A cute pocket park in downtown Brenham preserves the early history of Brenham at a location of the town's cistern and water supply, a marvel of 19th century engineering and infrastructure and a State Archaeological landmark in this small Texas town. A total of 8 signs here detail the early development of Brenham, its growth as a railroad town, its troubled occupation by the Union Army and Freedmen's Bureau troops after the Civil War, and the founding of the city's Hook and Ladder firefighting company.
From the city's website: (
visit link)
"Toubin Park - 208 S. Park Street
Beneath Brenham streets is a State Archaeological Landmark, a large system of historic cisterns. The cisterns were built in the late 1800's to store rainwater for public fire fighting. Private cisterns were also abundant throughout early Washington County, used for bathing, drinking and cooking.
The large system of public cisterns in early Brenham was a rarity. The city was considered very progressive for using the new-fangled contraptions to fight fires. No other Texas cities were known to install public cisterns, or to provide public services so early.
Enjoy the Wild West story of why these cisterns were built. It's a tale of an early railroad, a rough Boom Town, and colorful characters who shaped Washington County's history.
Follow the intriguing details of the 1866 Burning of Brenham and the large gunfight that led to the fire.
Learn how Brenham citizens banded together to protect themselves and their properties from oppressive Union troops during Reconstruction.
See a large private cistern circa 1880 and learn how it was used.
Discover how public cisterns were built and supplied with water by innovative private businesses.
Find out about present-day cisterns and how to harvest rainwater for your landscape, water features, livestock, and even for indoor use."
The waymarked sign of history reads as follows:
"3 EARLY BRENHAM
UNION SOLDIERS BRING TROUBLE
Before the Civil War, 95% of Washington County voters supported secession. No battles took place in the region, but many local men joined the Confederate Army and went off to fight.
At the end of the war, Union Major General P H Sheridan was put in charge of bringing Texas and Louisiana back under union control. Sheridan was known as an arrogant upstart, and he openly disliked Texas.
“If I owned Texas and Hell, I would rent out Texas and live in Hell.” – Major General Phillip H. Sheridan, in charge of about 50,000 Union troops in Texas and Louisiana after the Civil War. This was one of his favorite sayings, quoted in several 1866 newspapers and often repeated by Sheridan in various forms. Sheridan sent 200-300 armed soldiers to Brenham in the summer of 1865.
Brenham was one of Sheridan’s first priorities because it was Texas’ largest economic center, and had more slaves than whites. He sent to companies of federal troops here in July 1865, numbering 200 to 300 men.
Leading this force of arms soldiers was private major George W Smith, who set up camp quarter mile east of Brenham’s courthouse. The large, tented community quickly became known as “Camptown.”
At the same time, the newly formed Freedmen’s Bureau also descended on Washington County with arms. Their purpose was to protect the rights of freedmen (freed slaved) from wrongdoing by former Confederates.
Captain Samuel A Craig was in charge of Brenham’s freedmen’s Bureau, and he quickly joined forces with Major Smith. They set up courts that bypassed the authority of locally elected courts, and limited the voting rights of ex-Confederates while empowering freedmen voters.
The rowdy soldiers under Smith and Craig were allowed to terrorize local residents at all hours. They roamed the streets, often drunk, hurling insults and threats. Many conflicts with townspeople resulted in violence and arrests. A church was burned. The murder rate escalated, and lynchings were sometimes discussed on both sides.
So much turmoil and violence kept Brenham’s newspaper quite busy. The editor of the Southern Banner, Daniel L. McGary, enthusiastically criticized the federals. Affectionately called “Uncle Dan’l” by his readers, McGary wrote entertaining articles about the dastardly deeds of Union soldiers and Freedmen’s Bureau. The more he wrote, the more he angered Smith, Cragg, and Sheridan.
By the summer of eighteen sixty-six, Brenham residents believed they’d endured enough military rule. In July Craig returned from Houston trip to find that he had been kicked out of his office. The sign had been torn down and his possessions were in the street.
Craig was furious. He blamed McGary, and his incessant articles in the Banner, for the public hostilities towards him.
Craig arrested McGary on August 8, was Sheridan’s permission and Smith’s help. McGary was ordered to stop his “persistent abuse” and “false accusations” of the Freedmen’s Bureau. He was fined and released.
McGary uses arrest incident as fuel for more stories in the Banner. His humorous articles further endeared him to readers.
Craig through McGary in Brenham jail again. Guarded by local authorities, McGary was allowed to receive visitors. He continued writing fiery articles from his cell, that ended up in print. Each edition of the Banner brought McGary more support from the public.
Enraged, Craig throughout the deputy and jailer, and seize control the jail. While he guarded McGary, he wrote his superior that the crowded turned ugly and there were threats against his life.
After fourteen days, Craig received orders to release McGary. The new Texas governor, James W Throckmorton, had demanded McGary’s release in letters to Washington DC.
When McGary was released on September 3, the town’s atmosphere was a crisis point. Rumors spread that volunteers organized challenge the federal military’s control. Soldiers began making preparations to defend Camptown.
All were in ugly moods. But no one imagined the dreadful events that would enfold, just a few days later.
Originally from Kentucky, Daniel L McGary settled in Brenham after bravely fighting for the Confederacy. He partnered with John G Rankin in early eighteen sixty-six to establish Brenham’s Southern Banner newspaper.
McGary was known for his forceful editorials that combine news with insight, philosophy and fun. He often criticized the federal troops in Brenham, demanding that they discontinue their unpopular practices.
He was loved by the public for eloquently giving them a voice, while his humor kept them laughing.
He was hated and feared by union officials who imprisoned him twice for his bold writings. McGary’s arrests in August 1866 became the focal point for tensions that led to violence and destruction in Brenham."