Participants In The Battle Of Sabine Pass
September 8, 1863
A Compendium Of All Pertinent Lists And Sources,
And a list Of Individuals With An Interest In The Battle
Name/ Rank/ Unit/ Comment or Remark
Abbot, Patrick /Private/ Davis Guard
Abercrombie, Leonard A.*/ Lt. Col./ Elmore's Rgmt, 20th Texas Infantry
Anderson, John/ Private /Davis Guard/ His real name was John A. Drummond
Bailey, George H./ Lt./ Ass't Surgeon Assigned to Captain Daley's Company, Post Surgeon at Beaumont
Banks, Nathaniel P.* /Major Gen. USA,/ Commander, Department of the Gulf
Carrington, W. T./ Lt./ CSA, Assistant Adjutant General in Magruder organization
Carr, Michael /Private /Davis Guard
Carter, Abner R. /Private /Davis Guard
Cassidy, Joseph O. /Lieutenant/ Spaight's Bn Commanded Capt. R. D. Keith's Co. as sharpshooters aboard Uncle Ben
Castro /Lt/. Commanded elements of Captain Richeley's Co. on Uncle Ben
Chasten, J. M. /Lieutenant/ Griffin's Bn, F Co. Commmanded Captain Bickley's men on Roebuck and then gun on Uncle Ben
Chester, /Lieutenant/ Griffin's Bn., F Co.
Clare, Patrick /Private/ Davis Guard
Clepper,* /Captain/ His company was aboard Grand Bay from Niblett's Bluff. He commanded prisoners aboard the Roebuck to Beaumont.
Cook, Richard V. Captain,Griffin's Bn., I Co.
Corcoran, James /Private/ Davis Guard
Crocker, Frederick /Acting Lt. USN,/ Commander of all Naval units
Dana, W. H. /Lt. Cmdr. USN, /Master of the Cayuga
Dana, John W. /Lt. USN, /Communications Officer, Clifton
Dane, Henry C. /Lt. USN, /Communications Officer, Sachem
Deagan, Hugh /Private/ Davis Guard
Delaney, William /Private/ Davis Guard
Donovan, Daniel /Private/ Davis Guard
Dougherty, Thomas /Ord. Sgt./ Davis Guard
Dowling, Richard W. /Lieutenant/ Davis Guard Commander during the battle
Eagan, Michael /Private/ Davis Guard
Fitzgerald, David /Sergeant/ Davis Guard
Fitzgerald, Patrick /Private/ Davis Guard
Fleming, James /Private/ Davis Guard
Flood, John /Private/ Davis Guard
Franklin, William B. /Major Gen. USA,/ Tactical Commander of ground troops
Gleason, William /Private/ Davis Guard
Good, W. S. /Captain/ Ordinance Dept. Chief Ordinance Officer, Eastern Sub-District
Hagerty, Thomas /Private/ Davis Guard
Hall, G. /Captain/ Captain of gunboat Uncle Ben
Hardin, William* /Private/ Davis Guard, Detailed elsewhere during battle
Harris, Charles /Lieutenant/ Commanded scouts from Captain Daly's calvary company behind cover at old beach
Hassett, John /Corporal/ Davis Guard
Hennessy, John* /Private/ Davis Guard, In a hospital at time of battle
Higgins, James* /Private/ Davis Guard, Real name Robert, recalled by some veterans as having been at the battle, father of Patillo O'Higgins
Huggins, Timothy /Private/ Davis Guard
Hurley, Timothy /Private/ Davis Guard
Irwin, L. C. * /Captain/ Marine Dept. Sent re-inforcements from Niblett's Bluff
Jett, W. Livingston* /Private/ Davis Guard, Recalled by some veterans as having been in the battle
Johnson, Amos /Captain USN/, Acting Master, Sachem
Lamson, Charles W. /Lt. USN,/ Acting Master, Granite City
Madigan /Captain/ Commanded the Owasco
Malone, Patrick /Private/ Davis Guard
McCabe, Alexander /Private/ Davis Guard
McDonnell, Patrick /Private/ Davis Guard, Sometimes shown as McDonald
McDonough, Timothy /Sergeant/ Davis Guard
McGraw, John /Private/ Davis Guard
McKeever, John /Corporal/ Davis Guard
McKernan, Michael /Private/ Davis Guard, Commanded gun that stopped the Sachem
McNeelis, John /Private/ Davis Guard
Monahan, Michael /Corporal/ Davis Guard
Mulhern, Terrance /Private/ Davis Guard, Detailed to Sabine City with Mrs. Dorman's dishes
Murray, J. G. D. /Acting Ass't Surgeon
O'Hara, Peter* /Private/ Davis Guard, Detailed, probably was the same person as Richard C. O'Hara
