▁was ▁in ▁operation ▁until ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁when ▁the ▁But ter field ▁route ▁was ▁abandoned ▁for ▁the ▁Central ▁Route ▁by ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁ ▁However ▁the ▁local ity ▁remained ▁in ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁water ing ▁place ▁for ▁travel ers ▁on ▁the ▁Southern ▁Em igr ant ▁Tra il ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁post ▁for ▁Union ▁Army ▁units ▁moving ▁back ▁and ▁forth ▁between ▁California ▁and ▁Arizona ▁Territ ory . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁journal ▁of ▁an ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁march ▁of ▁California ▁Vol unte ers ▁to ▁Fort ▁Y uma , ▁Lie ut . ▁Col . ▁Joseph ▁R . ▁West ▁described ▁the ▁old ▁station : ▁ ▁October ▁ 3 0 .- ▁... ▁ ▁At ▁New ▁River , ▁old ▁mail ▁station , ▁desert ed . ▁Deep ▁well ▁of ▁inferior ▁water ; ▁a ▁l ago on ▁within ▁ 4 0 0 ▁yards ▁now ▁aff ords ▁a ▁supply , ▁but ▁would ▁fail ▁after ▁a ▁long ▁spell ▁of ▁dry ▁weather ; ▁it ▁cannot ▁be ▁re lied ▁upon . ▁This ▁station ▁is ▁a ▁prec ari ous ▁one ▁for ▁water . ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁River ▁Station ▁was ▁in ▁use ▁again ▁by ▁stage co ach ▁lines ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁until ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁when ▁the ▁Southern ▁Pacific ▁Rail road ▁reached ▁Fort ▁Y uma . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁then ▁abandoned . ▁ ▁Its ▁location ▁was ▁probably ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Col onia ▁H idal go , ▁Mex ical i ▁beside ▁the ▁New ▁River . ▁ ▁Its ▁location ▁remains ▁im prec ise