Fort Brown was a military post of the United States Army in Texas during the latter half of 19th century and the early part of the 20th century. For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x431, 50 KB) The Robert Runyon Photograph Collection, [image number, e. ... Brownsville is the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, United States, the southernmost city in Texas. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A typical plaque showing entry on the National Register of Historic Places. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ...

Early years

In 1845, the U.S. Army began construction of a new fort (then known as "Fort Texas") on the northern side of the Rio Grande River. The next year, the fort played a role during the opening of the Mexican-American War. During the Siege of Fort Texas, two Americans were killed, including Major Jacob Brown. In honor of the fallen major, General Zachary Taylor renamed the post Fort Brown. In 1849, the city of Brownsville, Texas, was established not far from the fort's grounds. This article is about the river that empties into the Gulf of Mexico. ... Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Zachary Taylor Winfield Scott Stephen W. Kearney Antonio López de Santa Anna Mariano Arista Pedro de Ampudia José Mariá Flores Strength 78,790 soldiers 25,000–40,000 soldiers Casualties KIA: 1733 Total dead: 13,271 Wounded: 4,152 AWOL: 9,200+ 25,000... The Siege of Fort Texas marked the beginning of active campaigning by the armies of the United States of America and Mexico during the Mexican-American War. ... This article is about the twelfth President of the United States. ... Brownsville is the county seat of Cameron County, Texas, United States, the southernmost city in Texas. ...

Civil War

In 1861 Confederate Col. John "Rip" Ford occupied the fort until 1863 when they were finally driven out by Union forces under General Nathaniel P. Banks, who then camped in tents erected at the fort site. This ended in 1864 when Confederate forces under General J. S. Slaughter and Colonel Ford reoccupied the area. They would hold the post until the end of the war. A group of Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army (CSA) was organized in February 1861 to defend the newly formed Confederate States of America from military action by the United States government during the American Civil War. ... For other uses, see Colonel (disambiguation). ... John Salmon Ford (b. ... The 21st Michigan Infantry, a company of Shermans veterans. ... Nathaniel Prentiss Banks (January 30, 1816–September 1, 1894), American politician and soldier, was born at Waltham, Massachusetts. ...

Close up of Fort Brown's hospital

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x731, 55 KB)The Robert Runyon Photograph Collection, [image number, e. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x731, 55 KB)The Robert Runyon Photograph Collection, [image number, e. ...

Postbellum

From 1867–1869, a permanent fort was constructed under the supervision of Capt. William A. Wainwright.

William C. Gorgas

In 1882, Dr. William Crawford Gorgas was assigned to the hospital at Fort Brown during the height of the yellow fever outbreak. Using Fort Brown as his base of operations, Gorgas studied the disease for several years until he was sent to Cuba during the Spanish-American war. Dr. William Crawford Gorgas, M.D. (born October 3, 1854, in Mobile, Alabama; died July 3, 1920, in London) is best known for his work in stopping the spread of yellow fever and malaria, by stopping the mosquitoes that spread it. ... Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Kingdom of Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Arsenio Linares Ramón Blanco Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and...

Brownsville raid

On August 13 and 14, 1906, unknown persons "raided" Brownsville, indiscriminately shooting bystanders, wounded one man and killing a townsperson named Frank Natus. The townspeople of Brownsville quickly blamed the black soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Brown and, as such, the Army investigated the matter and concluded that the black soldiers were indeed guilty. William H. Taft, then President Theodore Roosevelt's Secretary of War and soon to be President himself, discharged all 168 black soldiers "without honor". Sixty years later, another investigation was held and the black soldiers had their honor restored. However, by then, only 2 of the original 168 men were still alive. Recent theories have come out regarding who shot up Brownsville. The History Channel's program "History's Mysteries" attributed it to Brownsvillians shooting up the town with rifles using the same caliber ammunition as the soldiers and then framing the soldiers. (Three books have since been written devoted wholly to or partially to the Brownsville Raid, The Brownsville Raid and The Senator and the Sharecropper's Son by John D. Weaver and Racial Borders: Black Soldiers along the Rio Grande by James Leiker.) The Brownsville Affair rose out of racial tensions between black soldiers and white citizens in Brownsville, Texas in 1906. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... William Howard Taft I (September 15, 1857–March 8, 1930) was the 27th President of the United States (1909-1913), and the 10th Chief Justice of the United States (1921 - 1930). ... For other persons named Theodore Roosevelt, see Theodore Roosevelt (disambiguation). ... The Secretary of War was a member of the United States Presidents Cabinet, beginning with George Washingtons administration. ... For the Canadian equivalent of this channel, see History Television. ... Historys Mysteries is an American documentary television series on the History Channel, hosted by Arthur Kent, and narrated by David Ackroyd. ... The Brownsville Affair rose out of racial tensions between black soldiers and white citizens in Brownsville, Texas in 1906. ...

First airplane to be attacked by hostile fire

On April 20, 1915, U.S. Signal Corps Officers Byron Q. Jones and Thomas Millings flew a Martin T.O. Curtiss over the fort to spot movements of Mexican Revolutionary leader Francisco "Pancho" Villa. The plane reached an altitude of 2,600 ft. and was up for 20 minutes. It did not cross the border into Mexico, although it was fired upon by machine guns and small arms. These frequent patrols lasted for a period of 6 weeks and were used more effectively in 1916. is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... For the Filipino boxer, see Francisco Guilledo. ...

124th Cavalry

The troopers stationed at Fort Brown from 1929-45 were from the 124th Cavalry Regiment, Texas National Guard, which became the one of the last mounted cavalry regiment in the United States Army. On November 18, 1940, they went into active military training. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the division served with distinction, dismounted, in the China Burma India Theater, where a member of the unit from Fort Brown earned the theater's only Medal of Honor (awarded to Jack Knight, commanding F Troop). The United States National Guard is a reserve forces component of the United States Army (the Army National Guard) and the United States Air Force (the Air National Guard). ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the harbor in Hawaii. ... China Burma India Theater (CBI) was the name used by the United States Army for its forces in China, Burma, India during World War II. Well-known US units in this theater included the Flying Tigers, transport and bomber units flying the Hump, the engineers who built Ledo Road, and... The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. ... Starman is Jack Knight, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics Universe, and a member of the Justice Society of America. ...

Decommission

In 1945, Fort Brown was decommissioned. It was acquired by the City of Brownsville and Texas Southmost College in 1948. Texas Southmost College was established in 1926 under the name of The Junior College of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and admitted its first class on September twenty-first of that year. ...

References

• Fort Brown from the Handbook of Texas Online