FORT MILAM

 

Fort Milam was one of the first Texas Ranger forts. Originally known as Sarahville de Viesca, and established in 1834 at the Falls of the Brazos in present day Falls County. It was the Capitol of the Sterling C. Robertson Colony in the Mexican territory of Tejas and was named in honor of his mother Sarah and the Mexican Governor of Coahuila and Tejas, Augustine Viesca.  The area of the Robertson Colony now makes up all or part of 34 present day Texas counties.

 

In December 1835 the District name was changed from Viesca to Milam District and the town name changed to Fort Milam, both in honor of Col. Benjamin Milam, who had died at the Siege of Bexar earlier that month.

 

Fort Milam was abandoned during the Runaway Scrape in March of 1836.  As settlers returned, Colonel Edward Burleson organized three ranger companies to garrison the Fort.  Burleson's volunteers were replaced that fall by Col. Robert M. Coleman's rangers.  Capt. Thomas H. Barron's rangers joined them on Oct. 1st.  Detachments from Fort Milam constructed Little River Fort in 1836 and Waco's Fort Fisher and Fort Henderson in 1837. 

 

The site is on private property and is marked today by a granite monument erected by the State of Texas in 1936 about 12 miles northeast of Rosebud.