Fort Selden was established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace among the varied inhabitants in the south central region of present day New Mexico. Their primary intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Mescalero Apache Indians. Built near the banks of the Rio Grande, the adobe fort housed units of U.S. Army Infantry and Cavalry.
The first troops to occupy the fort were companies of the 125th US Colored Infantry Regiment, a group of African-American enlisted soldiers from Kentucky who had been mustered into the Union Army near the close of the American Civil War. Several of the units assigned later, including the 9th US Cavalry and 10th US Cavalry, and stationed at the fort were also composed of black troopers, sometimes referred to as Buffalo Soldiers. As a testament to their bravery, nine Buffalo Soldiers received the Medal of Honor while serving in New Mexico Territory.
Surnames Backworth – Butze
Backworth Thomas Pvt. C 8th CAV Bagley Robert Pvt. H 3rd CAV Bailey ns Pvt. G 8th CAV Bainford Henry C. Cpl. D 10thINF Baker Charles Pvt 15th INF Baker Frank Pvt. H 15th INF Baker John Pvt. 25th INF Baker Peter Pvt. C 8th CAV Baker Richard B. Pvt. K 3rd CAV Baker Samuel Pvt K 3rd CAV Baker Thomas Pvt. K 38th INF Bakly Joseph Pvt. C 8th CAV Baldez ns Pvt. I 1NM INF Baldwin Robert Pvt F 9th CAV Bales Jacob Pvt H 3rd CAV Ball William Sgt. K 38th INF Ballow Lorenzo D. Pvt I 8th CAV Ban ns Pvt. C 8th CAV Banks ns Pvt. C 8th CAV Banks George Pvt K 38th INF Banthing ns Pvt. C 8th CAV Barba ns Pvt. C 1 NM INF Barber William Pvt. K 38th INF Barber William Pvt. C 8th CAV Bardne Daniel Pvt. 15th INF Bare Martin B. Sgt. C 8th CAV Barlett Homer Sgt E 15th INF Barlow William Pvt. D 10th INF Barnacke D. E. Pvt. G 8th CAV Barnes H. Pvt D 15th INF Barnes Harry Pvt. I 8th CAV Barrett Gregory Cpt. D 10th INF Barrish ns Pvt. G 8th CAV Barron ns Pvt. C 8th CAV Barrows George C 8th CAV Barrucle D. E. Pvt. G 8th CAV Barry Dennis Cpl K 3rd CAV Barry James Pvt. C 8th CAV Bartlet Oscar E. Sgt G 8th CAV Barton ns Pvt. D 8th CAV Barton John Sgt B 13th INF Bascom Gustavus M. Maj B 13th INF Bass Emmanuel Pvt F 9th CAV Bassford Charles E. Pvt. H 3rd CAV Basson Lucius C 8th CAV Bastell Andrew Pvt. C 8th CAV Batchelor J. B. 2LT A 24th INF Bates Merritt Pvt. G 8th CAV Battles Henry Pvt. F 24th INF Bauer Charles Pvt. I 8th CAV Baum ns Pvt. I 8th CAV Bayer Edward Cpl B 13th INF Bayer George W. Pvt. D 24th INF Bean Ellis B. US VOL Becker ns Sgt I 8th CAV Beckett Edward Pvt. D 13th INF Beckham John T. Pvt. D 24th INF Beeler James Pvt. C 8th CAV Being(z) ns Cpl C 8th CAV Bell Andrew Pvt. A 24th INF Bell John Pvt. B 13th INF Bell Stewart Pvt. A 24th INF Bell William Pvt. H 3rd CAV Ballinger Richard K 38th INF Bellow ns Pvt. I 8th CAV Bellows ns Pvt. G 8th CAV Bendridge Peter F 15th INF Bennett ns Pvt. I 1 NM INF Bennett D. D. Sgt C 8th CAV Bennett James C. Sgt C 8th CAV Bennett William Pvt. G 8th CAV Benson George Pvt. K 3rd CAV Benton Joseph Pvt. K 15th INF Bergen Charley E. 2 Lt F 1 NM INF Bergen Ernest Pvt. I 8th CAV Berry ns Sgt C 8th CAV Berry Thomas Pvt. C 8th CAV Beven John 1LT H 1 NM CAV Bias Henry T. Pvt. F 24th