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Fort Davis National Historic Site National Park Service Fort Davis Texas U.S. Department of the Interior Officers’ Row at Fort Davis. The post hospital is in the left background. NPS / TOM GRAY A key post in the defense system of west Texas, Fort Davis Jefferson Davis, the fort was first garri soned by Lt. Col. ately. By the end of 1869, a number of officers’ quarters, of engagements, units from Fort Davis and other posts, played a major role in the history of the Southwest. From Wash­­ing ton Seawell and six companies of the Eighth US two enlisted men’s barracks, a guardhouse, temporary hos- under the command of Col. Ben jamin Grier son, forced the 1854 until 1891, troops stationed at the post protected emi- Infantry. From 1854 to 1861, troops of the Eighth Infantry pital, and storehouses had been erected. Construction con- Apaches and their leader Vic torio into Mexico. There Victo- grants, freighters, mail coaches, and travelers on the San spent much of their time in the field pursuing Comanches, tinued through the 1880s. By then Fort Davis had be come rio and most of his followers were killed by Mexican sol- An tonio-El Paso Road. Today Fort Davis is one of the best Kiowas, and Apaches who attacked trav elers and mail sta- a major in stallation with over 100 structures and quarters diers. re maining examples of a frontier military post. It is a vivid tions. With the onset of the Civil War and Texas’s secession for over 400 soldiers. re minder of the significant role played by the military in the from the Union, the federal government evacuated Fort With the end of the Indian Wars in west Texas, garrison life settlement and development of the western frontier. Davis. The fort was occupied by Con federate troops from Fort Davis’s primary role of safeguarding the west Texas at Fort Davis became more routine. Soldiers occasionally spring 1861 until the summer of 1862 when Union forces frontier against the Comanches and Apaches continued es corted railroad survey parties, repaired roads and tele- The fort was established on the eastern side of the Davis again took possession. They quickly abandoned the post, until 1881. Although the Co manches were defeated in the graph lines, and pursued bandits. In June 1891, as a result Mountains, in a box canyon near Limpia Creek, where wood, and Fort Davis lay deserted for the next five years. mid-1870s, the Apaches continued to make travel on the of the army’s efforts to consolidate its frontier garrisons, water, and grass were plentiful. It consisted of prim itive San Antonio-El Paso Road dangerous. Soldiers from the post Fort Davis was or dered aban doned, having structures and was located behind the present-day Officers’ Few of the fort’s structures remained when Lt. Col. Wesley regularly patrolled the road and furnished escorts for wag- “outlived its usefulness.” Row. (The foun dations of several buildings from this earlier Merritt and four companies of the newly organized Ninth on trains and coaches. The last major military campaign in- fort can still be seen today.) Named after Sec retary of War US Cavalry reoccupied Fort Davis in June 1867. The building volving troops from Fort Davis occurred in 1880. In a series of a new post, just east of the original site, began im medi- The Indian Challenge Officers and Enlisted Men Buffalo Soldiers By the 1820s, raiding the villages of northern Both officers and enlisted men at Fort Davis In July 1866, Congress passed an act to increase the Mexico had be come a way of life for the Kio- spent far more time constructing roads, build- size of the Regular Army. The act stipulated that of was, Co man ches, and Apaches. It provided a ings, and telegraph lines than they did in pur- the new regiments created, two cavalry and four suing Apache and Coman che raiders. For the source of food and animals and a means of infantry units “shall be composed of colored men.” enlisted men, low pay and harsh discipline attaining rank and status in the tribe. With the prevailed, while officers and their families Treaty of Guada lupe Hidal go, which ended the often suffered from monotony. In 1869 the four black infantry units were consoli- Mex ican War, the United States pledged to halt dated in two regiments. Troops of the Twenty-fourth these raids. As a result, the US Army engaged Yet, Fort Davis was regarded by a majority and Twenty-fifth Infantry regiments along with the in open hos tilities against these highly mobile, of the men stationed here as one of the most Ninth and Tenth Cavalry regiments served on the pleas ant posts in the West. A temperate cli- lightly equipped, and courageous warriors. southwestern frontier. Some historians think Indians mate and im pres sive landscape made living The In dian re sis tance grad ually de clined due to at this somewhat remote fort relatively enjoy- named these troops “Buf falo Sol diers,” comparing