Overview

""Here Rests the Brave"" is an illustrated narrative about historic developments at the very end of ""Rio de los Brazos de Dios"" (the Brazos River), the longest river (and greatest discharge) within the boundaries of Texas. Reported to have been called the ""Tockonhono"" by prehistoric Texans, today its watershed stretches and curves over 1100 miles from beyond the Texas-New Mexico border near Texico to the coast at Quintana and Surfside Beach, also the only major Texas river to emit directly into the Gulf. In a critical period in the history of Texas, especially from 1821 to 1836, the lower Brazos was and is considered the ""Cradle of Texas"". Less well known, is the history of the last little town on its left bank, old Velasco, just yards shy of the salty waves. Once a strategic point for maritime commerce, immigration and military defense, it was the very beginning of a vital transportation artery right up the middle of Austin's Colony. In those short 15 years, the basic character of the Republic and State of Texas was determined. Come read the saga of the first ""puerto de Galvezton"" at the Brazos, the schemes of George ""Jorge"" Fisher beginning in 1830, the 1832 ""Fortaleza de Velasco"" during the days of Mexican Texas, the struggle for its control during the Anahuac Disturbances of 1832 (The Battle of Velasco), and the resultant abandonment of Mexican forces from eastern Texas for three years - all important antecedents to the Texas Revolution. Then, as that war cloud rose up in 1835, learn of the San Felipe Incident (the true opening shot of that revolution), how the second Fort Velasco and the First Texas Navy defended the coast during those momentous nine months of 1835-1836, and the first capital of the Republic of Texas (after the Battle of San Jacinto) where the Treaties of Velasco were signed giving Texas its independence. Reaching its zenith during the Civil War era, two other Forts Velasco were built there (and other forts nearby), only for the forces of Mother Nature and modern developments elsewhere to cause its gradual obsolescence. A ghost town even before the eye of the infamous 1900 hurricane came right over it, old Velasco had declined, moved upstream for a brief rebirth as the boom town of new Velasco in the 1890's, and then disappeared entirely from the map after merging into Freeport. Finally, as the original site was again reborn as the seaside community of Surfside Beach after World War II, we can finally tell the whole tale. Learn how the dreams of Don Estevan (Stephen F. Austin) have finally come true, long after his labors caused his early death, truly the ""Father of Texas"". Come, sit a spell, and read all about it!

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Chris Kneupper is a native of San Antonio, Texas, and is now a retired engineer living in Brazoria County, Texas. His interest in and avocation of Texas archaeology led him to be one of the charter members of the Brazosport Archaeological Society in 1980, and is a 45-year member of the Texas Archeological Society. He has served over 30 years on the board of the Cradle of Texas Conservancy, and has been an advocate for their long-running project to create a recreational replica of the 1832 ""Fortaleza de Velasco"", also sponsoring a geophysical survey to find its precise location in 2020. In retirement, he has participated with the Sons of the Republic of Texas (currently serving as President of the Stephen F. Austin chapter), and also as a Texas Master Naturalist (Cradle of Texas chapter). Beginning in 2019, he started a deep-dive research effort for old Velasco and the first Fort Velasco, to inform any replica efforts, but found there were at least four Forts Velasco, and much other forgotten history of the area at the original mouth of the Brazos River, as well as Barranco Colorado. As an advocate for these under-told stories, he often makes presentations to local groups, has a website on the subject, and now submits his efforts in book form. He also has fun by combining these interests, often by impersonating 1830-era characters in period dress, especially as Eduard Harkort, the poorly known Captain of Engineers of the Texas Revolutionary Army. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has recently appointed him as an honorary Admiral of the Texas Navy in recognition of these efforts.

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