The History of Fort Union
Often, the first thing that visitors to the Fort Union National Monument notice is the adobe walls of the ruins of the fort. The walls seem to glow in the strong New Mexico sunlight. Next, visitors might notice the wagon ruts that cut deeply into the ground. The ruts are grown over with prairie grasses and wildflowers. However, they can still be seen. They are the tracks of the large groups of covered wagons that rolled along the Santa Fe Trail on their way west. From 1851 to 1891, Fort Union was the most important military post on the Santa Fe Trail.
Fort Union is near Las Vegas, New Mexico, in the northeastern part of the state. It was built near the spot where the Cimarron and the Mountain routes of the Santa Fe Trail merge. From there, the trail continues on to Santa Fe. For years, Fort Union was the largest American military post in the Southwest. There were actually three different Fort Unions. They were all built for different purposes.
Guarding the Santa Fe Trail
After the US-Mexican War (1846-1849), New Mexico became part of the United States. The US government decided to build Fort Union. It wanted soldiers to establish a US presence in the region. Until the war, the area had belonged to Mexico. The soldiers also protected the people who lived in the area, as well as the wagons and settlers traveling by on the Santa Fe Trail. American Indians who lived in the area were angry about the presence of settlers. The Ute, Apache, and Navajo people, among others, were angry at the loss of their lands and the enslavement of American Indians.
Construction of Fort Union began in 1851. The district commander, Lt. Col. Edwin V Sumner, was in charge. To save money, Sumner had soldiers construct the buildings. The soldiers were not skilled in construction. The first Fort Union was not very sturdy. The buildings were made of logs, and some had dirt roofs. The fort began to fall apart almost as soon as it was completed.
Defending Against the Confederate Army
Soldiers served in the first Fort Union until 1861, when the Civil War began. The US government realized that the fort was not strong enough to withstand an attack by Confederate forces. In addition, the fort's location made it at risk of an attack. The fort's commander, Major William Chapman, decided that a new fort should be built. He chose a new, safer location a few miles from the first fort Chapman decided to use different materials than the first fort. The second Fort Union was a star-shaped earthwork, made of soil. It was strong but unhealthy to live in. The rooms flooded and had no ventilation. Snakes and insects were everywhere. The second Fort Union was never used in a Civil War battle, Fort Union troops and the New Mexico and Colorado Volunteers did fight Confederate forces. However, the battle happened at Glorieta Pass near Santa Fe. There were no other battles in the Southwest during the Civil War. So, the military stopped using the second fort.
Serving as Supply Base During the American Indian Wars
In 1863, construction began on the third Fort Union. Builders used materials that would stand up to the region's climate for this fort. Buildings of adobe bricks covered with plaster were built on stone foundations. The fort had room for four companies of cavalry and infantry, plus an arsenal. The Quartermaster Depot was also located there. In fact, one of the third fort's main roles was as the supplier of food, guns, and other goods to the other forts in New Mexico. The troops at Fort Union also took part in wars against American Indian groups in the region. Those wars ended in 1875. Defeated American Indians were forced to live on reservations.
The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad arrived in New Mexico in 1879. With a railroad in place, the Santa Fe Trail quickly became obsolete. Fort Union was no longer needed to defend the trail. In 1891, the US military stopped using the fort. Today, the ruins of the third fort are preserved at the Fort Union National Monument
What was the focus for military life prior to the Civil War? 2-3 sentences