Richard William "Dick" Dowling (baptized 14 January 1837 – 23 September 1867) was an Irish-born

artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

officer of the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

who achieved distinction as commander at the battle of Sabine Pass (1863), the most one-sided

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...

victory during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. It is considered the " Thermopylae of the Confederacy" and prevented

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

from being conquered by the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

. For his actions, Dowling received the "thanks of

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of a ...

" (of the Confederate States), Davis Guards Medal,

Southern Cross of Honor The Southern Cross of Honor was a commemorative medal established in 1899 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to honor Confederate Veterans. Design The Cross of Honor is in the form of a cross pattée suspended from a metal bar with spa ...

, and

Confederate Medal of Honor The Confederate Medal of Honor is a posthumous award created by the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) in 1977 to recognize Confederate veterans who "distinguished themselves conspicuously by gallantry, bravery, and intrepidity at the risk of lif ...

. Over a dozen other memorials have also been dedicated in his honor.

Biography

Dowling was born in the

townland A townland ( ga, baile fearainn; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a small geographical division of land, historically and currently used in Ireland and in the Western Isles in Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of Gaelic origi ...

of Knockballyvishteal, Milltown,

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

in January 1837, the second of eight children, born to

tenant farmer A tenant farmer is a person (farmer or farmworker) who resides on land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management, ...

Patrick and Bridget Dowling (née Qualter). Following eviction of his family from their home in 1845, the first year of the Great Famine, nine-year-old Dowling left Ireland with his older sister Honora, bound for

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

in the United States in 1846.Dick Dowling: Galway's hero of Confederate Texas, by Timothy Collins and Ann Caraway Ivins. Old Forge Books, 2013 As a teenager, young Dick Dowling displayed his entrepreneurial skills by successfully running the Continental Coffeehouse, a saloon in the fashionable French Quarter. His parents and siblings followed from Ireland in 1851, but the joy of reunion was short-lived. In 1853, a

yellow fever Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...

outbreak in New Orleans took the lives of his parents and one of his younger brothers. With rising anti-Irish feeling growing in New Orleans, following local elections which saw a landslide victory for the '

Know Nothing The Know Nothing party was a nativist political party and movement in the United States in the mid-1850s. The party was officially known as the "Native American Party" prior to 1855 and thereafter, it was simply known as the "American Party". ...

' party, Dowling moved to Houston in 1857, where he leased the first of a number of saloons, a two-story building centrally located on the corner of Main and Prairie Streets. He named it the Shades, from the sycamore and cottonwood trees which lined the two streets and shaded the building. Advertised as 'inferior to none in the state' he opened a billiards saloon on the first floor. Dowling was described as a likable red-headed Irishman and wore a large moustache, possibly to make him appear older than he looked, as he was called 'The Kid' by family and friends alike at this time. In 1857 he married Elizabeth Ann Odlum, daughter of Benjamin Digby Odlum, a

Kildare Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional cen ...

-born Irishman, who had fought in the Texas War of Independence, being captured at the Battle of Refugio in 1836. Following Texas Independence, he was elected subsequently to the fledgling Third Congress of the

Republic of Texas The Republic of Texas ( es, República de Tejas) was a sovereign state in North America that existed from March 2, 1836, to February 19, 1846, that bordered Mexico, the Republic of the Rio Grande in 1840 (another breakaway republic from Mex ...

Business and civic interests

By 1860, Dowling owned a number of saloons. His most successful was named the Bank of

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...

, located on Courthouse Square in downtown Houston. "The Bank" as it was known locally became Houston's most popular social gathering place in the 1860s and was renowned for its hospitality. Dowling's previous experience as a barkeeper in New Orleans stood him in good stead. Quickly establishing himself, Dowling courted publicity from local newspapers and also made a number of property investments. He was also involved in setting up Houston's first gaslight company, and was first to have it installed in his home and "The Bank". Dowling was a founding member of Houston's Hook and Ladder Company Number One fire department and was also involved in running the city's first streetcar company

American Civil War

Background

Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, Dowling had made a name for himself as an able and successful entrepreneur. Among other things, he had been involved with a predominantly Irish

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

company which served a more social than military role in Houston society. On

Secession Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics le ...

, this militia company was mustered straight into the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

, with Dowling himself being elected

First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

. Composed primarily of Houston Irish, many of them clients from his saloons, this unit named themselves the "Davis Guards" in honor of Confederate President

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...

