On the evening of the 7th of September, 1863, the enemy's fleet appeared off the bar of Sabine Pass, numbering seventeen vessels. The port at the time was garrisoned with only three companies; two of artillery and one of cavalry. Each of these three companies were reduced in numbers, to one-half their maximum number by details, sickness, &c. On the appearance of the fleet the little garrison was at once put in fighting order, and the men lay on their arms during the succeeding night.

The night slowly passed away; but few eyes were closed in sleep, either among citizens or soldiers.

When morning again dawned upon the city and garrison, all eyes were turned in the direction of the fleet outside the bar, which had swelled in number during the night to twenty-two vessels--consisting of gun-boats, men-of-war, and transports. Men, women and children, citizens and soldiers, line the house-tops and lookouts, beholding with an anxions gaze the array before them.

Mothers with their little ones in their arms were hurrying to and fro--here and there collecting together in little clusters--ever and anon, a solider hurried by with a musket in one hand and his breakfast in the other, eating as he ran.

What shall we do? What will become of us? were the hasty ejaculations of mothers as they met together at houses, or on the streets.

The three companies constituting the garrison--officers and men--numbered less than one hundred. About three miles above the bar stands "Fort Griffin." Upon the fort was mounted six guns, all of short range, and not of the best quality. These six guns, and the brave officers and men that manned them were our sole dependence. Thus the brave "Davis Guards"--forty in number--and their heroic commander, Lieutenant Dowling, assisted by Lieutenant Smith, of the Engineer Corps. With these six pieces of heavy ordnance were our dependence to repel an enemy's fleet of twenty-two vessels, and an army of men fifteen thousand strong, flushed with recent victories on the Mississippi river--the other two companies were ordered on board the gun-boat Unele Ben as artillerymen and sharp-shooters, but could do nothing in repelling the enemy's advance unless he passed the fort in a crippled condition.

Soon after sunrise the fleet commenced crossing the bar, and in less than an hour's time five gun-boats and three transports had crossed over. Immediately after crossing, the gun-boats opened fire on the fort. After firing twenty-five or thirty rounds, without receiving a reply from our guns they fell back and passed out into the gulf.

Couriers were dispatched for aid on the first appearance of the fleet, but none had yet arrived.

About 3 o'clock in the afternoon they again commenced crossing the bar. Five or six gun-boats, and three or four transports crossed over. The Sachem led the van, and moved up the Louisiana channel, the Arizona and Clifton coming up the Texas channel. Soon after crossing the bar the Sachem, Arizona, and Clifton opened fire on the fort. Two other gun-boats--names not known--followed in the rear and also opened fire on the fort. The first three moved rapidly up the channels keeping up a continual fire on our fortification. The shot and shell fell thick and fast around the fort. Shells exploding and and flying in every direction, frequently extending into the town to the great danger of the helpless women and children, who had no protection save their dwelling houses, several of which were struck with fragments of exploded shell.

During this din of cannonading, not a man could be seen in or about the fort. With the assurance of an easy and bloodless victory, the hasty foe advanced until his foremost vessel came within range of our guns; when, as if by magic, the smoke curled up from the six guns at the fort. The long suspense of the lookers-on at the city burst forth in exclamations of joy. A few rounds followed in quick succession from our guns, when a cloud of smoke and steam was seen to shoot up from the deck of the Sachem; when another burst of applause commingled with thanks to the God of battles, went up from the little few whose anxious eyes were fixed upon the fort and the brave men in it. The applause died away and another moment of silent suspense followed. The booming of cannon, and the explosion of shell kept up a continual roar, unsurpassed by the fiery elements of heaven. The Sachem was disabled, and settled quietly and harmlessly in the water where her guns ceased to play upon the fort.

All eyes were now turned upon the Arizona and Clifton, but the suspense was of short duration; a shot took effect in the machinery of the Clifton, which disabled her at once. In a moment a white flag was run up at her mast-head. The firing ceased, and again the suspense burst forth in exclamations of joy and thanks to Heaven. The Arizona tacked about and ran out by the Clifton in a crippled condition and made good her escape. By this time a white flag was flying at the mast-head of the Sachem; when the haughty foe surrendered three hundred men and two gun-boats, with thirteen of their best guns to two officers and forty men.

Thus a fleet of twenty-two vessels, and fifteen thousand men, were repelled by two officers and forty men--three hundred prisoners and two of their best gun-boats captured, and not a man on our side hurt. And Texas was saved, for a time at least, from the ravages of an unmerciful and ruthless foe.