San Diego Crossing, was a major
ford on the
Rio Grande, in
Doña Ana County, New Mexico during the 19th Century. It was named for
San Diego Mountain, on the east side of the Rio Grande, located directly west of the crossing. It was 11 miles north from
Doña Ana, New Mexico then 7 miles northwest
from the
Camino Real to the crossing and 17 miles along the west bank from the crossing to their last camp along the river before their junction with
Cooke's Wagon Road.[1]: 162–163, 165–167
In 1849, it was described in the diary of
Robert Eccleston, who was traveling west from the
Jornada del Muerto with the wagon train of a party of
49ers on October 6, 1849:
"...after getting over the hill from which we could see the river, the oxen had to pull heavy to get through the sand. The valley looked pretty from the eminence on the hill, but no encampment was in sight on either side of the river. ... We came up to our boys & proceeded to the ford. We crossed safely, but No.1 got stuck, & I had to return with our two lead yoke to draw them up. Even with 5 yoke we could hardly stir the load, as, the ground being spongy, the wheels sunk in the sand. The distance in crossing is some 300 yards, as we follow up the middle ground some distance after crossing half way, part of which was bare."
"We camped below where we came out & nearly opposite the entering of the ford on the margin of the river. ... Exactly opposite our camp is the Mountain (
San Diego Mountain) of brownish hue, with dark green shrubbery distributed here and there."[1]: 163–164
^
abRobert Eccleston, Edited by
George P. Hammond and Edward H. Howes, Overland to California on the Southwestern Trail, University of California Press, Berkeley, 1950, pp.162-167
^WAR OF THE REBELLION: A COMPILATION OP THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES. PUBLISHED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF The Hon. DANIEL S. LAMONT, Secretary of War, BY MAJ. GEORGE W. DAVIS, U. S. ARMY, MR. LESLIE J. PERRY, CIVILIAN EXPERT, MR. JOSEPH W KIRKLEY, CIVILIAN EXPERT, Board of Publishers. SERIES I, VOLUME L, IN TWO PARTS. PART I, REPORTS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC., GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON. 1897, p.128, Letter from Lieutenant- Colonel, E. E. EYRE, First California Volunteer Cavalry at Las Cruces, Ariz.to Headquarters, Column from California, August 30, 1862.
^WAR OF THE REBELLION, SERIES I, VOLUME L, IN TWO PARTS. PART I, p.125 Letter from Lieutenant- Colonel, E. E. EYRE, First California Volunteer Cavalry at Fort Thorn to Headquarters, Column from California, July 8, 1862.