Fort Craig and the Battle of Valverde

January 10, 2010 -- Established in 1854 as one of the largest and most impressive frontier forts in the Southwest, Fort Craig guarded the north-south routes along the Rio Grande Valley. 

Today the fort is nothing more than ruins and rubble, but at one time the fort played a critical staging role in campaigns for the expanding union and the Buffalo Solidiers to pursue Apache leaders such as Geronimo and Victorio. 

The Fort was also the home base for the New Mexico Volunteers, Kit Carson, Rafael Chacón and Captain Jack Crawford.

In it's heyday the Fort was one of the largest west of the Mississippi. 

The fort is south of the site of the Battle of Valverde, one of the most bloody civil war battles in New Mexico. For more information on the Battle of Valverde visit here.