growing settlement and development of the a ble. Hunting, fishing, picnics, and baseball their hair to buffalo hair and finding them worthy NPS/RICHARD SCHLECHT region. The Coman che warrior’s portrait (right) games were some of the more popular pas- LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NM ad versaries. was painted by Fred eric Rem ing ton. times enjoyed by all. FREDERIC REMINGTON MUSEUM OGDENSBURG, NY Officers and enlisted Garrison and Field Duty at Fort Davis men generally wore Although they were sep arated pro fession ally, a less formal uniform so­­cially, and of ten by race, the officers and both in garrison and Victorio (Bidúúya) on campaign (above) enlisted men nevertheless maintained a respect- than the full-dress This proud and aggressive leader of the Warm able esprit de corps frequently not found at uniform (left). Formal Springs Apaches (left) resisted efforts to con- other posts on the western frontier. They left uniforms of ten were fine his people to the San Carlos Reserva tion a proud rec ord of ac com plish ments. re quired for guard mount, formal social in Arizona. His refusal to accept reservation life oc casions, and ev en ing NHS S re treat parades. AVI led to con flicts with U.S. and Mexican soldiers D Troopers of the Ninth US Cavalry on Dress Parade at Fort Davis in 1875. T in 1879–80 and to his final defeat and death FOR on October 15, 1880, in the Battle of Tres Buffalo Soldiers served at Fort Davis from 1867 Co man ches and Apach es. Un der officers like Castil los (Three Peaks) in Mexico. to 1885. Rou tine garrison duties included drill- Wes ley Mer ritt, Ed ward Hatch, Wil liam Shaft er, NATIONAL ARCHIVES NPS / RICHARD SCHLECHT ing, tending animals, constructing and repairing Zenas Bliss, George Andrews, and Ben ja min buildings, and planting gardens. They rode or Grier son, they contributed notably to the Fort Davis and the Indian Wars walked thousands of miles pursuing the elusive settlement of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Few Indians lived in the north and the Fort Dav is soldiers Officers posed be hind the post hospital for this 1887 photograph. The white- Enlisted men of the Sixteenth US Infantry posed for this photograph about the Trans-Pecos re gion Apach es from the spent much of their of western Tex as (map), mountains of south- time scouting and bearded officer seated at right center is Lt. Col. David R. Clenden­­­ in of the Third 1886–87. Taken on a hillside near Fort Davis, it depicts life as it was in the field. but many tribes regu- eastern New Mexico. pa trolling and on Cav al ry. The Third served at Fort Davis from 1885 to 1887 and again in 1890 Units of the Sixteenth were stationed here for most of the 1880s. They served larly passed through it. Their raiding lifestyle es cort duty but they and 1891. alongside the First In fantry and the Third, Eighth, and Tenth cavalry. Second Lt. Henry O. Flipper Kiowas and Coman ches led to conflicts with rare ly engaged in open came from the Plains to travelers and settlers. hos til ities with Indian Henry O. Flipper of the Tenth US groups. The In dian Caval ry was the first black grad- Wars in west Tex as uate of West Point. He served at ended shortly after the Fort Davis in 1880–81. Tried in de feat of Victor io in 1880. in a controversial court-martial, he was dismissed from the army By 1885, when soldiers in 1882. of the Tenth Cavalry­­ serving at Fort Davis In 1976, after re viewing his case, were sent to Arizona to campaign against the army post humously gave Ger onimo, most Indians him an honorable discharge. Lt. in the South west were Flipper received a full presidential living on reservations. pardon in 1999. US MILITARY ACADEMY FORT DAVIS NHS FORT DAVIS NHS Exploring Fort Davis Magazine Hospital Storehouse Two-story Two-story Officers’ Quarters Officers’ Quarters Post Hospital (furnished) Two-story Officers’ Quarters Officer’s Kitchen and Hospital Steward’s Servant’s Quarters (furnished) Ordnance Sergeant’s Quarters Quarters Two-story and Signal Office Officers’ Quarters Post Chapel Post Commander’s Stable Post Headquarters Enlisted Men’s Barracks Regimental Band Barracks OFFICERS’ ROW Bakery Commissary (furnished) Commanding Officer’s Guardhouse Quarters (furnished) Enlisted Men’s Barracks Enlisted Men’s Barracks Shared Lieutenants’ Quarters (furnished) Granary Privy Enlisted Men’s Barracks Sleeping Lion Privy New Quartermaster Mountain Storehouse Enlisted Men’s Barracks (furnished) Privy Quartermaster Corral Enlisted Men’s Barracks San Antonio–El Paso Road (Visitor Center) Privy Site of Post Trader’s Complex Telegraph Office Enlisted Men’s Barracks Cavalry Stables Old Subsistence Storehouse BUILDING KEY Restored structure Ruin or foundation The illustration shows Old Commissary Office Old Quartermaster Storehouse Fort Davis at the peak of its development in the 1880s.

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