Fort Fillmore

Fort Fillmore (1851-1862) - First established 23 Sep 1851 by Lt. Colonel Dixon S. Miles (Cullum 387), and troops from the 3rd U.S. Infantry at Fort Bliss. Named after U.S. President Millard Fillmore. Abandoned 10 Oct 1862. History Initially established to control hostile Apache Indians, it became a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail Route (1857-1861) and the El Paso-Fort Yuma Stage Line. The post was inspected by Colonel Joseph K.F. Mansfield 17-18 Oct 1854 who found the post garrisoned by four companies with a total of 8 commissioned officers and 269 rank and file available for duty. He was very complimentary about the post and command, declaring the quarters "the best in the Territory." U.S. Civil War Garrisoned by Union forces commanded by Major Issac Lynde (Cullum 501) as the U.S. Civil War began. Confederates troops under Ltc. John R. Baylor captured the fort 26 Jul 1861 after the Union forces were forced to abandon it. The Confederates were forced out on 8 Jul 1862 as Union California Volunteers approached. Occupied by 1st California Volunteer Cavalry under Ltc. Edward E. Eyre on 8 Jul 1862 but abandoned on 10 Oct 1862. Current Status No visible remains. Location:Las Cruces in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. Map point is from the GNIS coordinates and may not be accurate. Maps & Images Lat: 32.224753 Long: -106.726249 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 3,875' Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 524. Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 100. Frazer, Robert W., Forts of the West, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman OK, 1965, ISBN 0-8061-1250-6, page 99. Frazer, Robert W. (editor), Mansfield on the conditions of The Western Forts, University of Oklahoma Press, Norman OK, 1963, ISBN 0-8061-1083-X, page 54-57, post plan plate 13 and a sketch of the Disputed Territory plate 15. Post returns available Sep 1851 - Sep 1862 at Ancestry.com (by Subscription) USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Database Entry: 920000 Note: This point is identified as being "at the site of former Fort Fillmore" Links: North American Forts - Fort Fillmore Wikipedia - Fort Fillmore Visited: No