CS Dowling, Richard William

Richard William "Dick" Dowling​

Born: January 14, 1837

Birthplace: Milltown County, Galway, Ireland

Father: Patrick Dowling

Mother: Bridget Qualter

Wife: Annie Elizabeth Odlum 1840 – 1918

(Buried: Texas State Cemetery, Austin, Texas)​

Married: November 30, 1857 in Houston, Texas

Occupation before War:

1853: His Parents died in a Yellow Fever Epidemic in New Orleans, LA.​

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1857: Leased his first Saloon in Houston, Texas​

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Owner of Saloons and Bank of Bacchus, Texas​

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Founding member of Houston's Hook and Ladder Company Fire Dept.​

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Businessman with Houston's first streetcar Company​

Civil War Career:

Served in the Confederate Army rising to the rank of Major​

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1863: Participated in the Battle of Galveston, Texas​

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1863: Confederate Commander at Second Battle of Sabine Pass, Texas​

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Recipient of Davis Guard Medal​

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Recruiter for the Confederate States Army​

Occupation after War:

Saloon Business Owner in Houston, Texas​

Died: September 23, 1867

Place of Death: Houston, Texas

Cause of Death: Yellow Fever

Age at time of Death: 30 years old

Burial Place: Saint Vincent's Cemetery, Houston, Texas

 

[Pollaco]

The only soldiers to receive a medal for valor were under His command. The Davis Guards were defending Sabine Pass under Dowling when he was a Lieutenant. In addition to the medal the garrison also received the Thanks of the Confederate Congress. Jefferson Davis who was "thrilled" about the name, Davis Guards,also received one of these medals, of which he was very proud.

 

[UCVRelics]

The UCV camp 197 The Dick Dowling camp is very dear to me as one of my major pieces in UCV collection is a UCV uniform of G W Williams 8th Texas cav who was a member of that camp.

UCVRELICS.com Wanted Confederate Vet & UCV Items Top Dollar Paid.

ucvrelics.com

 

[Pollaco]

There was a picture of Gen. James Slaughter and his staff on this forum a month ago. One of the officers may or may not have been Dowling. Has He ever served on a staff?

 

[Pollaco]

Everytime I see his picture I think of the guy who married my little sister.

 

[Pollaco]

He was a member Of Co. F, 1st. Texas Heavy Artillery. Was this the same group as the Davis Guards at Sabine Pass?

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

Dick Dowling was an amazing soldier. When retaking Sabine Pass from the Union they couldn't get a proper mount for one of their big guns to mount on the bow of a ship. Their answer? Just bolt the thing to the deck, and Dowling ended up firing that gun himself, imagine loading the thing, someone would have a very fun time loading it in a fight.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

He was a member Of Co. F, 1st. Texas Heavy Artillery. Was this the same group as the Davis Guards at Sabine Pass?

Yes.

 

[DixieRifles]

Birthplace: Milltown County, Galway, Ireland

1863: Confederate Commander at Second Battle of Sabine Pass, Texas

You need to tell the rest of the story. This is from the Texas State Historical Association.

Richard William Dowling, son of William and Mary Dowling, was born in Tuam, Galway County, Ireland, in 1838. After 1846 the family migrated to the United States and settled in New Orleans. In the early 1850s, after the deaths of his parents, Dick Dowling worked his way to Texas and eventually settled in Houston.
. . . .
Throughout the spring and summer of 1863 Odlum, Dowling, and the guards manned defensive positions at Sabine Pass, including Fort Griffin, a nondescript post on the west side of the pass that controlled both the Texas and Louisiana channels of the river. By August 1863 Odlum was in charge of forces at nearby Sabine City, and Dowling commanded Company F, which consisted of forty-seven men armed with six cannons, at Fort Griffin. On September 8, 1863, the United States forces attacked the area in what became known as the Battle of Sabine Pass. Dowling directed such intense and accurate fire from his guns that two of the United States gunboats, the Clifton and the Sachem, were disabled, and the remaining United States vessels withdrew. As a result of federal ineptitude and Dowling's leadership, Dowling and his men captured two ships and 350 prisoners and routed the invasion without a single casualty.

From Texas State Historical Association article about the Battle of Sabine Pass

Finally at 3:40 P.M. the Union gunboats began their advance through the pass, firing on the fort as they steamed forward. Under the direction of Lt. Richard W. Dowling the Confederate cannoneers emerged to man their guns as the ships came within 1,200 yards. One cannon in the fort ran off its platform after an early shot. But the artillerymen fired the remaining five cannon with great accuracy. A shot from the third or fourth round hit the boiler of the Sachem, which exploded, killing and wounding many of the crew and leaving the gunboat without power in the channel near the Louisiana shore. The following ship, the Arizona, backed up because it could not pass the Sachem and withdrew from the action. The Clifton, which also carried several sharpshooters, pressed on up the channel near the Texas shore until a shot from the fort cut away its tiller rope as the range closed to a quarter of a mile. 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. Another well-aimed projectile into the boiler of the Clifton sent steam and smoke through the vessel and forced the sailors to abandon ship. The Granite City also turned back rather than face the accurate artillery of the fort, thus ending the federal assault. The Davis Guards had fired their cannon 107 times in thirty-five minutes of action, a rate of less than two minutes per shot, which ranked as far more rapid than the standard for heavy artillery. The Confederates captured 300 Union prisoners and two gunboats. Franklin and the army force turned back to New Orleans, although Union troops occupied the Texas coast from Brownsville to Matagorda Bay later that fall. The Davis Guards, who suffered no casualties during the battle, received the thanks of the Confederate Congress for their victory. Careful fortification, range marking, and artillery practice had produced a successful defense of Sabine Pass.

Statue of Richard Dowling

Now fast-forward to the years before WW2. Texas formed several battalions of troops in various locations around the state. They were known as the Texas Defense Guard.
The 21st Battalion of Texas Defense Guard was organized out of Woodsboro in Feb 1941. An Army unit would select a pattern and symbols that represent their heritage as their coat of arms. This battalion's coat of arms is shown in a photo of the Distinguished Unit Insignia(DUI) pin shown below. The DUI Pin was worn on the lapel of their uniforms and/or on their overseas cap. The design of their DUI pin greatly resembles the Texas State flag and the symbols of the Lone Star.

DUI Pin for the 21st Battalion TDG.

WHY does their coat of arms have a Clover in the center?

The Clover symbolizes Texas' famous Irishman, Lt. Richard Dowling, and his role in saving Texas at the Battle of Sabine Pass.

In 1943, Texas Legislature changed name Texas Defense Guards to Texas State Guard. They were under Federal control until 1947 when Texas National Guard was demobilized.

 

[ErnieMac]

An news clipping from the Louisville (KY) Daily Courier dated 3 Oct 1867 announcing his death.

 

[Pollaco]

I asked about Dowling being on General James Slaughter's Staff back in November and haven't gotten any sort of answer. Did He ever serve on anyone's staff?

 

[Cavalier]

A hero and a saloon keeper. He's got my vote!

John