Faded Glory: A Century of Forgotten Texas Military Sites, Then and Now

Introduction

The first full century of Texas statehood, from 1845 through 1945, can be clearly defined by specific military confrontations. These confrontations, viewed by some as glorious and as odious by others, came to mold virtually all social, economic, and political characteristics of the state. Indeed, the unique and universally recognized cartographical shape of Texas is itself the result of armed conflict. This book features the brief story of 34 historic military sites that played a significant role in those conflicts and illustrates how each appeared at the zenith of its usefulness compared with how it looks today. Although the sites were chosen using various criteria, each site represents a key facet in the overall broad sweep of Texas military history. Some are military only in the general sense that shots were fired there in anger, although not necessarily by soldiers in uniform. Other sites directly contributed to the winning of major wars that raged far from the borders of Texas. Unfortunately, there is little physical evidence of these volatile early years in the Lone Star State. Many of the sites we describe have been totally obliterated by the relentless waves of time. Some have surrendered to urban development while others , doomed by climate and public apathy, have simply melted back into the earth, their location unmarked and all but forgotten. Likewise, sprawling military installations once home to tens of thousands of soldiers have disappeared completely, having been transformed in some cases into teeming subdivisions whose inhabitants have little if any knowledge of or interest in the fascinating history that now lies buried beneath their feet. Other sites, once vital to a specific military purpose, now seem too remote to encourage casual visitation. Still others are secured with locked gates and are not accessible by the public. Fortunately, the Texas state government has, over the years, taken exemplary steps through the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to identify, record, interpret, and preserve the still-visible evidence of the state’s historic military heritage. It is at the local level, however, that the challenge of identification and preservation must first be fully met. Famous soldiers served at many of these sites, and numerous history books make note of their presence in Texas. Ulysses S. Grant passed through on his way to future fame, as did the likes of Zachary Taylor, Phil Sheridan, William Sherman, George Pickett, James Longstreet, George Custer, Douglas MacArthur, Teddy Roosevelt, John Pershing, George Patton, and of course, Robert E. Lee. If tradition is to be accepted INTRODUCTION xv I N T R O D U C T I O N XVI as truth, the iconic virginian appears to have been at many Texas posts in the years prior to the War between the States. Other far less celebrated soldiers from foreign lands spent involuntary time in Texas as well. veterans of German Gen. Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps, along with countless Italian prisoners of war, found themselves in Texas camps located all across the state during World War II. As the decades have passed, the true significance of the early military history of Texas has become all but obscured by more urgent issues, both domestic and international . It is the intent of this book to restore, at least in the mind’s eye, something of the vitality of these now largely forgotten sites. Further, we hope the stories and illustrations of these sites will encourage visitors to seek them out, and perhaps to preserve similar locales for future generations. While the drama and excitement created long ago by the thunder of cannon, the rattle of sabers, the bugles’ blare, and the ruffle of drums are now but distant echoes, the enduring heritage of each site remains. viewed as a whole, that heritage forms a tapestry that is too rich in color and too vibrant in reflected glory to ever be allowed to fade completely into darkness. Faded Glory ...