Sabine Pass in Jefferson County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Federal Fatalities at the Battle of Sabine Pass
After the battle, more than 300 Federal troops became prisoners of war. Others were killed or missing; many of those had been aboard the Sachem when its boiler exploded as a result of the direct hit on the ship.
John Marshall Carson, a Confederate commissary sergeant, was on board the C.S.S. Uncle Ben, an old freight boat used by the Confederate army. The Uncle Ben towed the two captured gunboats to shore, where Carson and the other crew members aided in removing the dead. The Confederates dug a long ditch near the Dorman Hotel on the northern edge of the townsite of Sabine Pass and near what would become the Port Arthur Canal. There, they buried a reported 28 Union troops. Many others were considered missing, their bodies never recovered.
Excavations in the 20th century confirmed the burial location, much of which has eroded away. Today, the U.S. soldiers and sailors killed and missing at the pass are remembered along with the Confederate troops who engaged them in battle.
Erected 1980 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 10558.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is September 8, 1863.
Location. 29° 44.034′ N, 93° 52.438′ W. Marker is in Sabine Pass, Texas, in Jefferson County. Marker is on 6100 Dick Dowling Road, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located within the Sabine Pass Battleground State Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6100 Dick Dowling Road, Sabine Pass TX 77655, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. United States Forces at the Battle of Sabine Pass (here, next to this marker); World War II Coastal Defenses at Sabine Pass (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fort Manhassett (about 300 feet away); Spanish-American War Fortifications (about 300 feet away); Capture of the USS Morning Light and USS Velocity (about 400 feet away); Site of Fort Griffin (about 500 feet away); Richard Dowling (about 500 feet away); Union Casualties at the Battle of Sabine Pass (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sabine Pass.
More about this marker. Marker is dual dated 1980 and 2004. I assume this means it was either refurbished or relocated to this site in 2004.
Also see . . . Battle of Sabine Pass - The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) (Submitted on June 14, 2018, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 14, 2018. It was originally submitted on June 14, 2018, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. This page has been viewed 372 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 14, 2018, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.