Editing Fort Concho (section)

==Operation by the US military==
{{See also|American Indian Wars}}

Fort Concho was established during the [[History of Texas|American colonization of Texas]] in the 19th century,{{sfn|Field|2006|p=6}} a process that began in the 1820s with the immigration of Anglo-Americans into [[Spanish Texas|Spanish]], later [[Mexican Texas|Mexican]], Texas.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Anglo-American Colonization}} Europeans first reached the [[Concho River]] valley in the 16th century. The Spanish established contact and then traded with the [[Jumano people]], who inhabited the valley until they were driven out of it by the [[Apache]] peoples in the 1690s. The Apache were themselves expelled by the mid-18th century by the [[Comanche]]. However, in 1849, American colonists began crossing West Texas in large numbers to reach [[California]], where [[California Gold Rush|gold had been discovered]].{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=1–2}} To protect its citizens, the [[United States Army]] ordered the construction of a string of forts along the frontier's routes of travel from 1850 to 1852.{{sfn|Alexander|Utley|2012|pp=32, 35}}{{sfn|Field|2006|p=5}} Among those forts was [[Fort Chadbourne]], established on October 28, 1852,{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Fort Chadbourne}} and among those avenues was the [[Butterfield Overland Mail]] route, established in 1858 with Fort Chadbourne as one of its stations.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Butterfield Overland Mail}}{{sfn|Aston|Taylor|1997|p=51}}

The beginning of the [[American Civil War]] in 1861 ended both enterprises. The Butterfield route moved out of Texas,{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Butterfield Overland Mail}} and the [[Union (American Civil War)|federal government]] ceded its [[Forts of Texas|Texas forts]] to the [[Confederate States of America]].{{sfn|Alexander|Utley|2012|p=32}} [[Confederate Texas]] was unable to secure its territories, so as a consequence, white settlers retreated eastward throughout the war. After the end of the war in 1865, though, immigrants from the war-torn [[Southern United States|Southern States]] decamped for Texas.{{sfn|Alexander|Utley|2012|pp=33, 57}} Many of these immigrants became [[cattle herding|cattle herders]] and followed routes such as the [[Goodnight–Loving Trail]],{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=2}} established in 1866 on the Butterfield route{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Goodnight–Loving Trail}} – which brought large volumes of cattle through the Concho Valley.{{sfn|Uglow|2001|p=138}}

[[Major General]] [[Philip Sheridan]], appointed to command the [[Fifth Military District|postwar military district covering Texas and Louisiana]] on March 19, 1867,{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Philip Henry Sheridan}} at first ignored reports of raiding by indigenous peoples,{{sfn|Chapman|1940|p=262}} but later that year, the US Army was ordered to reoccupy its pre-war [[billets]] in Texas,{{sfn|Graham|1970|p=169}} and that May, Fort Chadbourne was reoccupied by the [[4th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|4th Cavalry]].{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=2}} Fort Chadbourne was, however, poorly supplied with water.{{sfn|Aston|Taylor|1997|p=72}} The US Army decided to replace Fort Chadbourne with a new installation. They identified the junction of the Concho Rivers as an ideal site because of its proximity to the routes it was to guard and nearby grazing land, and the abundance of water.{{sfn|Uglow|2001|pp=131–32}}{{sfn|Aston|Taylor|1997|p=73}}

In mid-1867, [[Major (rank)|Major]] [[John Porter Hatch]], commanding the 4th Cavalry, dispatched [[Lieutenant]] [[Peter M. Boehm]] to establish a camp on the Middle Concho, {{Convert|50|mi|km|sp=us}} to the south of Fort Chadbourne. [[Captain (military rank)|Captain]] Michael J. Kelly and 50 troopers established this camp, albeit on the North Concho, and remained there over the summer of 1867. On November 28, 1867, the 4th Cavalry's H [[Company (military unit)|Company]] departed from Fort Chadbourne for the Conchos. H Company's commander, Captain George G. Huntt, named the site of the new fort "Camp Hatch", but changed it at Hatch's request to "Camp Kelly" in January 1868 to honor Kelly, who had died on August 13, 1867, of [[typhoid fever]]. Construction of a permanent outpost began on a site north of the camp, which was named Fort Concho in March 1868 by [[Edward M. Stanton]], [[United States Secretary of War]].{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=2–4}}

