Fort Brown--from Reveille to Taps

Creator

• Jennie Gannon Wittenbach, University of Texas-Pan American

Files

Creation Date

4-15-1986

Disciplines

History | Military History

Description

The narrative examines the fort’s physical development—particularly the major reconstruction under Colonel William Wainwright after the Civil War—its architecture (including the post hospital, Officers’ Row, and parade ground), and the daily rhythms of military life. It highlights recreational activities such as polo matches, horse shows, parades, and band concerts, as well as the close relationship between the garrison and the Brownsville community. A notable episode is Dr. William Gorgas’s pioneering yellow fever research at the post hospital in the early 1880s, which identified the mosquito vector and contributed to major advances in tropical medicine.

Drawing on archival sources, contemporary accounts, and personal interviews with family members who lived and served at Fort Brown (including the author’s grandfather, parents, and uncle), the work captures both the institutional history and the lived experience of the post. Following its closure by the U.S. Army in 1944 and acquisition by the City of Brownsville in 1948, the site was repurposed for Texas Southmost College and Pan American University at Brownsville. Today, its surviving historic buildings stand as symbols of the region’s military heritage and enduring cross-border harmony.

Physical Description

.PDF, 33 Pages, Text

Recommended Citation

Wittenbach, Jennie Gannon, "Fort Brown--from Reveille to Taps" (1986). Lower Rio Grande Valley Curated Material. 49.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/lrgv/49