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This scenic spot was probably an outlying Fort Stanton piquet post. Probably a wooden structure with stone base. There is some written anecdotal and physical evidence for this.
Congratulations to Bighornram on FTF! It was a Wild Turkey Federation knife.
December, 1873
My dear Friends & Soldiers,
Certain sure - imagine being up here in winter 1863, having arrived with Col. Kit Carson in warmer weather to re-garrison the Fort, or January, 1872, with yer pard, and it's a howling, freezing blizzard - 3 feet of snow all about. Well, it really doesn't matter when you arrived. Fort Stanton needs to be guarded, both at the post and outlying places, like this: elevated, good views, line-of-site communication with other outposts, like that high hill there to the southwest. And so exposed - so freezingly so, or in warmer weather, the wind knocks you over, and WHY does this one spot seem to attract the only lightning? Oh but for the summer... But then it gets excruciatingly hot. Just doesn't matter, it's a lonely outpost - no matter what.
This one is particularly good - right below you is the intersection of wagon roads to Lincoln 6 miles east, Stanton 2 miles west and to the northwest, on to Forts Craig, Fillmore and Selden on the Rio Grande. Toward the Capitans you can plainly see into the Capitan Gap and closer, the meadowlands of the Rio Salado drainage. Yes, a good spot - but for 7 months out of the year, very windy and cold.
Oh, you're going to get a white Christmas alright, just 2,000 miles from friends and relations back east, and even worse if you were one of those off the boat and can hardly understand the English language, &c. Take care my friend(s)...and do your duty well...
I remain YMOS,
Cpl. Bilbo,
Corporal of the Guard,
Co. B, 15th Regt, U.S. Infantry
Fort Stanton, NM Terry.
P.S. Those of you Vets who've been in far-flung places in such weather (like my most memorable one, Korea, DMZ, winter, 1976) will well understand this spot. In the 19th Century, this place might just as well have been Korea.
Site Parking Considerations
Parking on the road is kind of dangerous and that is a stiff and rusty barbed wire fence to deal with. The better thing is to make this into a nice little hike by going to the Salado Pasture at N 33 degrees 31.354', W 105 degrees 29.970' Drive 2/10th mile down the road and pull off on the left. When it's time to leave, pull ahead 1/10th mile to a turn-around spot. Or keep going and explore this landscape. After all, it's YOUR public land. This pasture has antelope in the summer and deer and elk in the fall.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)