Editing Fort Concho (section)

===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}}