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By STEVE HATHCOCK
Moments in Time is a collection of recovered newspaper briefs and other publications, compiled by local historian, Steve Hathcock, offering a look back at the history of the Rio Grande Valley.
Correspondence of the Victorian Advocate; The Gulf beach of Padre Island is said to be lined with goods drifting from seaward. Parts of human bodies are also found drifted ashore. One entire body clothed as a U.S. Marine was buried the other day. Colonel Hobby has sent out a party to collect for the Government such articles of value as might be found. We here conjecture that one of our cruisers has been at work off this part of the coast.
On Mustang Island, a small schooner has drifted to the beach. Her masts had been cut away, and no human remains were found on board. She is so embedded in the sand and has so much sand in her hold that the condition of her bottom has not yet been ascertained.
Every accessible part seems to be sound. Her deck shows that she carried a pivot gun. It is believed that this gun may now lie beneath the sand in the hold. The fatigue party is now at work removing the sand that the storm drifted around her. She was probably capsized in a storm at sea; but, at present, we can only guess at her history. On the same island was found a sack of clothing, in one of the garments was found to pass for 24 hours from the U.S. steamer Hatteras, dated only a few days previous to her destruction by the Alabama. (Dallas Weekly Herald, April 22, 1863.)
On Jan. 11, 1863, the Union blockading fleet lay off the coast of Galveston. Unknown sails were observed just over the horizon, and Hatteras was ordered to investigate.
Near dusk, Hatteras came to within a short distance from a square-rigged ship flying the Union Jack. Not satisfied the craft was British, Blake ordered one of the Hatteras boats to board and inspect the “Britisher.” As soon as the longboat pulled away from Hatteras, the Union Jack was struck, and the Confederate Stars and Bars were hoisted in its place.
It was now revealed that the Hatteras was sitting within cannon range of the notorious Confederate warship Alabama. The Rebels immediately opened fire, raking the decks of the Hatteras with their heavy guns. The battle lasted for about 20 minutes. The two ships exchanged heavy fire at distances ranging from 25 to 200 yards. The flashes of the guns and their rumblings were heard in the Union squadron some 16 miles away, and the cruiser Brooklyn hurried to investigate and render aid if needed, but Hatteras had already been badly holed in two places and was on fire and beginning to sink.
Captain Blake ordered the magazines flooded to prevent explosions and reluctantly fired a single bow gun, indicating surrender and a need for assistance. The Alabama promptly sent over their boats to help remove Hatteras’s crew. The last boatload of men had barely pulled away when the Union blockader sank.
The entire engagement lasted approximately 45 minutes. Two of the Union sailors were killed in action and five wounded. Six men escaped while Captain Blake and the rest were taken to Port Royal Jamaica; and, from there, paroled back to the United States. The Alabama only suffered two wounded.
Cavalry Replace Texas Rangers
Rio Grande City, Feb. 7 – The river is to be patrolled from Brownsville up as far as Eagle Pass by the cavalry troops stationed along the frontier. There are to be details from each post, consisting of six privates and two noncom Officers. These detachments will perform the patrol duty heretofore done by the rangers, whom, it is reported, are due to be disbanded. (The Daily Cosmopolitan Feb. 7, 1885)
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