Odlum, Frederick H. /Captain/ Davis Guard, Left command with Lt. Dowling, stayed in Sabine City
Payne, John /Captain/ of the Josiah Bell Commander of all gunboats on Sabine River
Plunkett, Laurence* /Private/ Davis Guard, Recalled by some veterans as being in the battle
Powers, Maurice /Private/ Davis Guard
Price, John /Captain/ Captain of the steamer Florilda owned by T&NO RR
Pritchard, Edward /Private/ Davis Guard
Rheins, Charles /Private/ Davis Guard
Rhodes, Robert /Lt. USN,/ Acting Master (XO), Clifton
Richardson, /Captain/ Marine Dept. Commanded the steamer Roebuck
Smith, Leon /Commodore/ Commander Marine Department of Texas
Smith, Nicholas H. /Lieutenant/ Engineer Corps Acting Lieutenant for Davis Guards
Sullivan, Patrick /Private/ Davis Guard
Sullivan, Thomas /Private/ Davis Guard
Sullivan, Michael /Private/ Davis Guard
Tibbitts, H. /Capt. USN, /Acting Master, Arizona
Tomerlin, William Jeffers /Private/ Elmore's Rgmnt On board the Roebuck
Walsh, Mathew /Private/ Davis Guard
Weitzel, Godfrey /General USA, /Commander of landing force
Wesley, John /Private/ Davis Guard
White, John* /Private/ Davis Guard, Detailed during battle
Wilson, Jospeph /Private/ Davis Guard
Other Players In The Battle
Bell, Henery H. Commodore USN, Commander Western Gulf Squadron
Benchley, Henry Weatherby Conductor on Houston and Texas Central Railroad helped promote benefit musical perfomances by Houston artists for the guards
Bickley, Charles Captain Commander of a company in Beaumont, sent 15 men aboard Roebuck also newspaper correspondent under name Tom Vapid
Brotherton, P. P. - Captain Dick Dowling presented the sword he carried at the battle to him after obtaining a more superior one.
Brotherton, P. C. H. Son of P. P. Brotherton, presented the sword to Dick Dowling Camp, UCV in ceremony in Houston December 6, 1900
Burch, Increase Citizen of Sabine City provided sweet potatoes
Dorman, Kate Ran hotel at Sabine City, organized cooking of meal for Davis Guards before battle
E. H. Cushing Editor Houston Daily Post and a Texas History textbook with an article on battle, he publicized effort to award silver medals to the Davies
Gottchalk, Charles - Houston jeweler who fashioned the silver medals for the Davis Guards
Griffin, William H. Lt. Col. - Previous commander of Sabine City after whom fort was named
Halleck, Henry W. Gen. USA, General-In-Chief
Hennessey, P. H. Lt. A member of Davis Guard, on furlough during battle and married to Dowling's sister Mary.
Keith, K.D. Captain Commander of the artillery militia company raised in Sabine City , not present during battle
Kellersberger, Getulius CSA, Engineer Corps, a German who fixed fort's guns, was enroute to assist
Looscan, Adele Historian and wife of Irish born Judge Michael Looscan who served in CSA.
Lubbock, Henry S. Captain Over saw repairs to the Clifton and Sachem.
Luckett, P. N. Brig. Gen. CSA, Commander Eastern Sub-District of Texas
Magruder, John Bankhead Major Gen. CSA, Commander District of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona
Malone, Thomas M. Of Elmore's Regiment on board Roebuck from Beaumont to battle
McGaffey, Neal Citizen of Sabine City supplied a beef for the meal cooked for the Davis Guards
Mills, A. N. Capt. Assitant Adjutant General in Magruder's organization to whom some reports where sent of the battle
Murphy, John Provided a wagon to bring ammunition to fort before battle
Otis, Charles Capt. Helped organize musical entertainment benefit in Houston on October 6, 1863 for Davis Guard
Pace, Mrs R. B. As a seven year old child watched battle from housetop.
Sherfflus, Henry Capt. Master of the repaired Sachem on its voyage to Vera Cruz, Mexico.
