Fort Ringgold

Fort Ringgold (1848-1861) (1865-1906) (1917-1944) - Established on 26 Oct 1848 by two companies of the 1st U.S. Infantry led by Bvt. Major Joseph H. LaMotte (Cullum 495). Known as Camp Ringgold and Ringgold Barracks before being named Fort Ringgold in 1878. Named after Bvt. Major Samuel Ringgold (Cullum 184) who was the first U.S. Army Officer to die from wounds received in the battle of Palo Alto (8 May 1846) during the Mexican War. Restored Lee House at Fort Ringgold Major Ringold Mortally wounded (LOC) History The fort was occupied from 1848 until the U.S. Civil War began in 1861; from 1865 until 1906; and from 1917 to 1944. The U.S. Army declared the fort surplus and disposed of the property in 1944. Fort Ringgold Partial Commanders List (edit list) Assumed Relieved Rank Name Cullum Notes 1876-97-06 1880-06-03  Lt. Col. Neill, Thomas  Hewson 1357 While commanding post, he was promoted to Colonel, Apr. 2, 1879. 1898-02 1898-05  Capt. Thomas, Earl Dennison 2295 1900-01 1900-09  Capt. Carleton, Guy 2895 1920-06 1920-08-19  Col. Brown, Robert Alexander 3068 Dates are formatted in yyyy-mm-dd to sort correctly. The Cullum Number is the graduation order from the United States Military Academy by year and class rank and links to a page for the officer on the website version of the Cullum Register. Listings without a Cullum Number indicate that the person was not a graduate of the United States Military Academy. Current Status The Rio Grande Consolidated ISD purchased the fort property in 1949. Since 1988 the district maintained the standing buildings, the best known is the Lee House, where Robert E. Lee resided in 1860. The fort was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. Location: Rio Grande City School grounds, 1/4 mi. SE of jct. of US 83 and TX 755, Rio Grande City, Starr County, Texas Maps & Images Lat: 26.37562 Long: -98.80815 Multi Maps from ACME Maps from Bing Maps from Google Elevation: 170' GPS Locations: 26.37730, -98.80984 Marker 26.37562, -98.80815 Parade 26.37770, -98.80983 Gate 26.37406, -98.80877 Lee's Quarters Sources: Roberts, Robert B., Encyclopedia of Historic Forts: The Military, Pioneer, and Trading Posts of the United States, Macmillan, New York, 1988, 10th printing, ISBN 0-02-926880-X, page 773-774. Hart, Herbert M., Tour Guide to Old Western Forts, Pruett Publishing Co., Boulder CO, 1980, ISBN 0-87108-568-2, page 166. Simmons, Thomas E., Fort Ringgold: A Brief Tour, University of Texas Pan-American, Edinburg, Texas, ISBN 0-938738-09-7. Links: North American Forts - Fort Ringgold Texas Handbook Online - Fort Ringgold Waymarking - Fort Ringgold Lee's Quarters Waymarking - Fort Ringgold Marker Visited: No