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f ! DEDICATION OF THE DICK DOWLING STATUE, MARCH 17, 1905 The Houston Chronicle, March 17, 1905, excerpts l -'Old Soldiers Met in HOllston to Jo intly Celebrate Dowling and St. Patrick" "Big Parade was Feature" r "Military and Civic" The cavalcade that passed in review down the streets of Houston thi s afternoon was gay with color. Ladies and gentlemen in carriages, uniformed troops, flags, bright gowns and streamers completed the arrangement.

Promptly at 3:30 o'clock the carriages ordered ,-" ere dra'wn up before the Rice hotel. Governor Lanham, Mayor Jackson, John H. Kirby, Judge Robertson, Brigadier General Thomas H. Edgar and ex-Governor Lubbock whirled away in advance and thereafter followed carriages bearing the survivors of the battle of Sabine Pass, sponsors, priests of the Catholic church, the surviving relatives of Dick Dowling, officers of the auxiliary of the Ancient Order of Hibemians and representatives of Robert E. Lee Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy .. .G rand Marshall O'Leary ... Otto Sens and William Ol sc hewake, in the rear of the mounted police and sheriffs headed the first division.

Then came the carriages, containing Governor Lanham, Mayor Jackson and Master of Ceremonies H. J. Kirby.

Herb & Lewis band behind the Houston Light Guard and the Houston Cavalry followed with the carriages coming in behind. The second division was likewise preceded by a band. Assistant Grand Marshal O.c. Drew was in command accompanied by his aides. Visiting veterans, members of the various Irish societies and the Houston fire department I fell in behind. The parade traversed Caroline to McKinney, McKinney to Main, Main to Franklin, Franklin to Travis and Travis to the city hall where the statue of Dick Dowling was t ­ unveiled.

The line of march was thronged with people. Main street was alive with humanity and l about the statue the crowd was packed into a compact mass of people bent upon witnessing the ceremony and listening to the addresses of the occasion.

"Unveiling Ceremonies"

When the parade had disbanded on Market square and the speakers and committees had secured places upon the stand Master of Ceremonies John H. Kirhy presented Father Hennessey oftbe Annunciation church, who invoked the di vine blessing.

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r,... . Mr. Kirb y then presentl!d Mayor A . L. Jackson, who spoke upon behal f of the ci ti zens of Houston. He commented upon the twofold nature of the celebration, the significance or r the Irish spirit that was apparent and the full meaning of the day to Texans and to the people of the South in thus remembering one of the heroes of the civil war. He referred to Texas and the brave men she had gi ven to the world, and then paid a tribute to Dick l Dowling and the men who fought with him at Sabine Pass ... When the cheers that greeted him had subsided, Governor S. W. T. Lanham took up his address. It was the oration of the day and was delivered in splendid voice and was in the finished and attractive style l that has made Governor Lanham one of the most popular orators of the state.

He referred to the deeds of the past and then to the work of Dowling at Sabine Pass. He !. recited the record evidence of the greatness of the achievement and pointed out that the Confederate congress had specially passed resolutions commenting upon the remarkable [ work of the little band of men under Dowling.

The importance of the result of the battle of Sabine Pass was pointed out and much of interest in a historical way was dwelt upon. He spoke of the work of the Irish and lauded l the patriots of the oppressed island ...

r "Dowling's Hard Life"

,r-- But little is known of the life and early history of Richard W. DOWling. He was born in f. County Galway, Ireland, in 1838, and came to America with his parents when at a very tender age. They had resided in New York but a very short time when both the father and mother passed away by illness, leaving Richard and several brothers and sisters orphans. [ What he did in his early manhood, where he obtained his education and to what pursuits he devoted himself there is but little or no record left today. He often spoke of his early L struggles, and it is known that his lot was riot an enviable one. Lieutenant Dowling had been in Houston and Texas but a short time prior to the battle which brought him fame as the commander of the little force of forty-seven men that r whipped thousands of invading foe . He died in Houston in 1867 from an attack of yellow fever and his body was interred in the old Catholic cemetery. He married a Mi ss Odium, l whose father was in command of the fort which Dowling defended, and who was the son of one of the early Texas heroes and one of Fannin's famous fighters. His daughter, Mrs, Robertson, was present at today' s ceremonies and unveiled the monwnent. His widow l survives him and is now Mrs. W. R. Daniel." End of article (N.B. The article contains several inaccuracies, sllch as the personal details of Dowling's life. For example, he and his parents lived in New Orleans, not New York. His wife's uncle, not her father, [, was in command ofthe fort at Sabine Pass, etc.) l .----.. /

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.1""'" The Houston Daily Post, \1.arch 17 , 1905, excerpts

"Dick Dowling and Saint Patrick"

Every detail of the joint unv<::iling of the Dick Dowling monument and the celebration of St. Patrick's Day has b\!i!n completed and today the veterans of the Lost Cause will form a mighty processiun with the sons of Erin, and they will march forth to the strains of m artial music, \vhile thl.! survivors of one orthe greatest battles in the annals of history, togi.!ther wi th relatives of the hero of that battle and State dignitaries willI inc the march in carriages. It will be an imposing procession covering the principal streets of the city with a wind-up at the market square where, for the past few days, the newly erected monument to the imperishable memory of Dick Dowling has attracted considerable lavorable comment.

All along the line of parade there will be thousands of citizens and visitors wearing the prevailing colurs, while those in line of march will wear the paraphernalia of the different orders to w hich they belong ...

"Decoration and Illumination""

The illumination of the streets last night, there being t011y green lights, attracted considaable attention. The lights were strung along Main street from Franklin to McKinney avenues, while there were strings of light on Prairie to Caroline and on Texas avenue from Main to Caroline streets .. . The corner of Capitol avenue and Main street, at the oftice of the Houston Light and Po'wer company, presented a pretty sight. In front of the building there \·vere strings of green incand<::scents, while the entire interior was also lighted in green. There was a life-size painting of Dick Dowling with the frame sUlTotmdcd with tiny dectric globes, entwined with evergreens, and there ' .... ·ere palms, ferns and all manner of other evergreens in profuxion (sic), artistically arranged. Hundreds uf people stopped to take a look and admire the decorations .. .

"The Monument"

Since the placing in position of the Dick Dowling monument hundreds of people have made visits to thl:! market square to view it. Without exception it is pronounced a fine I piece of work and an ornament to the square and a credit to the city. This is the first monument erected in Houston to the memory of a hero, notwithstanding that the city of Houston occupies a foremost position in the history of the State and from among her sons ! were those who made that history. This monument will stand forever, not only as a pile to the m.:mory of the hero of Sabine Pass, but as a monument to the patriotism of the citizens of this city and of that of the members of the camp which bears the name ofthe \ hl!fo .. . '· tn.b. refers to the United Confederate Veterans, Dick Dowling Camp No. 197, -'. of Houston. l 4 ) J