, who had been in Texas as a young officer in the pre-war

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

and was remembered for his prowess and leadership skills. The Davis Guards were initially part of a Texas State Troops/Confederate expedition sent to take over Union Army forts and arsenals along the border with Mexico; the expedition was successfully completed without a shot being fired. They participated in the

Battle of Galveston The Battle of Galveston was a naval and land battle of the American Civil War, when Confederate forces under Major Gen. John B. Magruder expelled occupying Union troops from the city of Galveston, Texas on January 1, 1863. After the loss of t ...

on New Year's Day 1863, following which they were assigned to a newly constructed artillery post near the mouth of Sabine River called "Fort Sabine" (later named "Fort Griffin", not the same as the later Fort Griffin established west of

Fort Worth Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

Prelude

Sabine Pass was important as a point of arrival and departure for

blockade runner A blockade runner is a merchant vessel used for evading a naval blockade of a port or strait. It is usually light and fast, using stealth and speed rather than confronting the blockaders in order to break the blockade. Blockade runners usuall ...

s. With the fall of Vicksburg in July 1863, followed by the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

, it was obvious that the Civil War was now not going well for the Confederacy, an invasion of Texas appeared to be imminent. It was suspected that the Union Army would attempt an invasion of Texas via Sabine Pass, because of its value as a harbor for blockade runners and because about 18 miles northwest was Beaumont, on the railroad between Houston and the eastern part of the Confederacy. To negotiate Sabine Pass all vessels except small boats took one of the two river channels, both of about depth and one on each side of the Pass. These channels were separated by naturally formed "oyster-banks" known to be barely under the surface. No seagoing ship could traverse the Pass without great risk of going aground, if it did not follow one of the channels. The inevitable course of any steam-powered warship—including shallow-draft

gunboats A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to shore bombardment, bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for troopship, ferrying troops or au ...

then common to the U.S. Navy—would necessarily use one of the channels, both of which were within fair range of the fort's six smoothbores. Dowling spent the summer of 1863 at the earthen fort instructing his men in gunnery. To mark the optimum distance and elevation for each of the guns, he implemented the technique of setting long slender poles (painted white, in this instance) in both channels at several places. This was an old method for guiding boats and, especially since the advent of firearms, to mark an aiming points for guns.

Defense of Sabine Pass, Texas

On 8 September 1863 a Union Navy flotilla of some 22 gunboats and transports with 5,000 men accompanied by

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

and

arrived off the mouth of Sabine Pass. The plan of invasion was sound, but monumentally mismanaged. Four of the flanking gunboats were to steam up the pass at speed and draw the fire of the fort, two in each channel, a tactic which had been used successfully in subduing the defensive fortifications of Mobile and New Orleans prior to this, when gunboats disabled the forts at close range with their own guns. This time, though, Dowling's artillery drills paid off as the Confederates poured a rapid and withering fire onto the incoming gunboats, scoring several direct hits, disabling and capturing two, while the others retreated in disarray. The rest of the flotilla retreated from the mouth of the pass and returned ignominiously to New Orleans, leaving the disabled ships with no option but to surrender to Dowling. With a command of just 47 men, Lieut. Dowling had thwarted an attempted invasion of Texas, in the process capturing two gunboats, some 350 prisoners and a large quantity of supplies and munitions.

Davis Guards Medal

The Confederate States Congress offered its appreciation to Dowling, now promoted to

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

, and his command, as a result of their battlefield prowess. In gratitude, the "ladies of

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

" presented the unit with specially struck medals. The medals were actually Mexican eight reale coins with both faces sanded down and with new information carved into them. They were inscribed "Sabine Pass, 1863” on one side, and had a

Maltese Cross The Maltese cross is a cross symbol, consisting of four " V" or arrowhead shaped concave quadrilaterals converging at a central vertex at right angles, two tips pointing outward symmetrically. It is a heraldic cross variant which developed f ...

with the letters D and G on the other.

