Editing Fort Concho (section)

===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}}