Sabine Pass Battleground Holds More Than One War Story

On September 8, 1863, Lt. Richard Dowling and 46 Confederate troops held Fort Griffin. They stopped a Union naval attack that was meant to clear the way for troops to land. Two Union gunboats were hit and captured. The rest of the force left. THC also says about 500 enslaved people were forced to build the fort.

The grounds tell more than the victory story. A self-guided path has a bronze statue of Dowling and a memorial to Union deaths. Four ammunition magazines remain from the site's later use as a U.S. coastal defense post during World War II. These were rooms built to store ammunition.

No part of Fort Griffin can be seen above ground. The land, signs, and memorials tell its story. Days, hours, vehicle fees, access details, and closures can change.