy men captured. Both are heroic and larger than life. Lamson did not escape the Rebels, however. Dowling had his men stand down in the forts bomb-proof shelters until the Union ships were closer. No Union landing at Sabine Pass was ever again attempted. Take steps to avoid the spread of COVID-19 to protect fellow visitors, agency staff, and volunteers. Lessons learned from Fort Sabine impacted the construction of a new site, Fort Griffin, positioned along the channel about one mile north. Both schooners weighed anchor and settled the matter. The Union plan called for one gunboat, the Granite City, to sail to the pass, where the Cayuga was on blockading duty. The U.S.S. Navy gunboats smashed the fort, then landed troops that burned sawmills and railroad shops, destroyed track, and pulled down the bridge over the Sabine. With a de facto French government under Maximilian I south of the Rio Grande, the Confederates hoped to establish trade between Texas and Mexico to obtain much-needed supplies for the Confederacy. A Federal army at Sabine City would have knocked Texas out of the war. Sabine Pass Battleground was named one of the 10 most threatened American battlefieds by the Civil War Preservation Trust in March 2009. Banks's original intent was to lead a combined Army-Navy expedition from the Mississippi River into the Red River. Arizona, could not pass the U.S.S. The Confederates, who suffered no casualties during the battle, received the gratitude of the Confederate Congress for their victory. 1. The fort is gone. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Dowling's Texans had previously placed stakes in the river to act as markers for cannon fire. [16], In September 2008, Hurricane Ike struck Galveston and managed to generate the highest surge ever recorded at Sabine Pass. Second Battle of Sabine Pass Jefferson County, TX | Sep 8, 1863 Union forces attacked Fort Griffin outside of Sabine City along the Sabine River to establish a Union presence in Texas and discourage trade between the Confederacy and Mexico. A second great naval battle occurred at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1863. Crocker examined the fort. Once Clifton was grounded the fort took full advantage of her situation. Then Granite City made contact with a phantom enemy. These were the "Texas channel" near the southwest shore and the "Louisiana channel" against the Louisiana shore. The following is an excerpt from Texas State Highway 87: In 1970, road machinery used in its construction accidentally dug up several cannonballs and crumbling kegs of black powder about 10 miles west of Sabine Pass. All four gunboats were acquired merchant vessels, purchased at the wars outset or captured when attempting to run the Federal blockade. His ship was the USSClifton, a steam-powered side-wheeler. Union forces raided Sabine Pass in September 1862. The Confederate forces were, indeed, no longer surprisedthey were aghast. Uncle Ben took Sachem. On the day of the battle, United States Navy Captain Frederick Crocker entered the Sabine River with four gunboats, accompanied by 18 troop transports containing 5,000 federal infantrymen. In recognition of the victory, local residents smoothed off Mexican dollars, stamped them with the battle and date, plus individually the name of each soldier, hung them on green ribbons and presented them to the troops. Arguably one of the most uprising Confederate victories of the Civil War. The U.S. Army battle plan was that after the U.S. Navy gunboats silenced the guns of Fort Sabine, the wave of about 200 U.S. Army infantrymen, riding the deck of one of the main fleet's reserve gunboats, would debark immediately below (east) of the fort and effected the fort's surrender. More fortunate than Sachem, Arizona received a respite from the forts fire as Clifton drew the forts fire away from both Sachem and Arizona. is an outdoor sculpture park that covers the history of the Sabine Pass Battleground during the Civil War. Up against four gunboats and 5,000 Union infantry, Richard Dowling and 36 Confederate used their six artillery pieces to prevent the Union from crossing the river. It had been incorporated in 1861 before being formally annexed by Port Arthur in 1978. Once the army leaders were satisfied, the attack began. To the beleaguered Texans, Sabine Pass was the Alamo refought, with Texas winning. The Union Army was forced to withdraw down the river after having lost two gunboats and 200 sailors captured. In this battle, called the First Battle of Charleston Harbor, the Union Navy sent Admiral Du Pont with nine ironclads to attack Charleston. At 3:40 p.m. the Union gunboats began their advance through the pass, firing on the fort as they steamed forward. [16] Fire station #4, the one built by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, was destroyed by Ike, and FEMA provided funding for a new fire station. The gunners, having practiced for months, were spoiling to use their weapons. Banks distrusted the concept of sending an army by sea 600 miles from his New Orleans headquarters, as an invasion near the Rio Grande would have required. The Second Battle of Sabine Pass (September 8, 1863) was a failed Union Army attempt to invade the Confederate state of Texas during the American Civil War. Confederate Major General John B. Magruder described this engagement as "the most extraordinary feat of the war." A Union operation on the Red River and Union incursions at Galveston and Brownsville absorbed most of his forces. Several had burns from handling overheated guns or suffered minor cuts from flying debris. The Confederates are believed not to have suffered any casualties. Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! The Davis Guards had a reputation for mutinous and fractious behavior. The ship slewed left, running aground in a salt marsh 300 yards from the fort. Because of the short distance separating Sabine Pass from the Gulf of Mexico, the city has suffered greatly from numerous hurricanes since its founding. It was successful in ensuring that the anticipated overland Union invasion of Texas was delayed indefinitely. By the time Imperial French and Mexican forces captured Baghdad in 1864, a supply line to anywhere in the Confederacy east of the Mississippi was no longer feasible on account of the Union victory at Vicksburg in July 1863. The battle of Sabine Pass, on September 8, 1863, turned back one of several Union attempts to invade and occupy part of Texas during the Civil War. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. The rest were near misses. It was also a morale boost, especially after the string of defeats at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Port Hudson. Considering the dominant size of the Union expeditionary force, disposing of this fort was not expected to prove any great challenge. Then troops marching overland from the beaches would carry the fort. Send Students on School Field Trips to Battlefields Your Gift Tripled! What was significant about this battle? Second Battle of Sabine PassBackground: About 6:00 am on the morning of September 8, 1863, a Union flotilla of four gunboats and seven troop transports steamed into Sabine Pass and up the Sabine River with the intention of reducing Fort Griffin and landing troops to begin occupying Texas. The Arizona was a 950-ton side-wheeler, 202 feet long, carrying four 32-pound smoothbores, one 30-pound Parrott rifle, and one 12-pound Parrott rifle. Banks overtook the Fort and forced Confederate troops to flee to New Orleans. Every purchase supports the mission. The ranks were filled with longshoremen and day laborers. Franklin decided that with surprise lost a beach landing was too dangerous. For the 1862 battle in the same location, see, Second Battle of Sabine Pass Facts for Kids, Company F ("Jeff Davis Guards"), 1st Heavy Artillery Regiment. Supplies followed rivers. Combined with the defeat at Chickamauga, Sabine Pass reduced the nations credit rating. In February 2006, the team from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (EM: HE) visited the town and rebuilt the Firehouse (which included a new Firetruck worth $400,000), the High School Auditorium and gave dozens of families $350 gift cards from Sears to replace items such as clothes, space heaters, blankets etc., lost due to Hurricane Rita. That left the gunboat without the ability to steer and caused it to run aground, where its crew continued to exchange fire with the Confederate gunners. With a de facto French government under Maximilian I south of the Rio Grande, the Confederates hoped to establish trade between Texas and Mexico to obtain much-needed supplies for the Confederacy. Dowling died in 1867 when he was 30 years old from yellow fever; the same disease that took his parents. There are two Fort Griffins in Texas. While the rest of the ships anchored out of range of the fort, Sachem steamed slowly down the Louisiana channel to cover Generals Franklin and Weitzel as they conducted a personal reconnaissance in a ships boat. Forty-two strong, this Houston militia unit raised in 1860 was composed of Irish immigrants. Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History. Supporting the effort, the Union Navy suffered three gunboat losses in the conflicttwo were captured, and one was sunk. He pressed Nathaniel P. Banks, commanding the Department of the Gulf, to move Union forces into Texaspreferably near the Rio Grande, where they could monitor the French. His ship was the USSClifton, a steam-powered side-wheeler. Kearney, Milo; Knopp, Anthony (1991). The heroics at Fort Griffin - 46 men stopping a Union expedition - inspired other Confederates and became known as one of the most lopsided battles of the war. [15] The Confederacy was therefore forced to continue its reliance on blockade running to import valuable materials and resources. France was openly sympathetic to the Confederate States of America