{{Short description|US Army officer (1837–1862)}} '''George Nicholas Bascom''' (1837 – February 21, 1862) was a United States Army officer in the New Mexico Territory and in the early months of the American Civil War.
==Biography== George N. Bascom was born in Owingsville in Bath County, Kentucky. His ancestors were of French Huguenot and French Basque. Bascom was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and graduated 26th in a class of 27 in 1858. Following his graduation he was first stationed at Camp Floyd in Utah Territory and then in New Mexico Territory at Fort Buchanan as a 2nd Lieutenant of the U.S. 7th Infantry Regiment. In January 1861 he was involved in what became known as the Bascom Affair at Apache Pass, that is considered to be the key event in triggering the 1861–1872 Apache War.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://huachuca-www.army.mil/Files/History_Illustrated_GarrisoningtheSouthwest.pdf |title=HUACHUCA ILLUSTRATED: A MAGAZINE OF THE FORT HUACHUCA MUSEUM, Vol. 11, 1999, Garrisoning of the Southwest, pp.102–109 |access-date=2017-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224031542/http://huachuca-www.army.mil/Files/History_Illustrated_GarrisoningtheSouthwest.pdf |archive-date=2016-12-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
After the American Civil War began, Bascom was promoted to captain of the U.S. 16th Infantry Regiment. However, before he could return to join his new regiment, the three companies of the 7th Infantry that had moved to Fort Craig were involved in the Battle of Val Verde in New Mexico Territory. Bascom was killed in action by Confederate forces on February 21, 1862, during the battle.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=EtcgKhDJcZkC&pg=PA14 Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army, from its organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903, Volume 2, p. 14]</ref> Subsequently, Fort Bascom, New Mexico, was named in his honor.<ref>HUACHUCA ILLUSTRATED, Vol. 11, 1999, Garrisoning of the Southwest, p.109</ref>
Captain Bascom was originally buried at nearby Fort Craig, in the post cemetery. When Fort Craig was closed in 1885, all the bodies were reburied at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. Bascom's burial was unidentifiable and is believed to be one of the unknown markers.<ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17325551 Capt. George N. Bascom, accessed from www.findagrave.com, May 28, 2011]</ref>
The actor Dick Simmons portrayed Bascom in the 1966 episode, "The Hero of Apache Pass", on the syndicated television anthology series, ''Death Valley Days''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0556804/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast|title=The Hero of Apache Pass on ''Death Valley Days''|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=November 29, 2018}}</ref>
==See also== * Apache Pass Station * Butterfield Overland Mail in New Mexico Territory
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20061217085025/http://jeff.scott.tripod.com/bascom.html Tripod.com] * [http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/civilwar/southwest/bascom.aspx Militaryhistoryonline.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302090624/https://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/civilwar/southwest/bascom.aspx |date=2019-03-02 }} * [https://www.discoverseaz.com/History/Bascom.html Discoverseaz.com] (reference only) * [http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/civilwar/southwest/bascom.aspx THE BASCOM AFFAIR, APACHE PASS, February 4, 1861] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302090624/https://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/civilwar/southwest/bascom.aspx |date=March 2, 2019 }} * [https://archive.org/details/Fort_Bascom_-_Civil_War_Military_Post History lecture on Captain Bascom and Fort Bascom]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bascom, George Nicholas}} Category:1837 births Category:1862 deaths Category:People from New Mexico Territory Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:People of Kentucky in the American Civil War Category:People from Owingsville, Kentucky Category:American people of the Indian Wars Category:United States Army officers Category:People of the Apache Wars Category:Union army officers Category:Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War Category:Burials at Santa Fe National Cemetery