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Since 1848, smuggling, rustling and armed incursions by people on both sides of the Rio Grande were common. When the Mexican Revolution began, fear of violent attacks escalated. After Pancho Villa's raid in New Mexico on March 9, 1916, Brownsville, Harlingen, Llano Grande and other locations received national guardsmen. City officials lobbied to establish a camp in Corpus Christi, hoping the project would bolster the economy. The city, Nueces County and the Commercial Club offered to pay for all the required improvements needed to move troops from Brownsville to Corpus Christi. In August 1916, General Frederick Funston ordered the 2nd and 3rd Texas Infantry plus the Texas Brigade headquarters to move to Corpus Christi. The site for the camp, named after General Thomas Scurry, was a 200-acre pasture leased to a dairy farmer, more than a mile south of city hall. Forty buildings were erected, including 24 mess halls and three warehouses, all at no cost to the army. The soldiers stayed in approximately 450 16-square-foot tents, Soldiers daily routine consisted of strict training and guidelines, along with periodic sports and recreational activities in the camp and around Corpus Christi. The 2nd Infantry compiled an impressive football record, outscoring other units 432-6. Showing a strong connection between the camp and the community, large crowds of local residents watched football games, field day competitions and evening drills. The camp was unmanned for a month when guard units were ordered to return to their home states, but reactivated as a training site when the U.S. entered World War I. Camp Scurry not only provided training for National Guard and U.S. Army troops but also assisted in the growth of Corpus Christi and its economy. (2017) |