===Construction===
[[File:San Angelo September 2019 62 (Fort Concho).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|alt=The parade ground of Fort Concho, which fills out the lower half of this image|The fort's [[parade ground]]]]

Captain David W. Porter, assistant [[quartermaster]] of the Department of Texas, was tasked with constructing Fort Concho on December 10, 1867.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=3}} Progress was slow,{{sfn|Chapman|1940|p=264}} as all building materials had to be shipped in{{sfn|Uglow|2001|p=132}} and there was frequent bickering among the fort's officers, Huntt and Porter included.{{sfn|Chapman|1940|pp=259, 268}} Porter employed civilian masons and carpenters,{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=3}}{{sfn|Field|2006|p=22}} but also oversaw the construction of Forts [[Fort Griffin|Griffin]] and [[Fort Richardson (Texas)|Richardson]]. As such, he was often not present at the fort to direct building work. In March 1868, Porter was replaced at Fort Concho by Major George C. Cram, who built a temporary [[guardhouse]]. Cram was also frequently absent from the fort, and in the year of his arrival had the regional mail line superintendent, Major [[Ben Ficklin]], arrested. The [[United States Postmaster General]] intervened and by August, Cram was reassigned and construction was handed to Captain Joseph Rendlebrock, the 4th Cavalry's quartermaster. By the end of the year, Rendlebrock had completed the [[commissary]], quartermaster's storehouse, and a wing of the hospital.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=4–7}}

The first permanent military structures on the fort grounds, five of the officer's residences and the first regimental barracks, were completed by August 1869. They were followed over the next year by two more officer's residences, another barracks, and a permanent guardhouse and stables. Hatch pushed for the completion of the fort through 1870–71, directing the building of a quartermaster's corral and a wagon shed. In February 1872, however, budget cuts by the [[US War Department]] resulted in the dismissal of the civilian workers and another lull in construction. By the end of the year, Fort Concho consisted of four barracks, eight officers' residences, the hospital, a [[Gunpowder magazine|magazine]], bakery, several storehouses, workshops, and stables.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=6–10}}

In 1875, the [[parade ground]] was cleared and a flagstaff placed in its center. In the process, the adjutant's office was moved to the headquarters building. It was replaced in short order with a stone command structure, the headquarters building, built in 1876. Another officers' residence was built in 1877, as were the foundations for another that went unfinished for lack of funding. This building was completed in February 1879 as the schoolhouse and chapel. It was the final permanent structure completed at Fort Concho.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=10–12, 51}} By 1879, the fort was an eight-company installation. Construction had, by 1877, cost the US Army $1&nbsp;million (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|1,000,000|1877}}}}, adjusted for inflation){{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=12}} on land it had leased.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Fort Concho}} Thirty-nine permanent buildings were on the fort grounds by April 1889.{{sfn|Aston|Taylor|1997|p=74}}

===Base of the 4th Cavalry===
[[File:Fort concho plaque.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A Texas State Historical Association plaque describing the service history of Fort Concho in metal type: Underneath it is a smaller plaque marking the fort as a National Register of Historic Places property.|Historical marker detailing the service life of Fort Concho]]

In the first seven months of Fort Concho's existence, its [[garrison]] – numbering 129, out of a force of 3,672 in Texas, according to the 1869 reports of the War Department – were occupied by its plodding construction. This was the cause of much criticism by local Texas newspapers; the frontier continued to retreat in the remaining years of the 1860s.{{sfn|Chapman|1940|pp=259, 264}} Meanwhile, outside of building work, the garrison patrolled, scouted, and escorted cattle herds and wagon trains on the [[San Antonio–El Paso Road]].{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=13}} There was thus little combat in Texas, according to the US Army records. Inaction by the army, whose garrisons were poorly and irregularly supplied, and criticism of that inaction, continued into 1871. Beginning with the creation of the [[Department of Texas]] that March, however, US Army activity in Texas changed. Sheridan adopted a strategy of feinting and constant movement early in the year, and then punitive expeditions in the winter, when the tribes' ponies would be weakest. As part of Sheridan's plan, the garrisons of the Texas forts established subposts. Among these were Fort Chadbourne, which was reoccupied, and Camp Charlotte,{{sfn|Chapman|1940|pp=265–67, 269–71}} on the Middle Concho.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Camp Charlotte}}