INF Bickel ns Pvt. G 8th CAV Bickell ns Sgt I 8th CAV Billings Edward Pvt. K 38th INF Billings J. J. 1Lt M 1 CA CAV Bimnide ns Pvt. G 8th CAV Binnette ns Sgt C 8th CAV Bird Benjamin S. Pvt. C 8th CAV Bird Robert Cpl F 9th CAV Bishop Edward T. Sgt C 8th CAV Bishop John L. 1Lt D 13th INF Bishop Peter Cpt H 1 NM INF Black John Pvt. K 13th INF Black Richard F. Pvt. 15th INF Blackman Jacob A. 1Lt A 125 INF Blair J. Pvt. K 38th INF Blair Samuel K 38th INF Bland Harrison Pvt. F 9th CAV Bliss ns Col A 24th INF Bliss Frank Pvt. H 15th INF Bloodgood Edward Col K 38th INF Bloodworth John C. Pvt. I 8th CAV Blum Augustus Pvt. C 8th CAV Boggs Carter Pvt. A 24th INF Boggs Jackson Pvt. M 1 CA CAV Boggs William H. Sgt C 8th CAV Bolen James Pvt. I 8th CAV Boley Robert Pvt. G 8th CAV Bolt Ben Pvt. M 9th CAV Bonett John Sgt 15th INF Bonsall ns Pvt. I 1 NM INF Booker Rndall R. Pvt. D 10th INF Booz Mathias Sgt C 8th CAV Boughton Alden G. Sgt K 3rd CAV Bourhe Edmund Cpl G 15th INF Bowman John J. Sgt Boyd Matthew Pvt. K 38th INF Boyer George W. Pvt. D 24th INF Boyer Joseph Pvt. D 19th INF Boyle ns Pvt 38th INF Boyle George S. Boyle James Pvt. 15th INF Boynton Alden E. Sgt K 3rd CAV Bozarth William Sgt K 13th INF Brachminced Walter Pvt. G 15th INF Brady John Pvt. C 8th CAV Brady John C. Pvt. K 13th INF Brady William Cpt A 1 NM CAV Brainard Charles S. Cpl K 13th INF Bratling Frank Cpl C 8th CAV Brawley John E. Pvt. K 3rd CAV Bray Thomas Pvt. K 3rd CAV Bremer Francis E. Pvt. I 8th CAV Brennan ns Sgt I 8th CAV Brennan ns Pvt. I 8th CAV Brennan Owen Pvt. D 10th INF Brett J. E. 1Lt. F 24th INF Briggs ns Sgt C 8thCAV Brinson John Pvt. C 8th CAV Brisbie Alexander Pvt. 38th INF Britcher Ed Cpl 15th INF Britt Daniel E. Pvt. C 8th CAV Brittian William Pvt. G 15th INF Brockedorff Hugo Pvt. I 8th CAV Brooks ns Sgt C 8th CAV Brooks Charles Pvt. K 3rd CAV Brooks Edward R. Pvt. C 8th CAV Brooks Frederick Pvt. G 8th CAV Brooks Madison Rec M 9th CAV Brower William Pvt. K 13th INF Brown ns Pvt. 38th INF Brown Charles Cpl A 8th CAV Brown Charles Pvt. K 38th INF Brown George Pvt. M 9th CAV Brown George Pvt. K 3rd CAV Brown George Pvt. G 8th CAV Brown George Pvt. C 8th CAV Brown James H. Cpl K 38th INF Brown Walter S. Pvt. F 24th INF Bruce ns Pvt. 38th INF Bruden John Pvt G 15th INF Brume ns Pvt. C 8th CAV Bruner Francis E. Pvt. I 8th CAV Brunson ns Pvt. C 8th CAV Buidrow Peter Pvt. A 15th INF Buius Frederick Pvt. C 8th CAV Bullack Charles Pvt. 15th INF Bunday Paul Pvt. D 24th INF Bunger Henry Bunker Warren D. Pvt. C 8th CAV Burge Benjamin Pvt. E 24th INF Burk William J. Pvt. D 13th INF Burke John Pvt. 15th INF Burke Thomas Pvt. K 13th INF Burkhart August Pvt. D 10th INF Burks Charles Pvt. F 24th INF Burles Charles Pvt. D 24th INF Burnett ns Pvt. G 8th CAV Burns ns Pvt. 38th INF Burns Fred W. Pvt. C 8th CAV Burris Madison K. Pvt. C 8th CAV Burrows ns C 8th CAV Bursey Henry Pvt. I 8th CAV Burting ns Pvt. C 8th CAV Burton William Pvt. G 15th INF Butler Frank Pvt. D 24th INF Butler Henry Pvt. G 15th INF Butze Charles Pvt. B 15th INF
Source: Southern New Mexico Genealogical Society, Marcena Thompson, and Charles Barnum.
Fort Selden, New Mexico Troops, 1865-1891.