Brazos Santiago Pass and Brazos Island Military Depot

Named by the Spanish, Brazos Santiago Pass is a narrow passageway extending inward from the sea. The pass lies between Brazos Island and Padre Island. The changing depths of the pass channel kept large vessels from entering, but offered seclusion to smaller ships. The entire area proved strategically important in a variety of military conflicts. Brazos Santiago harbor became part of the Texas revolution when the Texas warship "Invincible" heavily damaged the Mexican warship "Bravo" in April 1836. Supplies bound for the Mexican Army did not reach their destination. In 1846, U. S. Army General Zachary Taylor set up a military depot at the mouth of Brazos Santiago Pass on Brazos Island. during the war with Mexico, thousands of volunteers were encamped here, awaiting transfer to other locations. In February 1861, the U. S. Army surrendered the depot to forces of the stat eof Texas prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. Federal soldiers landed unopposed in 1863 at Brazos Island, taking Fort Brown and Brownsville, only to abandon them less than a year later. In May 1865, the last battle of the Civil War was fought at nearby Palmito Ranch. The depot was abandoned following hurricane damage in 1867. (1996)

Brazos Santiago Pass and Brazos Island Military Depot is a historical marker in South Padre Island, Cameron County, dedicated in 1996. It is one of 116 historical markers documented in Cameron County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 194 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 26.0697, -97.1586 near South Padre Island. The nearest cataloged historic site is Brazos Santiago, C.S.A. (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include 1923 Point Isabel Coast Guard Building, Padre J. Nicolas Balli, and Queen Isabel Inn.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5061011777. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.