On February 25, 1871, Colonel [[Ranald S. Mackenzie]] took command of the 4th Cavalry. He moved the regimental headquarters to Fort Richardson a month later,{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Mackenzie, Ranald Slidell}} but kept a few companies at Fort Concho.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Fourth United States Cavalry}} These companies participated in an inconclusive campaign against the [[Kiowa]] from May to September 1871,{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=13–14}} returning to Fort Concho in November.{{sfn|Chapman|1940|p=267}} Comanche and Kiowa raids became more frequent over the rest of 1871, prompting a number of expeditions that rarely saw Native Americans. A notable exception was a patrol carried out by [[Sergeant]] [[William Wilson (Medal of Honor)|William Wilson]] from March 26 to 29, 1872, that led to the US Army's discovery of water in the [[Staked Plains]] and a large Comanche settlement at [[Mushaway Peak]]. Hatch,{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=14–15}} in charge of Fort Concho for Mackenzie,{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Hatch, John Porter}} reported Wilson's findings, which were confirmed by another patrol by Captain [[Napoleon B. McLaughlen]].{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=15–16}}

After Mackenzie and Hatch met with [[Brigadier General]] [[Christopher C. Augur]],{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=16}}{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Christopher Columbus Augur}} in command of the Department of Texas, Mackenzie and McLaughlen, commanding Companies D and I, departed from their respective installations on June 17. Over the following months, the 4th Cavalry explored the [[South Plains]] and fought the Comanche at the [[Battle of the North Fork of the Red River|Battle of the North Fork]] on September 29. As a result of that battle, the 4th Cavalry captured 124 women and children, 116 of whom were taken back to Fort Concho on October 21. The captives were interned in the quartermaster's corral and remained there until the Department of Texas ordered their release on April 14, 1873. They departed Fort Concho on May 24 under escort from the 11th Infantry and arrived at [[Fort Sill]] on June 10.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=16–19}}

On June 27, 1874, more than 200 indigenous warriors [[Second Battle of Adobe Walls|attacked a group of buffalo hunters camped at Adobe Walls]], beginning the [[Red River War]]. In response, Augur ordered Mackenzie and the 4th Cavalry back to Fort Concho in July. By August,{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=19–21}} Sheridan, now commanding the [[Military Division of the Missouri]],{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Philip Henry Sheridan}} ordered five expeditionary forces of more than 3,000 soldiers each into the South Plains.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Fourth United States Cavalry}} The southern force, under Mackenzie, left Fort Concho on August 23, 1874, with eight companies of the 4th Cavalry, four of the [[10th Infantry Regiment (United States)|10th Infantry]], and one from the 11th Infantry. Over the following year, Mackenzie chased the Comanche to their base of operations in the [[Palo Duro Canyon]] and [[Battle of Palo Duro Canyon|destroyed it on September 28]]. His force continued to patrol the area over the winter, preventing the Comanche from rebuilding their supplies and forcing their return to their reservation.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=21–23}}

===Base of the 10th Cavalry===
[[File:Buffalo Soldiers 3.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Another Texas State Historical Association placard with an abbreviated history of the 10th Cavalry in metal type|Texas State Historical Association placard commemorating the 10th Cavalry]]