After the war and death

Major Richard William Dowling, General James Longstreet, and Unidentified Veterans and Persons, Confederate States Army (6280277649)

After the battle of Sabine Pass Dowling was elevated to hero status in his hometown of Houston. John Nova Lomax of the '' Houston Press'' stated that in that city "Dowling was treated something like

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

home from a punishing foray into

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

." He subsequently served as a recruiter for the Confederacy and was personally commended for his action at the battle by

. After the war Dowling returned to his saloon business in Houston and quickly became one of the city's leading businessmen. Dowling's promising future was cut short by another

epidemic which devastated Houston in the late summer of 1867, and he died on 23 September 1867. He was buried at St. Vincent's Catholic Cemetery, the oldest Catholic cemetery in Houston.Davis, Rod.
Houston's really good idea Bus tour celebrates communities that forged a city.
''

San Antonio Express-News The ''San Antonio Express-News'' is a daily newspaper in San Antonio, Texas. It is owned by the Hearst Corporation and has offices in San Antonio and Austin, Texas. The ''Express-News'' is the third largest newspaper in the state of Texas, with ...

''. Sunday 3 August 2003. Travel 1M. Retrieved on 11 February 2012.

Legacy

Several places in Houston were named after Dowling. Lomax wrote in 2009 is that by then very few people in the city memorialized him and that the group was "vanishing (if not downright extinct)". In regards to sites named after Dowling, Lomax stated that there have been objections to sites named after Dowling, "But this being Houston, where 1980 is ancient history, nothing is ever done." Two sites, now Emancipation Drive and Lawson Middle School (formerly Dowling Street and Dowling Middle School) have since been renamed.

Davis Guards Medal (1863)

The Davis Guards Medal was presented by the "ladies of

" in 1863 to the

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...

. It is regarded to be the only medal authorized for wear on the Confederate uniform. Of the 50 medals issued, only 3 are known to still exist. They are on display at the American Civil War Museum, Bullock Texas State History Museum, and

Texas Military Forces Museum The Texas Military Forces Museum (officially the Brigadier General John C.L. Scribner Texas Military Forces Museum'')'' is a history museum in Austin, Texas. It is hosted by the Texas Military Department at Camp Mabry and is part of the United St ...

Thanks of Congress (1864)

On 8 February 1864, the officers and men of Company F (Davis Guards), 1st (Cook's) Texas Heavy Artillery Regiment,

, received the "thanks of

Dowling Street (1892)

In 1892, the

Houston City Council The Houston City Council is a city council for the city of Houston in the U.S. state of Texas. Currently, there are sixteen members, 11 elected from council districts and five at-large. The members of the Council are elected every four years, w ...

renamed East Broadway to Dowling Street. On 11 January 2017, Houston City Council approved a plan to rename Dowling Street to Emancipation Avenue.

Tuam Street (1892)

In 1892, the

renamed a street, which is perpendicular to Dowling Street (now Emancipation Avenue), to Tuam Street, the namesake of Dowling's birthplace Tuam, Ireland.

Southern Cross of Honor (1899)

Dowling was posthumously awarded the

in 1899.

Statue (1905)

In 1905, the

commissioned a statue of Dowling by

Frank Teich Frank Teich (September 22, 1856 – January 27, 1939) was a German-born American sculptor, stone carver, and businessman, often referred to as the father of the Texas granite industry. Early life and education Teich was born on September 22, ...

for the

Houston City Hall The Houston City Hall building is the headquarters of the City of Houston's municipal government. Constructed during 1938 and 1939, the City Hall complex is located on Bagby Street on the western side of Downtown Houston. It is surrounded by the ...

. It was relocated to

Sam Houston Park Sam Houston Park is an urban park located in downtown Houston, Texas, United States, dedicated to the buildings and culture of Houston's past. The park, which was the first to be established in the city, was developed on land purchased by former ...

in 1939 and Hermann Park near the Sam Houston Monument in 1958. In 2020 the City of Houston moved the statue into storage until a suitable place could be found to display it. This was the first public monument commissioned by the city government; he was chosen as he fought in favor of the CSA.

Historical Marker (1998)

The site received a Historical Marker (#11938) by the

Texas Historical Commission The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas. The commission also identifies Recorded Texas Historic La ...

in 1998.

Obelisk (1935)

In October 1935, a granite obelisk was built near Dowling's grave at Saint Vincent's Cemetery in Houston. The plaque reads: ''"Near this spot lies LT DICK DOWLING Hero of the Battle of Sabine Pass".''

Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site (1936)

The Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site is the location of the Defense of Sabine Pass, Texas. It is a heritage site operated by the

. It features a statue of Dowling and memorial dedicated to the Davis Guards from the State of Texas in 1936.

Dowling Road (1936)

Dowling Road leads to the

Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site is located in Jefferson County, Texas, where the Sabine River enters the Gulf of Mexico. The site is the location of a significant Civil War battle. In September 1863, members of the Davis Guard—led ...

