Fort Defiance (4)

Fort Defiance (1851-1861) - Established 18 Sep 1851 by Colonel Edwin V. Sumner to patrol the Navajo Territory after several treaty attempts failed. Major Electus Backus (Cullum 388) built the sod and log fort. The post was abandoned on 28 Apr 1861 at the beginning of the U.S. Civil War. It became an Indian Agency in 1868. Location: in Canyon Bonito about 60 miles northeast of the Zuni villages in Apache County. North of Gallup, New Mexico off of Hwy 491. Maps & Images Lat: 35.62806 Long: -108.77972 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 6,836' Source: Post returns available Sep 1851 - Apr 1861 at Ancestry.com (by Subscription) Links: Fort Defiance From the Indian point of view An interesting description of the fort in 1857 is found in Beale's Report, August 26, 1857 Visited: No