By 1875, Fort Concho had become one of the main US Army bases in Texas,{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=23}} but early in the year, the 4th Cavalry was transferred to Fort Sill to keep the South Plains nations on their reservation.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Fourth United States Cavalry}} They were replaced at Fort Concho by the [[10th Cavalry Regiment (United States)|10th Cavalry]], an [[Buffalo soldier|all-black]] regiment commanded by Colonel [[Benjamin Grierson]].{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Tenth United States Cavalry}} He arrived at Fort Concho on April 17, 1875, and established the regimental headquarters there.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=24}} Stationed at Forts Concho, [[Fort Stockton, Texas|Stockton]], [[Fort Davis National Historic Site|Davis]], [[Fort Quitman|Quitman]], and [[Fort Clark, Texas|Clark]],{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Tenth United States Cavalry}} and their subposts,{{Sfn|Chapman|1940|p=276}} the 10th Cavalry was tasked with patrolling the frontier, escorting wagons and settlers, and mounting expeditions.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Tenth United States Cavalry}} Beginning in 1877, starving Plains tribes began killing [[Bison hunting|buffalo hunters]] and raiding white settlements. In response, Grierson sent Captain [[Nicholas M. Nolan]] and a company of the 10th to subdue the raiders.{{Sfn|Chapman|1940|p=276}} Nolan set out in July, and [[Buffalo Soldier tragedy of 1877|achieved nothing]] but the death of four soldiers from the 10th Cavalry's Company A.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=25}}{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Nolan Expedition}}

In late 1879, Grierson received word that a war party of Ojo Caliente and [[Mescalero Apache]] under Chief [[Victorio]] entered the [[Trans-Pecos]]. He left Fort Concho on March 23, 1880, at the head of five companies of the 10th Cavalry and some of the [[25th Infantry Regiment (United States)|25th Infantry]] to disarm the Mescaleros of the [[Fort Stanton]] reservation. Grierson's soldiers fought with Apache raiders over early April, then reached Fort Stanton on April 12. The disarmament was delayed until April 16 because of rains and resulted in failure when the Mescalero Apache escaped with most of their arms. Grierson returned to Fort Concho on May 16, but left the 10th Cavalry's M Company at the head of the North Concho in case the Apache appeared in the area.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=28–30}}

On June 17, 1880, Nolan and a [[battalion]] of the 10th Cavalry at Fort Sill returned to Fort Concho by Grierson's order. Ten days later, Grierson sent Nolan to patrol the Guadalupe Mountains and himself set out from Fort Concho on July 10.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=31}} Grierson harried Victorio over the summer until he was defeated at Rattlesnake Springs and driven into Mexico, where Victorio's band [[Battle of Tres Castillos|was destroyed]] on October 15, 1880, by the [[Mexican Army]].{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Victorio}} The 10th Cavalry transferred permanently to Fort Davis, farther to the west, in July 1882.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|p=34}}

===Post-Texas Indian Wars and deactivation===
On January 27, 1881, the [[Texas Ranger Division|Texas Rangers]] fought and defeated what was left of Victorio's band in the final battle of the American Indian Wars fought in Texas. The 10th Cavalry was replaced at Fort Concho in 1882 by the [[16th Infantry Regiment (United States)|16th Infantry]], commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Alfred L. Hough. Ten days before Hough and the regimental headquarters arrived at the fort that August, the Concho River flooded, destroying the town of [[Ben Ficklin, Texas|Ben Ficklin]] and badly damaging San Angelo. As a result, the 16th Infantry spent its first week on-site rendering humanitarian aid. After recovering, San Angelo began to prosper, while Fort Concho declined from poor maintenance.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=34, 57}} From 1882 until the fort's final closure, it served primarily as a base for troops awaiting transfer elsewhere in Texas.{{sfn|Handbook of Texas Online: Fort Concho}} When [[Fort McKavett]] was abandoned by the US Army in June 1883, its garrison moved to Fort Concho.{{sfn|Alexander|Utley|2012|pp=38–39}}

By the mid-1880s, ranches enclosed the surrounding plains with barbed-wire fencing; the soldiers, barred by law from cutting the wire, were reduced to patrolling roads. Many of the frontier forts, such as Forts Davis and Griffin, had either been abandoned or were awaiting deactivation. After the 16th Infantry left Fort Concho for Fort Bliss in February 1887, locals believed Fort Concho would also be abandoned. In early 1888, the 8th Cavalry gathered at Fort Concho from around Texas and then left in June for [[Fort Meade (South Dakota)|Fort Meade]], [[South Dakota]]. With their departure, only the [[19th Infantry Regiment (United States)|19th Infantry]]'s K Company was garrisoned at Fort Concho. On June 20, 1889, the men of K Company lowered the flag over the fort for the final time and left the next morning.{{sfn|Matthews|2005|pp=58–60}}