Staunton, Edward M. U. S. Secretary of War
Sulokowski, Valery Col. CSA, Chief Engineer designed Fort Griffin was enroute to assist
Turner, Edmund P. Capt. CSA, Assistant Adjutant General in Magruder organization to whom some official reprots were submitted
Vosberg, Mrs Took food to the fort in Kate Dorman's buggy
W. P. Doran Newspaper correspondent at scene next day, signed some reports as "Old Sioux"
Watson, Margeret L. Correspondent for local papers and historian.
Welles, Gideon U. S. Secretary of Navy
Zoppa, Father Felix Chaplain to Davis Guards and spirit behind effort to award medals to the Davis Guard
Individuals Interested In The Battle
Bryan, Dudley. D. Member of Dick Dowling Camp with responsibility to get the names right for the monument
Cato, Josephine Second oldest sister of Dick Dowling
Caraway, Ann A co-founder of the Dick Dowling Heritage Society and a decendant of Dick Dowling.
Cohen, Lawrence, L. Dick Dowling Camp member whose design was first considered for the 1905 monument
Collerain, Mrs. P. W. Granddaughter of Dick Dowling.
Cotham, Edward T., Jr.author Sabine Pass, The Confederacy's Thermopylae.
Daniel, Walter R. Married Dick Dowling's widow, Elizabeth Ann, February 14, 1870
Dick Dowling Heritage Society, dedicated for the care of the statue in Hermann Park and the story of Dowling and his men.
Drew, O. C. Commander of Dick Dowling Camp of United Confederate Veterans when monument was erected and a strong supporter early on
Fall, Philip H. Member and Adjutant of Dick Dowling Camp of UCV proposed motion in 1886 calling for fund to be established to erect a monument
Frank, Anton, Reverend Longtime - Chaplain of Dick Dowling Camp of United Confederate Veterans and a Historian.
Friends of Sabine Pass Battleground was organized in late 2007 to assist the Texas Historical Commission in its mission at the park. The organization is made of of different interested individuals and organizations such as the local Lions Club, Confederate organizations such as the Sons of Confederate Veterans and re-enactment groups as well as several scout units and some Hiberians.
Jackson, V. G. Author, wrote "A History of Sabine Pass" for her Masters thesis, University of Texas, August, 1930
Lambert, Will First Commander of Dick Dowling Camp, United Confederate Veterans that started monument project.
Miggins, Larry, He and his family cared for the statue and arranged the annual program in Sam Houston Park, also a co-founder of the Dick Dowling Heritage Society
Moore, Weaver P. Established the "Sabine Pass Medal" of the Texas Chapter of the Stars and Bars in 1971.
Moran, Gerard P. Historian, author and Texas State Historian, Ancient Order of Hibernians 1979-2000 and author of this study (Website)
Muir, Andrew Forest History professor at Rice University and Guggenheim Fellow who researched the battle extensively
Pat Needham Cared for the 1905 statue for many years prior to Larry Miggins
Orgaine, Mrs. Kate Alma Historian, Texas Division, United Confederate Veterans, 1905
Pray, Mrs Author of book Dick Dowling
Roberston, William F. Judge Married Dowling's daughter, Mary Anne
Roberts, Oran M. Author, CSA officer and former Governor of Texas
Sackett, Mrs Frances Robertson Author
Scharf, J. Thompson Author, wrote History of the Confederate States Navy, 1887.
Sholars, Mrs. S. W. - Author of a paper, "The Heroic Defense of Sabine Pass" presented at Texas Convention of United Daughters of the Confederacy December, 1906
Sullivan, A. M. - Secretary General, American Irish Historical Society wrote poem "The Ballad Of Dick Dowling", 1954
Taylor, Mrs, Neta V Compiled the scrapbook for the Dick Dowling Monument Association that contains letters from the veteran survivors of the Davis Guards
Teich, Frank - Sculptor in San Antonio who did the 1905 statue
Texas Historical Commission took over responsibility for the Sabine Pass Battleground on January 1, 2008.
Texas Parks and Wildlife had previously controlled the park.
Tolbert, Francis X. Author, Dick Dowling at Sabine Pass
Young, S. O. Adjutant General, UCV, Galveston, historian and author
The Sabine City,( now a part of Port Arthur) Lions Club kept the story alive by staging a re-enactment of the battle for many years at the state park.
Dick Dowling Camp 1295 of the Sons of Confederate Veterans in Beaumont has financed, planned, sponsored, and hosted, with the help of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the re-enactment event since 1996.
Return to Table of Contents >
Commemorations of Dowling or the Battle >
Return to Appendix V. Lists of Celtic Names >