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 Naugenbaum – Quintana
Naugenbaum ED Pvt. E 15th INF Neal James Pvt. C 8th CAV Neale Henry Pvt. C 8th CAV Needham H. J. 2Lt F 1 NM INF Neill ns Sgt G 8th CAV Nelson Wiliam Pvt. K 38th INF Neskins ns Pvt. C 8th CAV Nestler Otto Pvt. C 8th CAV New ns Pvt. G 8th CAV Newso John Pvt. C 8th CAV Newton Jackson Pvt. I 8th CAV Nicholas J. Pvt. 38th INF Nickel August Pvt. K 13th INF Nifalusy Anton Sgt Nix John H. Pvt. K 38th INF Nolan P. Cpl 15th INF Norton W. 15th INF Nugent ns Pvt. G 1 CA INF O'Brien John S. K 3rd CAV O'Brien Patrick Pvt. D 13th INF O'Connor Bernard K 15th INF O'Connor Lawrence L. 1Lt K 3rd CAV O'Donald Frank Pvt. C 8th CAV O'Donnell Benjamin F. Pvt. I 8th CAV O'Donnell John Pvt. D 13th INF O'Donnell Joseph Pvt. G 8th CAV O'Keefe Andrew Sgt C 15th INF O'Mara Thomas Pvt. K 3rd CAV O'Neil Joseph Pvt. K 3rd CAV O'Reilly John J. Pvt. D 10th INF O'Rourke James Pvt. G 8th CAV O'Sullivan Henry Pvt. B 15th INF Oake Oliver Pvt. K 38th INF Oliphant John E. 2Lt M 1 CA CAV Olivia James Pvt. G 15th INF Orley James Pvt. K 38th INF Orr Prince Pvt. K 38th INF Orton Richard H. Cpt M 1 CA CAV Osborn ns Pvt. K 8th CAV Oston R. H. Cpt M 1 CA CAV Overtree Augustus Pvt. K 13th INF Owen ns Pvt. G 8th CAV Paige James Pvt. 15th INF Palmer William Pvt. C 8th CAV Pandergriff William Pvt. G 8th CAV Pardee James I. Pvt. H 3rd CAV Pardise Montgomery Pvt. H 15th INF Parker ns Cpl I 8th CAV Parks ns Pvt. I 8th CAV Parks Robert Pvt. K 38th INF Parry J. Pvt. K 38th INF Parry John A. 2Lt D 10th INF Pater Samuel Pvt. C 8th CAV Patterson James Pvt. C 8th CAV Patterson James Pvt. K 38th INF Patterson Thomas Pvt. F 9th CAV Paugh Andrew K. Pvt. G 8th CAV Pauley George R. Pvt. B 13th INF Payne William T. Pvt. K 13th INF Pearce A. R. Pvt. M 9th CAV Pearce H. Z. Pvt. M 9th CAV Pearo Antoine Pvt. D 10th INF Pearson London Pvt. F 9th CAV Pease A. S. Pvt. M 9th CAV Pease Louis Pvt. 15th INF Pedro Monte Pvt. I 1 NM INF Pendergast William P. Pvt. G 8th CAV Pengally Edward Sgt G 8th CAV Penner Harrison Pvt. F 9th CAV Perry A. Pvt. 38th INF Perry John A. 2Lt D 10th INF Perry Preston Pvt. C 8th CAV Perry William A. Pvt. G 8th CAV Pershine John H. 2Lt B 13th INF Person William Pvt. G 8th CAV Peters Price Pvt. 38th INF Pettis George H. 1Lt F 1 NM INF Petty Henry Pvt. K 38th INF Pheldan Ed Pvt. 15th INF Phillips Axel Pvt. K 13th INF Picking William A. Pvt. K 3rd CAV Pierson David Pvt. F 24th INF Pillow L. Cpl E 24th INF Pindell Joseph H. Pvt. K 3rd CAV Pinkston Daniel Pvt. D 24th INF Placer Lucius A. Pvt. G 8th CAV Plassman Theodore Pvt. 15th INF Plumer Fred Cpl F 24th INF Plummer Henry Pvt. G 8th CAV Plunkett Owen Cpl K 3rd CAV Points Charles Pvt. K 38th INF Polatakis Charles Pvt. D 10th INF Polk Marshall Pvt. K 38th INF Ponodincio Martin Pvt. I 1 NM INF Por--ie James Pvt. K 15th INF Porter ns Pvt. K 8th CAV Porter John Pvt. D 10th INF Porter Samuel Pvt. H 24th INF Pratetsen ED Pvt. 15th INF Prear ns Pvt. A 24th INF Pressburger Henry Pvt. G 8th CAV Preston ns Sgt I 8th CAV Preston A. M. 2LT G 8th CAV Preston James Pvt. C 8th CAV Preston Willis Pvt. E 24th INF Price J. Pvt. M 9th CAV Prichet William Pvt. 15th INF Prince Richard Pvt. K 38th INF Pringle Edward Pvt. A 24th INF Pugh Joseph Pvt. A 15th INF Quick William Pvt. C 8th CAV Quitly John P. D 10th INF Quinn John Pvt. K 13th INF Quinn Michael Pvt. G 15th INF Quintana ns Pvt. C 1 NM INF
Source: Southern New Mexico Genealogical Society, Marcena Thompson, and Charles Barnum.
Fort Selden, New Mexico Troops, 1865-1891.