The terrain mapped at Pine Springs included both slopes and level areas used for different kinds of military activities. Each campfire in the long hearth line probably represented a "mess unit" of 4 or 5 men who cooked and ate together, and slept in tents nearby. The discovery of dark grey limestone slabs next to several hearths supports this idea. According to Gorden Bell, geologist for Guadalupe Mountains National Park, this limestone was quarried from an outcrop to the south of Pine Springs, across the modern road, and originally used to build the Butterfield Stage station, the Pinery. Based on descriptions of 19th century Army camp construction, it seems likely that the soldiers took the stones from the station, which was by then in ruins, and used them as footings for temporary canvas and/or wood structures-—either dog tents or the Sibley tents often used in winter.
There also may have been a designated wagon maintenance area. West of the hearth line, near the old road, investigators found wagon harness pieces on a rise. Not far away are several additional tent pads. One that was excavated consisted of dark grey limestone slabs outlining a large rectangle that probably formed the base for a large tent with a chimney made out of stacked stones at one end. Military photographs from this time period show similar set-ups, with canvas tents bordered on one side by a stone chimney. This semi-permanent structure seemed too large to have housed only a small group, even of officers, so perhaps it served a more communal purpose. Surgeons regularly accompanied Buffalo Soldier expeditions, so it might even have served as a surgery or hospital tent. We know at least one person was wounded during one of Lebo’s stays in Pine Springs. Lieutenant Robert Read fell off a portion of the ruined wall at the Pinery while trying to make a map of the area. He hit his head but survived.
Sources
A bibliography has been collected for this project.
