6/20/1852: Fort Clark established at Las Moras Springs

[Craig Tx]

On this day in 1852 Fort Clark was established at Las Moras Springs in Kinney County.

Originally named Fort Riley, the post was renamed in honor of Major John B. Clark, a deceased officer who had served in the Mexican War. Fort Clark was the southern anchor of the line of frontier forts protecting the western frontier. The land was leased from Samuel Maverick. Oscar Brackett established a supply village for the fort at Las Moras, later called Brackettville. The fort and the town are still closely identified. In 1884 Mary Maverick was paid $80,000 for the 3,965-acre tract. From 1872 until 1914 the fort was the home of the Black Seminole scouts and the Fourth United States Cavalry. Later Fort Clark was the garrison for the Tenth United State Cavalry and the Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth United States Infantry regiments. These units were mounted regiments of black soldiers, known as "buffalo soldiers." From 1920 to 1941 Fort Clark was home to the Fifth Cavalry. In 1938 Col. George S. Patton was regimental commander. In June 1944, after full mechanization of the cavalry, Fort Clark, one of the last horse-cavalry posts in the country, was ordered closed. In 1971 the property was purchased by North American Towns of Texas and turned into a private recreation and retirement community.