early in the Civil War, but never matched its sympathy with diplomatic or military action. Battle of Laredo . On the afternoon of September 8, 1863, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Frederick Crocker ("Acting Captain") was in command of the advance squadron composed of four gunboats. Mark Lardas is a freelance writer in Palestine, Texas, who has written extensively about ship modeling and naval and maritime history. The Union casualties amounted to two dozen killed and badly wounded, about 37 missing, and 315 Navy men captured. During the Second Battle of Sabine Pass, a clutch of Confederate Irishmen faced thousands of Federals in a battle for Texas. The Union had effected its Capture of New Orleans on May 1, 1862, and after the July 3, 1863 surrender of Confederate Vicksburg, the Union military had better control of both the east and west banks and of the mouth of the Mississippi. United States President Abraham Lincoln was well aware of Confederate intentions and sent an expedition into Texas to establish a military presence and to discourage Maximilian from opening trade with the Confederacy. Historic neighborhood of Port Arthur, Texas, United States, Robert Wooster, "EVERITT, STEPHEN HENDRICKSON," Handbook of Texas Online, Robert Wooster, "BEVIL, JOHN," Handbook of Texas Online, [Thomas W. Cutrer, "SMITH, NILES F.," Handbook of Texas Online, Robert Wooster, "SABINE PASS, TX," Handbook of Texas Online, Robert Wooster, "FORT GRIFFIN," Handbook of Texas Online, Horswell, Cindy. The, About 6:00 am on the morning of September 8, 1863, a Union flotilla of four gunboats and seven troop transports, under the command of. Second Battle of Sabine Pass Strength 5,000 infantry 4 gunboats 18 transports 46 infantry + 4 reinforcements 6 artillery pieces 1 fort Casualties and losses Over 350 killed, wounded, or captured 2 gunboats captured None Approved by the Confederate Congress, the Davis Guards Medal is believed to be the only official military decoration issued by the CSA.[1]. The community lies along State Highway 87 at Sabine Pass, thirty miles southeast of Beaumont in extreme southeastern Jefferson County. [17][18] Adam Saunders, a spokesperson for the City of Port Arthur, said that of the 225 houses in Sabine pass, 20% of them were livable after Rita hit Sabine Pass. Then, with the other two Federal ships out of the fight, the Irish gunners in Fort Griffin turned to Clifton. This is a History question. They were among the few available seagoing Federal warships capable of operating in brown water. The U.S. Navy blockaded the Texas coast beginning in the summer of 1861, while Confederates fortified the major ports. Escorted by the remaining gunboats, they swept past the Calcusieu River during the night. As the Union convoy entered among the stakes, the Confederates opened fire with deadly accuracy and wrought havoc on the vessels. On September 8, 1863, at the Second Battle of Sabine Pass, a small Confederate force thwarts a Federal invasion of Texas at the mouth of the Sabine River on the Texas- Louisiana border. Clifton approached in the lead, ascending the Texas channel at full speed. Under protest, the army cut its plan. Arizona freed herself from the mud, and then withdrew south, abandoning Sachem. Both forts are Texas Historical Commission properties. Whether the reassignment represented a reward, or an attempt to remove the brawling Irishmen from Galveston, or because Irish troops were viewed as most suitable for a task that required digging (Irishmen were known as canal builders), the choice was fortuitous. Today, the Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site at the site of Fort Griffin is a great place to fish or picnic while exploring the rich Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. It was closer than Brownsville and 40,000 bales of Rebel cotton were within reach of the Sabine River. The Second Battle of Sabine Pass took place on September 8, 1863, the result of a failed Union Army attempt to invade the Confederate state of Texas during the American Civil War. In recognition of the victory, the Confederate Congress passed a resolution of special thanks the officers and men of the Davis Guard. The detachment consisted of forty-six infantrymen of the 1st Texas Heavy Artillery and six guns manned by the Jeff Davis Guards all under the command of Lieutenant Richard "Dick" Dowling. Clifton, which also carried several sharpshooters, continued up the channel near the Texas shore until a shot from the fort cut away its tiller rope. The Union Navy supported the effort and lost three gunboats during the battle, two captured and one destroyed.. In 1970, construction crews attempting to repair SH-87 accidentally dug up Civil War era ammunition. Coordinates: 294313.85N 935214.69W / 29.7205139N 93.8707472W / 29.7205139; -93.8707472. Unsupported, Clifton and then Sachem lowered their colors. Their officers were Irish-American merchants and tradesmen. They had been