Fort Union is on land that was part of the historic Mora Land Grant that dates back to 1835. The grant encompassed 827,000 acres or close to 1300 square miles, which extended east from the rich forests of the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the grassy expanses on the plains near present day Wagon Mound.

My explorations of the adjacent area have taken me to Taos, as I mentioned in my last blog, and more recently to the nearby ghost town of Loma Parda.  This village was a place where soldiers from the fort went to dance, drink and carouse with women.  Several of the soldiers were court-martialed for escapades in Loma Parda. Justice was harsh. It almost always included hard labor. Some of the convicted were forced to wear a ball and chain. Others had their heads shaved and were drummed out of the service.

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