An Irish Confederate Texas Hero—–Lieutenant Richard W. (Dick) Dowling
A Confederate History Minute (11)
by Calvin E. Johnson, Jr.
An Irish Confederate Texas Hero—–Lieutenant Richard W. (Dick) Dowling
At Hermann Park in Houston, Texas is a monument to man who is called interesting to Texas history. It has been a hundred years since the people of Houston, Texas honored Major W. (Dick) Dowling with a 8 foot Italian Marble Statue.
Dick Dowling immigrated with his family from Ireland during the Great-Famine of the 19th centrury.
Dowling is said to have been a man of great compassion and vision, and the first man in Houston, Texas to install gas lighting at his business. He was a founding member of the Houston Hook and Ladder No. 1, that would become the cities fire department.
Dick Dowling was very successful in business and had a great many civic accomplishments but many would remember his record in service to the Confederacy during the War Between the States.
On September 8, 1863, a Union force of 27 ships and 6,000 men attempted to capture Fort Griffin, A Confederate fort at Sabine Pass. This was to be the prelude to the invasion of Texas.
Lieutenant Dowling with less than 50 members of srtillery repelled the attack in less than an hour. Dowling and his men also captured two Union gun boats and 350 prisoners without losing a single man. Confederate President Jefferson Davis called the Battle of Sabine Pass the most amazing feat in military history.
Two years after the end of the War Between the States Richard Dowling died of Yellow Fever and was buried at Saint Vincent’s Cemetery in Houston.
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