spiked and cut from their trunnions but were otherwise intact. [13][14] The official Confederate silver medals were presented in a public ceremony a year later. He had them refitted in Galveston. But while the hits created impressive sprays of mud, they failed to disable any of the guns. Suffolk, hosting invasion force commander U.S. Army Major General Franklin and his staff, headed the seven-vessel squadron. This action would deny Sabine Pass and the natural shallow-water harbor Sabine Lake upstream from the Gulf about 6 miles (9.6km) to blockade runners. The Granite City would mark the mouth of Sabine Pass with a lantern visible to seaward. The Sachem, screw-powered, displaced 195 tons, and drew 71/2 feet. The total number of Union infantry assault troops in the landing force is given as 5,000 infantrymen, which included 500 listed as aboard the Granite City, those aboard the six troop transports in the seven-ship squadron headed by Suffolk, plus an artillery company somewhere among them. A Confederate supply line from Mexico to Texas had existed out of the Port of Bagdad, since the outbreak of the war but was held by the increasingly isolated Mexican Republicans. A new plan evolved. On September 8, 1863, the battle of Sabine Pass turned back one of several Union attempts to invade and occupy part of Texas during the Civil War. Boom and Bust: The Historical Cycles of Matamoros and Brownsville (1 ed.). Ships raced across the bar. By the time Imperial French and Mexican forces captured Baghdad in 1864, a supply line to anywhere in the Confederacy east of the Mississippi was no longer feasible on account of the Union victory at Vicksburg in July of 1863. She was back on station by dawn, but by that time Granite City arrived to find the pass unguarded. The main fleet, less than five miles offshore and well beyond Confederate gunfire, contained as many as 20 vessels, which carried U.S. Army regularsas many as 5,000 men, according to Official records. Kellersberg scraped up six cannon. 2. The battle reached its climax as Clifton closed on the fort. As the gunboats approached Fort Griffin, they came under accurate fire from six cannons. By dawn the scouts reported the Federal ships gathering off the coast. Dowlings men had no serious injuries. He unearthed two 32-pound long guns that had been smashed and buried when the old fort was abandoned a year previous. She carried four 24-pound howitzers and a 12-pound rifle. He rode out the night in the Calcusieu River, 35 miles east, waiting until dawn before leaving its shelter. The plan began unraveling when Cayuga, which had not been informed of the invasion, left station for Galveston on September 6, 1863 for badly needed engine oil. Two were direct hits on the fort. As a consequence, the expedition entered the Sabine River from the Gulf of Mexico. Nervous about the missing Cayuga, Lamson assumed the unidentified vessel was Alabamaat that time at Capetown. The rest of the fleet, escorts and transports, would sail from New Orleans and rendezvous with Granite City under cover of darkness. Thank you. President Jefferson Davis called the victory "more remarkable thanThermopylae" and requested that Congress order a special medal struck for each member of the Guards. However, Sabine Pass retains its own distinct identity with its own school district, post office, water district, and port authority. Instead, troops were committed to offensives along the Red River in Louisiana and Brownsville at the mouth of the Rio Grande. Arthur Stilwell had original plans for the southern terminus of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad Company to be Sabine Pass. Texas had few railroads. Sea Rim State Park and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge lie at the end of Highway 87. [4][note 1] The Confederate detachment residing at the Sabine Pass fort was the Jeff Davis Guards (named for Confederate president Jefferson Davis), a company of mostly Irish-American men from the Houston and Galveston area, recently had merged into the First Texas Heavy Artillery. While Sabine Pass has a separate school district, post office,[22] water district, and port authority, it is incorporated into the city of Port Arthur. He noted very few men in it and assumed that the lack of response indicated that the fort was incapacitated. Confederate President Jefferson Davis wrote in 1876 . Resolute actioncommitting the remaining gunboats and landing troops from the transportswould have broken the Texan resistance. [3] Stephen Hendrickson Everitt (18061844)[4] wrote a letter to Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar on March 11, 1839, seeking to establish a post office in the area. At 3 pm Sachem and Arizona began steaming down the shallower Louisiana Channel to the east, while Clifton and Granite City entered the Texas Channel on the west. The Union had effected its Capture of New Orleans on May 1, 1862, and after the July 3, 1863 surrender of Confederate Vicksburg, the Union military had better control of both the east and west banks and of the mouth of the Mississippi. Gen. Franklin and the Union forces turned back to New Orleans, although Union troops occupied the Texas coast from Brownsville to Matagorda Bay later that fall. Much of their negative reputation seems to have rested on prejudice against the Irish common in the 1860s. The following ship, the U.S.S. The new station, built 12 feet above sea level and able to withstand 150 mile-per-hour winds, was dedicated in August 2013.