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Date/Time
Date(s) - 06/21/2017
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Location
Flickinger Center for Performing Arts

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On June 21, we will be presenting the film “Helluva Way to Treat a Soldier,” the story of the looting of the Fort Craig cemetery. Fort Craig is located along the Rio Grande, north of Truth or Consequences and south of Socorro; the ruins of the Fort are open to the public and can be toured during regular hours. It was a military fort established in 1854 to protect travelers along the Camino Real. It was decommissioned in 1886. This video production (approximately 45 min in length) presents the events that led to the investigations of looting and the removal of interments from the cemetery, and efforts undertaken to prevent further unauthorized disturbance and removal of human burials within the cemetery. The story of Thomas Smith, Private of the 125th United States Colored Troops, will be shared, along with the process by which identification of David Ford (Company C 38thInfantry) and Levi Morris (Company B 9th Calvary) were made. Caleb Scott, also a member of the US Colored Troops, remains missing from the burial population.

Leading the discussion of the film will be Dr. Jeffery Hanson (JRI Vice President), who served as the Bureau of Reclamation Archaeologist during this time and was deeply involved in the criminal investigations and field efforts. Also, David Greenwald (JRI President), who directed the field efforts to collect information relating to the looting and directed the excavations and recovery all human remains, will introduce the film and address questions. Mr. Mark Hungerford, US Bureau of Reclamation Archaeologist and a member of the investigation team, will also be present to address questions following the film. Following laboratory analysis, all human remains were reburied in the Santa Fe National Cemetery, with honors. The film provides historical background, discusses law enforcement actions, and interviews participants in the recovery efforts and those with specific information regarding the looting activities. These investigations were carried out between 2005 and 2008; much of the criminal investigation and information from the fieldwork could not be released to the public until the investigations regarding the criminal case had been concluded, causing this excavation project to be one of mystery and intrigue. This presentation is FREE to the public and graciously supported by the Flickinger Center for Performing Arts. We do ask that you consider providing a donation that will help support both Jornada Research Institute and the Flickinger Center. We hope to be able to present other films regarding the history, ethnohistory, archaeology and other related topics in the future. Please come out and support this new and (hopefully) continuing program. Mark your calendars.