Fort Craig (1854-1885), Socorro County, New Mexico. Located on 40 acres near the Rio Grande in southeastern New Mexico, it was established to protect commerce and settlers. It was named for Captain Louis T. Craig. RÃo Bravo redirects here. ...
It was the site of a major Civil War battle between Union troops led by Colonel Edward Canby and Confederate forces of General Henry Sibley. Major General E.R.S Canby Edward Richard Sprigg Canby (November 9, 1817 – April 11, 1873) was a career U.S. Army officer and a Union general in the American Civil War and Indian Wars. ... Henry Sibley could refer to two figures in U.S. history: Henry Hastings Sibley, a Midwestern politician Henry Hopkins Sibley, a Confederate general This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...
After the Civil War, Fort Craig was used by the Buffalo Soldiers and General George Crook in the Apache Wars. Buffalo Soldiers was the name given by the Plains Indians to the United States Army regiments composed of African-American soldiers that served on the American frontier after the Civil War. ... Portrait of George Crook George Crook (September 8, 1828 – March 21, 1890) was a career U.S. Army officer, most noted for his distinguished service during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. ... Geronimo, before surrender to General Crook, 17 Apr 1886 The Apache Wars were fought during the nineteenth century between the U.S. military and many western tribes. ...
FortCraig, New Mexico, one of the largest forts in the West, played a crucial role in both Indian campaigns and the Civil War.
FortCraig was designed for two companies, about 120 men, but it often was garrisoned by four.
The heavily erroded ruins of FortCraig are located about 5 miles north and 5 miles east of Exit 115 on I-25 in New Mexico, about 125 miles north of Las Cruces or 35 miles south of Socorro.
In its formative years, FortCraig's mission was to defend against bands of Indian raiders that plagued southern New Mexico throughout the middle decades of the 19th century.
As Col. Canby stood on the porch of his quarters at FortCraig on the morning of Feb. 21 and watched the long gray line of Confederate troops moving up the river on the opposite shore, he took Sibley's bait and ordered the bulk of his forces out of the post to intercept the Rebels.
Although FortCraig itself was untouched and most of its garrison survived, Valverde was a tactical victory for Sibley, who now was free to strike north toward Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
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