[21]. The Union Navy supported the effort and lost three gunboats during the battle, two captured and one destroyed. Once the colors came down, the gunners, who had stood to their guns despite live steam and enemy fire, abandoned ship. The encounter that caused the New York City stock market to falter and bolstered the spirits of Confederate forces at a critical time was the second battle of Sabine Pass, which started with another Federal attack in September 1863. Four gunboats and seven transports would cross the bar. Join us online July 24-26! The Second Battle of Sabine Pass (September 8, 1863) was a failed Union Army attempt to invade the Confederate state of Texas during the American Civil War. The Sabine Pass School District is assigned to Galveston College in Galveston.[23]. The company-size initial landing force was to then take Sabine City and secure the area for the main force. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. The park features an interpretive pavillion and walkway, a 14-foot statue and monument, ADA-accessible sidewalks and restrooms, covered picnic tables and grills, 4-lane boat ramps with ADA-accessible dock, 1/4 mole of shoreline with safety railing. At dawn, eight combat-loaded transports would land troops on the beach south of Sabine Pass. Known as one of the most lopsided battles of the war, the Battle of Sabine Pass ended in a Union defeat. Arizona Territory. Union forces attacked Fort Griffin outside of Sabine City along the Sabine River to establish a Union presence in Texas and discourage trade between the Confederacy and Mexico. With a de facto French government bordering Texas on the south across the Rio Grande, the Confederates hoped to establish a formal route between Texas and Mexico by way of which the Confederacy could obtain much-needed supplies. The military Federal force was commanded by Major General Nathaniel P. Banks, a political general with little discernible command ability. The main fleet, less than five miles offshore and well beyond Confederate gunfire, contained as many as 20 vessels, which carried U.S. Army regularsas many as 5,000 men, according to Official records. Second Battle of Sabine Pass, TX (CWSAC Major Battle - Confederate Victory) Chickamauga Campaign Burnside's East Tennessee Campaign Gillmore's Operations in Charleston Harbour Go to September 9 1863 Alabama. The customs house had two cannons and when the schooners attempted to run the customs port the agent fired a warning shot across the bow of each ship and then six more as an attempt to sink them. A shot from the third or fourth round hit the boiler of the U.S.S. See answers Advertisement jandall Answer: is d Explanation: Advertisement kjn8 Answer: It's D! The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Smith and a Captain Good rode to the fort on horseback, reaching the fort some three hours before the steamer, arriving just as the Union gunboats USSClifton and Sachem came within range, and assisted in the defense of the fort. Consequently, General Banks ordered his subordinate, Major General William B. Franklin, who would coordinate with the U.S. Navy, to enter the Sabine River from the Gulf of Mexico and defeat the small Confederate detachment at "Fort Sabine" on the river's west bank (Texas side) at Sabine Pass. This Week's Is The Second Battle Of Sab. Send Students on School Field Trips to Battlefields Your Gift Tripled! Subscribe to the American Battlefield Trust's quarterly email series of curated stories for the curious-minded sort! Union intelligence pegged Confederate strength in the Department of Texas to be no more than 3,500 men40 percent more than Magruder actually had. Now that a French government existed just south of the Rio Grande, the Confederates hoped to establish a fruitful route of entry for much-needed matriel. The men welcomed an excuse to fire cannon, conducting live-fire target practice weekly. Crocker was a veteran officer of considerable recent experience in Union river-gunboat actions and blockade duty. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Help Us Save Hallowed Ground in Tennessee and Kentucky, Help Save 820 Acres at Five Virginia Battlefields, Save 343 Acres at FIVE Battlefields in FOUR Western Theater States, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign. By shopping in our store cannons, two 24-pounders and four 32-pound guns. 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