Historical Marker (1936)

The

received a Historical Marker (#10509) by the

in 1936.

Monument (1937)

In 1937, the United Daughters of the Confederacy a grey granite monument dedicated to Dowling in the center of the intersection of State Highway 87 and Broadway Street in downtown Sabine Pass, TX. It was relocated in the 1960s to a new location on State Highway.

Dick Dowling Elementary School (1953)

In March 1953, the Dick Dowling Elementary School was built and dedicated in Port Arthur, Texas. It was renamed to Port Acres Elementary School in October 2018.

Confederate Medal of Honor (1977)

Dowling was posthumously awarded the Confederate Medal of Honor in 1977.

Dowling Middle School (1968)

In 1968 the Richard W. "Dick" Dowling Middle School was built and dedicated in Houston, Texas. It is in the

Hiram Clarke Hiram Clarke is an area in Houston, Texas, United States, southwest of NRG Park (formerly Reliant Park). History Hiram Clarke Road was named after Hiram Clarke, a Houston Lighting & Power Co. assistant general manager and executive vice president ...

area of Southwest Houston.Lomax, John Nova.
Houston 101: The Short Happy Life of Dick Dowling
" '' Houston Press''. Wednesday 26 August 2009. Retrieved on 26 October 2011. " ..nd a middle school with 99 percent minority enrollment (Vince Young's alma mater) out in the Hiram Clarke area." It was renamed to Audrey H. Lawson Middle School in May 2016.

Tuam Plaque (1998)

In 1998, the town of Tuam also placed a bronze memorial plaque of Dowling on its Town Hall facade bearing his image and explaining his feats. This is the first known memorial to an Irish-born Confederate soldier in Ireland. It reads: :Major Richard W. (Dick) Dowling C.S.A., 1837-1867 Born Knock, Tuam; Settled Houston Texas, 1857; Outstanding business and civic leader; Joined Irish Davis Guards in American Civil War; With 47 men foiled Invasion of Texas by 5000 federal troops at Sabine Pass, 8 Sept 1863, a feat of superb gunnery; formed first oil company in Texas; Died aged 30 of yellow fever. This plaque was unveiled by Col. J.B. Collerain 31 May 1998 An

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

member of Tuam

municipal district A municipal district is an administrative entity comprising a clearly-defined territory and its population. It can refer to a city, a town, a village, a small grouping of them, or a rural area. Brazil In Brazil, municipal districts are, in genera ...

council proposed removing the plaque at the council's September 2017 meeting, in the light of the 2017 Charlottesville disturbances. Nobody seconded the motion; a

Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...

councillor said the plaque commemorated Dowling's business career and Tuam had "more important things going on".

Bibliography

* Collins, Timothy. 'Dick Dowling: Galway's hero of Confederate Texas', by Timothy Collins and Ann Caraway Ivins; foreword by Edward T. Cotham Jr. Kilnaboy: Old Forge Books, 2013. * Cotham, Edward T. Jr. ' Battle on the Bay: the Civil War struggle for Galveston', by Edward T. Cotham Jr. Austin:

University of Texas Press The University of Texas Press (or UT Press) is a university press that is part of the University of Texas at Austin. Established in 1950, the Press publishes scholarly books and journals in several areas, including Latin American studies, Texan ...

, 1998. * Cotham, Edward T. Jr. 'Sabine Pass: the Confederacy's Thermopylae', by Edward T. Cotham Jr. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2004. * Cotham, Edward T. Jr, ed. ''The Southern journey of a Civil War marine: the illustrated note-book of Henry O. Gusley'', edited and annotated by Edward T. Cotham Jr. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2006.

Gallery

File:Texas Military Davis Guard Medal.png, Davis Guards Medal, 1864 File:GraveDickDowling.JPG, Grave, St. Vincent's Cemetery, 1867 File:Richard Dowling Statue.jpg, Richard Dowling Memorial Statue, 1905 File:MarkerDowlingHouston.JPG, Obelisk, St. Vincent's Cemetery, 1935 File:Richard Dowling Memorial Sabine Pass TX.jpg,

, 1936 File:Richard W. Dowling Memorial Sabine Pass TX.jpg, UDC Memorial, Sabine Pass, 1937 File:Dick Dowling Plaque Tuam.JPG, Plaque, Tuam, 1998